Managing your location effectively on Android isn't just about flipping a switch. It's crucial for receiving useful local results, for maps to accurately pinpoint your location indoors, and for emergency services to receive your position at the right time. Plus, privacy and battery life are also at stake.
In this guide, you'll find everything from basic and advanced settings for enabling location services and improving their accuracy, to how to choose permissions for each app, calibrate the compass, and understand what Google does with your location data. We also cover older versions of Android and a dedicated section for developers on location APIs. All with a clear, practical, and up-to-date approach.
Has the Settings icon disappeared? Here's the solution.
Turn Android device location on or off
To control general access to your device's location, open Settings and go to Location . There you can turn the Use location option on or off ; when it's turned off, no app or service will be able to access your device's location, although you'll still receive approximate local results based on your IP address.
If it's more convenient for you, add the Location button to your quick settings : swipe up twice from the top, tap Edit, and drag the Location icon to the panel so you can turn it on or off with a single tap.
On shared devices, such as tablets with multiple users, each profile can have different location access settings. Additionally, the steps to enable or disable location services also apply to Fitbit Ace LTE.
What happens if location is turned on or off on Android?
When location services are enabled, apps with permission can offer features based on your location , such as local search results, daily routes, nearby restaurants, or relevant alerts in your area. Indoors or in dense urban areas, accuracy may improve with additional signals.
When location services are turned off, apps and services cannot access your device's location. However, you may still see local content and ads based on your IP address. Keep in mind that features like Find My Device or detailed location on maps may be limited.
Google Location Accuracy (Google Location Services)
Android can improve your location estimation with Google Location Accuracy (also known as Google Location Accuracy or Google Location Services). This service combines GPS, Wi-Fi hotspots, cell towers, and device sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer) to calculate a faster and more accurate location, especially indoors or where GPS is less reliable. It's also available on Fitbit Ace LTE.
To protect your privacy, when precision is enabled, Google periodically collects information from nearby signals and sensors using random, temporary, and rotating identifiers not associated with your account. These identifiers change frequently to prevent you from being identified from the aggregated data.
How to turn Location Accuracy on or off
On Android 12 and later (and Fitbit Ace LTE), go to Settings, then Location , then Location Services , and open Location Accuracy . Turn Improve location accuracy on or off as needed.
On Android 11 and earlier, go to Settings, tap Location , then Advanced settings , and open Location accuracy . From there you can turn Improve location accuracy on or off.
When precision is on
The device combines wireless signals (GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks) and sensors (accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope) to provide the most accurate location possible, including data such as altitude and floor level. This is crucial indoors and in environments with poor GNSS satellite visibility.
When precision is disabled
Only GPS and sensors are used , which may reduce the availability and accuracy of location data in apps and services. Accuracy may worsen in complex areas, and the time to the first position fix may increase.
Even with location accuracy turned off, emergency location services or your carrier may automatically send your enhanced location to emergency services when you call or text an emergency number. In that case, Google does not collect location or accuracy data for its own purposes.
Per-app permissions and precise location on Android 12 or later
Starting with Android 12, you can decide whether each app accesses a precise or approximate location . This is different from Google's Location Accuracy, which affects the sources used by the device to calculate position. If you enable system accuracy, you can still limit an app to approximate location access if it doesn't need exact coordinates.
Depending on your Android version, you'll see options like Always allow , Allow only while using the app , Always ask , or Don't allow . Adjust each app in Settings, under Apps, then Location , and choose the appropriate level.
Some devices, such as certain Wi-Fi-only tablets , may lack GPS or emergency location services, so your experience may be different.
Search for Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth devices
To improve accuracy without constantly activating connections, Android can search for nearby Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices even when Wi-Fi or Bluetooth is turned off. Enable these searches in Settings under Location , by going to Search options and enabling Wi-Fi Search and Bluetooth Search.
Location settings on older versions of Android
Android 9
Open Settings, go to Security and Location, and then to Location. From there, you can turn location services on or off . In the advanced options, you'll find Search to enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and Emergency Location Services to turn it on or off as you prefer.
Android 4.4 and 8.1
Go to Settings, then Security & Location , and then Location . Tap Mode and choose an option based on your needs and battery life. High accuracy uses GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular networks, and sensors. Battery saver prioritizes Wi-Fi and cellular networks. Device only uses GPS and sensors, without Google location services.
Android 4.1 and 4.3
In Settings, under Location access , turn Access my location on or off . If it's on, you can enable GPS satellites and Location over Wi-Fi and mobile network . If you turn it off, your phone won't be able to obtain or share your exact location with any app.
Tips and best practices to improve accuracy
Activate location services in Settings, and for maximum accuracy, enable Google Location Accuracy . This will give you more reliable coordinates in challenging areas, with a moderate impact on battery life thanks to the combined use of multiple sources.
