Location privacy has two separate controls: app location permission decides whether an app can read your phone’s location, while location sharing decides whether another person can see it through a service such as Google Location Sharing or Apple Find My. Changing one does not automatically review the other. To limit exposure, check both the app permissions and every people-sharing service you use.
Permission and sharing are different settings
An app might be allowed to use your location without any person receiving it. Conversely, you might share your location with a family member through Maps or Find My even after reviewing individual app permissions. Think of the controls in four dimensions:
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- Scope: one app, the whole device, or named people.
- Duration: only while an app is open, a temporary sharing period, or ongoing access.
- Precision: approximate or precise location, where the operating system offers that choice.
- Visibility: which recipient can see you and which apps or services display the information.
Use the operating-system steps below for app access, then inspect Google Location Sharing or Find My separately if your goal is to stop another person from seeing your position.
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These controls can overlap without being interchangeable. For example, changing a weather app from background access to while-in-use limits that app, but does not remove a partner from your Google Location Sharing list. Likewise, stopping Find My sharing with one person does not revoke location access from every app on the iPhone. Decide first whether you are limiting software, reducing accuracy, ending one relationship, or turning off people-sharing altogether.
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Android: control an app’s access to location
Google’s documented route is Settings > Location > App location permissions. Select an app to review or change its access. On many phones, you can reach the same page by touching and holding the app icon, choosing App info > Permissions > Location, and then selecting the level you want. Names and available choices can differ by manufacturer and Android version; if the route is different, search Settings for Location.
Choose the least access that still works
| Android choice | What it permits | When it is useful |
|---|---|---|
| Allow all the time | The app may access location in the background as well as when open. | Only when a feature genuinely needs background updates, such as an ongoing navigation or safety function. |
| Allow only while using the app | The app can use location while you are actively using it. | A sensible default for maps, weather, local search, or other interactive features. |
| Ask every time or allow when I share | Android prompts for access when the app requests it or when you use a sharing action. | Occasional use when you do not want a standing permission. |
| Don’t allow | The app cannot use the device’s location through that permission. | Apps that do not need location, or features you no longer use. |
If the permission page offers Use precise location, turn it off to give the app an approximate location instead. Google describes approximate location as an area of about 3 square kilometers and precise location as the device’s exact location. Those descriptions explain the permission categories; they are not a guarantee of a fixed accuracy radius in every environment.
Approximate access is still location access. A local-search app can use a broad area to return nearby results, and an app can combine location with information you provide in your account or searches. Choose approximate when the feature works without a street-level position, but do not treat it as anonymity.
Change Android access step by step
- Open Settings.
- Tap Location, then App location permissions. If your phone uses different labels, search Settings for Location.
- Choose the app whose access you want to inspect.
- Select the narrowest access level that supports the feature you need.
- If shown, use Use precise location to allow or deny precise rather than approximate access.
- Close Settings and test the feature. If it fails, return to this page and grant a broader level only for the duration or task that requires it.
Review apps one at a time instead of changing every permission blindly. Navigation may need location while a route is active, whereas a calculator or note-taking app generally has no location task. If an app stops showing local results after you choose “Don’t allow,” that is the expected trade-off; restore only the level needed for that feature.
Do not confuse precise permission with Location Accuracy
Android’s per-app precise-location switch and Google’s device-level Location Accuracy setting are separate. The app permission determines whether a particular app receives precise or approximate data. Location Accuracy affects how the device itself combines available signals to calculate location. Changing one does not substitute for reviewing the other. Google explains the device-level setting in its Location Accuracy help.
Consequently, turning off Location Accuracy is not a substitute for changing an app’s permission, and allowing precise access for one app does not automatically change the device-wide accuracy setting. Check the control that matches your intended outcome.
Android: stop or start sharing with people
Google Location Sharing is a people-sharing feature, not an app-permission screen. It can be exposed through supported Google services including Maps, Messages, Find Hub, Family Link, and Personal Safety. Google says sharing is off by default until you start sharing through a supported app or service.
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Location Sharing controls are specific to both the Google account and the device. If you are signed in on more than one phone or tablet, check each device and account rather than assuming one change covers all of them. Menu names vary, so use the service’s Location Sharing controls or search Android Settings for location services when a documented path is not visible. Google’s Location Sharing help describes the available controls.
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Sharing can be started from a supported app, so the place where you first enabled it may not be the only place it is displayed. Check the account currently active in that app and verify the recipient list. A second device using the same account can have its own Location Sharing state, which is why a single-phone check may miss an active share.
