To turn off location for the whole Android device, open Settings > Location and switch off Use location. If you want Maps or another chosen app to keep working, leave that switch on and change only that app’s permission; to reduce location precision instead, use the separate Location Accuracy control.
Choose the location control that matches your goal
| Goal | Setting to change | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Prevent apps and services from getting location through Android’s device Location setting | Settings > Location > Use location | Device-wide location is off; location-dependent features may stop working. |
| Block or limit one app while retaining location for others | The app’s Location permission | Access is controlled per app; Android 12 and later also offer precise or approximate access. |
| Use fewer sources to estimate location | Location Accuracy | Wireless signals such as nearby Wi-Fi access points and cellular towers are no longer used by that service; accuracy or availability may be affected. |
| Stop location-related Wi-Fi or Bluetooth scanning | Wi-Fi scanning or Bluetooth scanning | Each scanning control can be reviewed separately from the master Location switch. |
| Stop sharing location with one person | Location Sharing settings | Sharing with that person can be stopped without turning off device Location. |
Turn off location for the whole Android device
- Open Settings.
- Tap Location. If you do not see it, search Settings for “Location”; on many devices, the Quick Settings Location tile is another route to the control.
- Switch Use location off.
Google’s Android location settings instructions say that when device Location is off, apps and services cannot get the device’s location through that setting. This can disable or affect features that rely on location, including finding a lost device, location sharing, nearby earthquake alerts, and location-based time-zone updates. Search results or ads may still be based on other information, such as the device’s IP address.
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Emergency calls and texts are a special case: emergency location services or a mobile carrier may still send the device’s location to responders. Turning off the master switch is not a guarantee that responders cannot receive location during an emergency.
Keep location on, but change what an app can access
For a narrower change, open the app’s location permission in Settings. Menu names vary, but you can usually find an app’s permissions from its app-information screen or through the system’s app-permissions controls. Choose whether the app can use location; on Android 12 and later, you can also choose precise or approximate location where that option is available.
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This lets you preserve location access for an app that needs it, such as navigation, while denying it to another app. The permission controls govern app access; they are different from the device-wide Location switch.
Check which apps have used a permission
Android’s Privacy Dashboard shows permission activity. Google documents a seven-day lookback on Android 13 and a 24-hour lookback on Android 12 in its Privacy Dashboard instructions. Use it to review recent location access before deciding which app permissions to change.
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Reduce location precision without switching Location off
Location Accuracy is a separate control. Turning it off does not turn off the master Location setting or revoke an app’s permission. It changes the signals the Location Accuracy service uses to estimate location.
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- Android 11 and earlier: Settings > Location > Advanced > Location Accuracy; turn off Improve Location Accuracy.
With Location Accuracy off, Google says the service uses available GPS and device sensors rather than wireless signals such as nearby Wi-Fi access points and cellular towers. Location estimates may be less accurate or unavailable in services such as Maps and lost-device finding. The service also stops sending its wireless-signal and sensor data to Google servers. Emergency location services or a carrier may still provide enhanced location during an emergency call or text. See Google’s explanation of Location Accuracy.
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Review Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning separately
If your goal is to limit location-related scanning while keeping other location features available, review the scanning switches as well as app permissions. On Android 12 and later, Google places Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning under Settings > Location > Location Services. On Android 11 and earlier, look under Settings > Location. These are distinct controls, not substitutes for the master Location switch.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Stop sharing location with a specific person
Open Location Sharing settings and stop sharing with the person you choose. Turning off device Location stops all location sharing, according to Google’s location-sharing instructions, but it also affects other location-based features. If the aim is only to end one sharing relationship, use the sharing control rather than disabling location for the device.
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When Android’s menus do not match
- Search Settings for Location if the menu is named differently or nested under another category.
- Check the Android version before following the Location Accuracy path: Google documents different paths for Android 12 and later versus Android 11 and earlier.
- Manufacturer software can change menu labels and availability, so a device may not present every control in precisely the same place.
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