Calibrate the Google Maps compass when you notice the orientation is incorrect. Open Maps, tap the blue dot, and select Calibrate. Move your phone in a figure- eight motion until "High compass accuracy" appears, then confirm.
Review app permissions and enable precise location only in apps that truly need it, such as maps or transportation. For others, approximate location may be sufficient to better protect your privacy.
Enter the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Search options to help the system triangulate your position near networks and beacons. This is especially useful indoors.
If you'd like services to get to know you better and receive data like real-time traffic updates , turn on Google Location History and choose the account you want to save it to. You can review, pause, and delete the data later.
Changing or faking your location: precautions and options
There are times when you might want to set a different location on your Android device, for example, to test an app, access results from another area, or for similar purposes. Third-party tools allow you to simulate your GPS location from your computer by connecting your phone via USB, selecting a location on the map, and virtually moving your device to that point.
The typical process involves installing the tool on your computer, connecting your phone via USB , opening the virtual location module, centering the map if necessary, choosing your destination, and confirming the transfer. Some apps even allow for a teleportation mode or setting fake routes. Always use it responsibly and in accordance with the policies of the apps you use, as some services may restrict features if they detect manipulated location data.
How location works on Android and what Google does with your data
Android estimates your location using GNSS signals, networks, and sensors , and shares that location with apps that have permission. Google uses location information to make its services more useful and secure : faster local results, traffic forecasts, reminders of places you've been, relevant ads, and detection of unusual activity to protect your account.
Your location information comes to Google from multiple sources. It can be inferred from your IP address to provide basic services and security. It can also come from your activity saved across Google services (when you have Web & App Activity enabled), from places you save as home and work , or from your device's location if permissions are granted. Sometimes, apps like Find My Device or Prey need background access to function properly.
If you turn on Timeline , Google creates a personal map of the places you've been and your travel routes, periodically saving precise locations from your devices signed in to the account. It's turned off by default, and you can manage or delete the data at any time. Google may use aggregated Timeline data for anonymous trends such as peak hours, abuse prevention, or service improvement.
The Web & App Activity option stores data about your use of Google services to personalize results and ads, including the general area where you searched or inquired. Your precise device location is not stored here, only the approximate area, which is automatically deleted after 30 days.
Google uses anonymization and pseudonymization to enhance privacy. Some pseudonymous identifiers, such as those used for advertising or location accuracy, can be reset, and Google also automatically renews them over time to better protect you.
Regarding data retention, some location information is stored in your account until you delete it or until your chosen automatic deletion period (3, 18, or 36 months). In server logs, Google anonymizes some IP addresses after 9 months and cookie information after 18 months . Location data associated with Web and App Activity is deleted after 30 days . In some cases, it may be retained for longer periods for legal or security reasons.
Location is also used for advertising . If your settings allow it, you'll see ads more relevant to your area. Only general areas are targeted, and anonymous estimates are used to measure the impact on store visits; these estimates don't share your personal information with advertisers. You can control the use of general areas in My Ads Center with the "Areas where you've used Google" option. If you turn it off, those areas of your activity won't be used to personalize ads, although your current location or saved home and work addresses may still be used .
For developers: configure requests and location settings
If you develop apps that rely on location, use the Combined Location Provider and Google Play Services Settings Client to verify that the device meets the necessary settings , prompt the user to enable them if needed, and define location requests with the appropriate level of accuracy and power consumption.
Create a LocationRequest to set the update interval with setIntervalMillis(), fastest interval with setMinUpdateIntervalMillis() and priority with setPriority(). Among the available priority values ​​are PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY for maximum accuracy (most likely using GPS), PRIORITY_BALANCED_POWER_ACCURACY for apple precision with lower consumption, PRIORITY_LOW_POWER for city-level accuracy and PRIORITY_PASSIVE to listen to locations triggered by other apps at no additional energy cost.
A typical flow with real-time tracking might use PRIORITY_HIGH_ACCURACY with ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION and an interval close to 5000 milliseconds. If you are going to perform expensive networking work after each update, temporarily reduce the fastest interval so as not to overload your app and re-upload it when you're done.
To check the current configuration, build a LocationSettingsRequest with your requests and ask for validation from Settings Client. In the result, inspect LocationSettingsResponse and its LocationSettingsStates to see what is active. If it fails with ResolvableApiException, shows the user the system dialog by startResolutionForResult() to activate what is required with one touch.
Situations and useful notes
On devices with multiple users, check the location in the correct profile . If you're using a Wi-Fi-only tablet without GPS, accuracy will depend primarily on nearby networks , and you may not have access to emergency location services. Remember that the instructions for Fitbit Ace LTE also apply to enabling and fine-tuning location accuracy.
Understanding and adjusting these settings allows you to balance privacy, battery life, and everyday usability. With Android's controls and Google options, you can decide which apps see your location, how accurately, and for how long the data is stored, while still taking advantage of key features like navigation, traffic updates, and local alerts. Share this tutorial so other users can learn how to manage their Android location settings effectively.