What a recipient may see
Depending on the service and sharing arrangement, Google says a recipient may see your name, profile picture, real-time location, and battery status. Additional information can be available in some situations, including recent locations; Maps may also show travel mode. Consider those details before granting ongoing access, especially to someone who only needs a one-time meeting location.
Tell recipients only what you intend to share and choose a limited duration when the service offers one. Real-time location plus battery status can reveal more about availability and movement than a single pin. Review the list after a trip, move, or change in relationship.
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Stop sharing with one person
- Open the Google app or service where you enabled Location Sharing, commonly Maps.
- Open its Location Sharing controls and identify the person who currently has access.
- Select that recipient and choose the option to stop sharing.
- Repeat the check in any other Google account or device where you may have started sharing.
Stopping a recipient’s access changes the people-sharing relationship. It does not by itself audit which individual apps can read your location, so review Settings > Location > App location permissions separately.
iPhone: review app location permissions
On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, then choose an app to review its location access. The exact choices shown depend on the app and iOS version. Use the screen’s current labels rather than assuming every app offers the same set of options.
- Open Settings.
- Tap Privacy & Security.
- Tap Location Services.
- Select the app you want to inspect.
- Review the access shown and change it if the app does not need location, or if it only needs access during a particular task.
Apple’s Find My workflow specifically requires Location Services to be enabled for Find My. Therefore, if people cannot see a location you intentionally shared, check Location Services as well as the Find My sharing list. Conversely, changing an app’s permission is not the same as removing a person from Find My.
Use the app-specific screen as the authority for what that app can do on your current iOS release. One app may offer an in-use choice while another presents a different set of options. Do not assume changing one app changes Location Services for all apps.
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Start sharing with a selected person
- Open Find My.
- Tap Me and turn on Share My Location.
- Open the People tab and add the person you want to share with.
- Choose how long to share. The available duration choices are presented by Find My on your device; select the period that matches the purpose instead of leaving access open unnecessarily.
Apple’s step-by-step guide is Share your location in Find My on iPhone. Find My sharing can be viewed in Find My, Messages, and Maps in the situations Apple describes, so check those surfaces when deciding who can see your location.
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A duration is a practical boundary: use the shortest option that covers a pickup, meeting, or journey. For an ongoing family arrangement, revisit the People list periodically and remove entries that no longer need access.
Stop sharing with one person
- Open Find My > People.
- Select the person’s entry.
- Tap Stop Sharing My Location and confirm if prompted.
Stop sharing with everyone through Find My
- Open Find My > Me.
- Turn off Share My Location.
Stopping access is not guaranteed to be invisible. Apple says someone who previously had access may notice that sharing ended; on earlier operating systems, they may receive a Messages notification. Apple’s broader explanation is in Find My and location sharing.
Because the change may be noticeable, plan the timing if you are making the adjustment for personal-safety reasons. Turning off the switch in Find My addresses that people-sharing service; it does not automatically change every app’s Location Services permission.
How to choose the right setting
| Question | Android app permission | Google Location Sharing | iPhone app permission | Find My sharing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who receives the information? | A single app. | Named people through supported Google services. | A single app. | Named people you add in Find My. |
| What is controlled? | Whether the app can read device location. | Whether recipients can see shared location and related status. | Whether the app can read device location. | Whether recipients can see your shared location. |
| Can duration be limited? | Use “while using,” “ask every time,” or another level available on the device. | Sharing is managed per recipient; menu choices vary by service. | Use the access choices displayed for that app and iOS version. | Choose a sharing duration when adding a person. |
| Is precision separate? | Yes, the “Use precise location” switch may be available. | Recipients may receive real-time location; the sharing setting is separate from app precision. | Review the precision-related controls shown for the selected app and iOS version. | Find My sharing is a people-access control, not an app permission. |
| Where should you look first? | Settings > Location > App location permissions. | The Google service’s Location Sharing controls. | Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. | Find My > Me or Find My > People. |
Use this comparison as a decision aid, not a universal rule. A navigation app may justify broader temporary access than a local-search app, and a trusted person may need a different sharing duration than a one-time contact. Match scope, duration, precision, and visibility to the task.
Common privacy mistakes and their fixes
Turning off one app and assuming people can no longer see you
Revoking an app’s permission affects that app. It does not automatically remove a recipient from Google Location Sharing or Find My. Open the relevant sharing service and remove the person or disable the sharing switch as well.
Turning off a master location setting without checking recipients
A device-level location switch, an app permission, and a person-sharing relationship are different controls. If you want a complete privacy review, inspect all three rather than relying on one switch. The exact behavior when a master service is disabled can depend on the operating system and service, so verify the recipient list directly.
