Precise location gives an app a more specific estimate of where your phone is; approximate location gives it a broader area. Approximate access can be enough for general local features while limiting the location detail available to an app. It does not mean the app gets no location, and it does not control what the app does with information it receives.
What the difference means in practice
Approximate location tells an app roughly where you are; precise location can place you more specifically. The choice is useful when an app needs local context but not your exact position. The right setting depends on the feature: a city-level forecast may work with a broader estimate, while turn-by-turn directions or a specific pickup point may need greater detail.
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| Use | Approximate location | Precise location |
|---|---|---|
| General local context, such as a nearby area or city | Often sufficient; the app receives less detailed location information | Usually more detail than the feature needs |
| Turn-by-turn directions or a specific pickup point | A broader estimate may be less useful | More likely to support finding a specific position |
| Privacy preference | Limits the accuracy available to the app while retaining some location features | Provides the app with a more specific estimate |
These are practical implications of location granularity, not guarantees about any individual app. Android recommends that developers support approximate location where possible.
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How accurate are the two settings?
Android’s current developer guidance describes approximate estimates from Android’s LocationManagerService or FusedLocationProvider as typically covering about 3 square kilometers (about 1.2 square miles). It describes precise estimates as usually within about 50 meters (160 feet), and sometimes within a few meters (10 feet) or better. These are indicative service estimates, not fixed radii or guaranteed results for every device or situation. Accuracy can vary with the phone, operating system, location service, surroundings, and available data. Android’s location-permission guidance
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Apple does not give a comparable universal numeric accuracy range in its cited consumer guidance. It says Location Services may use cellular, Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth information when available, and cautions that location-based information may be unavailable, inaccurate, or incomplete in some areas. Apple’s Location Services guidance
Change the setting for an app
On iPhone
- Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Tap the app you want to adjust.
- Turn Precise Location off to share only an approximate location with that app, or turn it on if a feature genuinely needs a more specific location.
This setting applies to the selected app. Its broader location authorization—such as whether it can access location while you use it or in the background—is a separate choice. Apple’s instructions: Control the location information you share on iPhone.
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On Android
On Android 12 (API level 31) and later, the system can let you grant approximate location even when an app requests fine location. When the permission prompt offers the choices, select Approximate rather than Precise. You can later change the accuracy choice in that app’s settings; the precise settings path and labels can vary by phone. The prompt can also offer a separate choice about how long to grant access. Android’s permission guidance
Android advises developers to request coarse location when a general estimate meets the app’s needs. For apps that need to offer both accuracy levels, Android’s guidance says to request coarse and fine location permissions together. The choices users see depend on the app’s implementation and Android version. Request location access at runtime
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What the setting does—and does not—control
- It does not turn off location access. With approximate access, the app can still receive a broader estimate.
- It limits the detail available to that app through Location Services. It does not determine how the app handles location information it receives; review the app’s privacy policy and settings for that.
- It is separate from carrier or network location. Apple documents a distinct “Limit Precise Location” option for supported devices and networks. That setting affects precision available to mobile networks, not the location shared with apps, and depends on device and provider support. Apple’s Location Services guidance
Which setting should you choose?
- Choose approximate when the app only needs broad local context, such as nearby-area information.
- Choose precise when a feature depends on your specific position, such as navigation to your location or a precise pickup point.
- If a feature still works after you switch to approximate, you can keep the less detailed setting for that app.
App behavior differs, so the best choice is the least detailed location setting that still supports the feature you use.
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