Whether you want to save battery life or protect your privacy, turning off location services ensures that your phone stops broadcasting your GPS coordinates to apps and the operating system. Here is a quick guide on how to disable it on both major mobile platforms.
Turning off Location on iPhone (iOS)
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Privacy & Security.
- Tap on Location Services at the top of the screen.
- Toggle the switch next to Location Services to the Off position.
- A prompt will appear warning you that location will be disabled for all apps. Tap Turn Off to confirm.
Note: You can also leave the main switch on and disable location access for individual apps in the list below it.
Turning off Location on Android
Menus might vary slightly depending on your phone manufacturer (Samsung, Google, etc.).
- Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Quick Settings panel.
- Look for the Location icon (usually a map pin). Tap it to turn it off.
If the icon isn't there, you can do it via the settings menu:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap on Location.
- Toggle the switch at the top to Off.
What Happens When You Turn It Off?
When Location Services are disabled, apps like Google Maps won't be able to give you turn-by-turn directions, weather apps will ask you to enter a city manually, and apps like Uber won't be able to find you automatically. Keep in mind that turning off GPS does not hide your IP address location; your general region can still be determined when you browse the web.