Granting “all the time” for convenience
Background access is broader than access while an app is open. Start with Allow only while using the app or Ask every time on Android when those choices meet your needs. On iPhone, review each app’s current Location Services setting and reduce access when the feature does not require it.
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Leaving a temporary trip share active
For a meeting, pickup, or journey, use a temporary period where the service offers one. On Find My, choose a duration when adding the person. On Google services, return to Location Sharing after the event and stop access for that recipient.
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Assuming approximate means anonymous
Approximate location reduces precision; it does not make the app unable to locate the general area. Google’s explanation places approximate location in an area of about 3 square kilometers. An app may still infer useful information from that area or combine it with other data.
Checking only one signed-in device
Google Location Sharing is account- and device-specific. Check every Android device and Google account on which you may have enabled sharing. Find My’s People list should likewise be reviewed on the iPhone that owns the sharing relationship.
Expecting a silent stop on iPhone
Apple warns that people who previously had access may notice when sharing ends, and earlier operating systems may send a Messages notification. If safety or relationship concerns are involved, plan for that visibility rather than assuming the change cannot be detected.
Assuming every menu has the same name
Android manufacturers and software releases can move controls or use different wording. Search Settings for Location, Location permissions, or location services, then confirm that you are editing the app-specific page or the people-sharing page you intended.
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- List the apps that genuinely need location, such as navigation, weather, transportation, or safety tools.
- On Android, open each app’s Location permission and choose the narrowest useful access; disable precise location when approximate is sufficient.
- On iPhone, review Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and adjust each app using the options currently shown.
- Open Google Location Sharing on every relevant account and device, then remove recipients who no longer need access.
- Open Find My > People and check each person’s sharing duration and status.
- Review what recipients can see: real-time location, battery status, recent locations, travel mode, or visibility in Find My, Messages, and Maps where applicable.
- After making changes, test only the feature you intend to keep. If it fails, restore the minimum broader permission needed rather than enabling unrestricted access everywhere.
Repeat this check after installing an app that requests location, signing in on a second device, changing phones, or sharing location for a trip. A short review of both app lists and recipient lists is more reliable than relying on a single global switch.
When menus do not match your phone
Android manufacturers and software versions can rename or relocate settings. Start by searching Settings for Location, Location permissions, or location services, then look for the app-specific permission page. Google’s instructions may also differ when a feature is exposed through Maps, Messages, Find Hub, Family Link, or Personal Safety.
Apple’s Find My instructions apply to the documented iOS workflow, but labels can change between releases. If a control is missing, confirm that Location Services is enabled for Find My, update the device when appropriate, and check the current Find My tabs—Me and People—rather than relying on an older menu path.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off location for one app on Android?
Open Settings > Location > App location permissions, choose the app, and select Don’t allow or a narrower option such as Allow only while using the app. You can also use App info > Permissions > Location from the app icon. Labels vary by phone.
How do I stop sharing my location with one person on Google?
Open the Google service where sharing was started, commonly Maps, open Location Sharing, select the recipient, and choose the stop-sharing option. Check every Google account and device because the setting is account- and device-specific.
How do I share my location with someone on iPhone?
Open Find My, tap Me, turn on Share My Location, open People, add the person, and choose a sharing duration.
Does turning off an app’s location permission stop Find My sharing?
No. App permissions control software access, while Find My controls whether named people can see your shared location. Review and change both when needed.
What is the difference between precise and approximate location on Android?
The per-app Use precise location switch controls whether that app receives precise or approximate data. Google describes approximate location as an area of about 3 square kilometers and precise location as the device’s exact location; this is separate from the device-level Location Accuracy setting.
Can someone tell when I stop sharing on iPhone?
Apple says a person who previously had access may notice that sharing ended. On earlier operating systems, a Messages notification may be sent, so stopping sharing is not guaranteed to be invisible.
What can a Google Location Sharing recipient see?
Depending on the service and arrangement, Google lists your name, profile picture, real-time location, and battery status. Some situations can include recent locations, and Maps may show travel mode.
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Manufacturers, Android versions, iOS releases, and supported services can use different labels or paths. Search Settings for Location or location services, and check the current Location Sharing or Find My controls in the app you use.
The Bottom Line
Manage location privacy in two passes: first review each app’s permission and precision, then review every people-sharing list. Use the narrowest access and shortest duration that accomplish the task, check all relevant accounts and devices, and remember that stopping an app permission is not the same as stopping Google Location Sharing or Find My.
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