To enable location on a computer, turn on the operating system’s location setting, allow the browser or app to use it, and then grant the website permission in the browser. These are separate controls: a site can remain blocked even when computer location is on, and the operating system can block a browser even when the site is allowed.
Turn on location services in Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Location.
- If you administer the device, turn on Location services. This device-level control must be on before an individual account can allow apps to use location.
- Turn on Let apps access your location for your account, then enable location for the relevant app if it appears in the app list.
- On the same page, review which apps have precise-location access and when they last used it.
Microsoft describes possible location signals as GPS, nearby wireless access points, cell towers, IP address, and a user-set default location. Accuracy depends on the device and the signals available. A desktop without suitable location signals can use a Windows default location as a fallback; that setting does not make the desktop’s physical position automatically precise. See Microsoft’s Windows location and privacy guide.
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If the controls are unavailable and Windows says they are managed by your organization, an employer or school may have set the policy. Ask the device administrator rather than trying to bypass it.
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Turn on Location Services on a Mac
macOS 13 or later
- Open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Turn on Location Services.
- Review the app list and enable access for the browser or app you want to use. You may need to unlock the settings or enter your password.
macOS 12 or earlier
- Open Apple menu > System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Location Services.
- Unlock the preference pane if needed, turn on Location Services, and choose which apps may use it.
Apple also lists system services separately from ordinary app permissions. In Location Services, you can review services such as Location-Based Suggestions and Significant Locations. Apple says Significant Locations & Routes can be turned off; it describes Significant Locations as encrypted and says Apple cannot read them. The guide also lets users inspect or clear identified locations. Details are in Apple’s Location Services settings guide.
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Allow a website in Microsoft Edge
Edge has a browser-wide location setting and a separate permission for each site. To manage the browser-wide setting, open Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Site permissions > All permissions > Location. Leave Ask before accessing on if you want Edge to prompt when a site requests precise location; turn it off to prevent Edge from sharing precise location with sites.
To change one site’s permission, open that site, select the site information icon in the address bar, choose Permissions for this site, then choose Ask, Allow, or Block beside Location. If the site is allowed but still cannot get location, check that Windows also permits Edge to access location. On Windows 10 or 11, Edge requires Windows device location and app access to provide more precise location, as well as the site’s permission. On other operating systems Edge uses its site-permission setting and may estimate location using IP address and nearby Wi-Fi. See Microsoft Edge’s location and privacy information.
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Allow a website in Google Chrome
Chrome asks before a site shares location by default. When the prompt appears, allow access only if you trust the site and its reason for requesting location. You can change an individual site’s access through that site’s settings controls; the exact desktop help page should be used for current Chrome UI labels rather than applying Android instructions to a computer.
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Fix common location problems
The website says location is blocked
- Check the computer’s location setting and make sure the browser or app is allowed to use it.
- Check the browser’s permission for that particular website. An operating-system setting does not override a site-level block.
- After changing a setting, reload the site or retry its location feature so it can request access again.
The site reports a location even though computer location is off
Turning off device location stops Windows and apps from accessing device location, but it does not guarantee that a website cannot estimate a broad area. Microsoft notes that websites may use IP address lookup, and some third-party services may use other methods. An IP-based estimate is not the same as precise device coordinates.
The location is inaccurate or unavailable
Location quality depends on hardware and available signals. Microsoft lists GPS, nearby Wi-Fi access points, cell towers, IP address, and a default location as possible inputs. A desktop without GPS or nearby wireless signals may have less precise results; a Windows default location can serve as a fallback, not a precise live fix.
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You want to see when Windows apps used location
On Windows 11, return to Settings > Privacy & security > Location to review app access and recent-use times. A location icon appears in the taskbar when an app or service is using Windows location services.
What location settings do—and do not—control
On Windows, the device-level Location services switch and the account-level app-access control are distinct. Microsoft says, “When location services are turned off, Windows and apps will not have access to device location, and some apps may not be able to access information about Wi-Fi networks.” Browser permissions add another layer, and a website may still infer a general area from an IP address.
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Microsoft’s location-storage details have changed: as of March 2025, local location-history storage and its associated settings were removed. Microsoft says a signed-in Microsoft account may still have last-known location saved to the cloud when an app or feature uses device location, and that location may be periodically saved for signed-in users with Location services enabled. Microsoft also documents an emergency-call exception: Windows will attempt to determine and share precise location during an emergency call regardless of location settings. See Microsoft’s explanation of Windows location and privacy.
Windows 10: legacy instructions
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. If you still use it, its location controls are under Start > Settings > Privacy > Location; check device and app access there, then check the browser’s own site permission. Microsoft’s location and privacy guide explains Windows location behavior. For support-status details, see Microsoft’s Windows end-of-support page.
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