PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows estimates your device’s location from signals such as GPS, nearby Wi-Fi networks, cell towers and your IP address. It may also use a default location you set if it cannot detect a more precise one. Which signals are available—and how useful they are—depends on your device and surroundings, so Windows does not guarantee an exact address or a fixed accuracy range.
Which signals can Windows use?
Windows combines available information to estimate where a device is. It does not necessarily use every source on every PC.
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- GPS: A device with GPS hardware and a usable signal can use it to determine location. Microsoft does not publish a general accuracy range for Windows GPS results.
- Nearby Wi-Fi access points and routers: Windows can use surrounding wireless infrastructure, including information such as router and nearby network-device MAC addresses in its location database. This can help devices that lack GPS.
- Cell towers: Cellular network information can contribute to an estimate. A mobile operator may also have access to a device’s location while it is using cellular service.
- IP address: IP information can provide location context or contribute to an estimate. Websites may also look up a visitor’s IP independently of Windows Location services.
- Default location: You can set a location for Windows and apps to use when a more exact location is unavailable. Microsoft recommends this option for desktop PCs and devices without Wi-Fi.
Microsoft describes these as possible sources, not a guarantee that every Windows device uses all of them. The available hardware and signals affect the result. Microsoft’s Windows location service and privacy guidance does not specify a universal distance or percentage accuracy.
How to review Windows location settings
On Windows 11, open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Location. The page brings together device-wide Location services, app access and other location controls.
#1 Best Overall
- Bright, high-resolution 5” glass capacitive touchscreen display lets you easily view your route
- Get more situational awareness with alerts for school zones, speed changes, sharp curves and more
- View food, fuel and rest areas along your active route, and see upcoming cities and milestones
- View Tripadvisor traveler ratings for top-rated restaurants, hotels and attractions to help you make the most of road trips
- Directory of U.S. national parks simplifies navigation to entrances, visitor centers and landmarks within the parks
- Device-wide access: A device administrator can turn Location services on or off for the device.
- App access: You can control whether apps may access location, and adjust individual app permissions where those controls are available. The page also shows recent location use.
- Precise location: Where available, you can adjust an individual app’s access to precise location.
- Default location: Set the location Windows or apps can use when a more exact result is unavailable.
Windows app permission controls do not necessarily cover every desktop program. Microsoft notes that some desktop apps may not appear in the standard per-app controls; review an app’s privacy policy and install software from trusted sources. Microsoft explains app privacy settings and desktop-app exceptions.
What turning off Location services does—and does not do
Turning off Windows Location services blocks Windows and apps from getting device location through that service. It does not make every other way of estimating location disappear. A desktop app may use another technology, and a website can estimate a general location from your IP address even when Windows location access is off.
Rank #2
- 6” high-resolution navigator includes map updates of North America
- Hands-free calling when paired with your compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH technology and convenient Garmin voice assist lets you ask for directions to places you want to go
- Road trip–ready features include the HISTORY database of notable sites, a U.S. national parks directory, Tripadvisor traveler ratings and millions of Foursquare POIs
- Driver alerts for things such as school zones, sharp curves and speed changes help encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness
- Access live traffic, fuel prices, parking, weather and smart notifications when you pair this navigator with your compatible smartphone running the Garmin Drive app
Microsoft Edge has a separate website permission. When Windows location access is available, Edge can share a location estimate with a website only if you allow that site to see your location. A site may still make an IP-based estimate without that permission. Microsoft’s Edge location and privacy guidance describes this distinction.
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In practice, there are separate control layers: Windows device-wide settings, individual app permissions and—in Edge—permission for a particular website. Each governs a different route; changing one does not automatically control the others.
Rank #3
- Explore confidently with the reliable handheld GPS
- 2.2” sunlight-readable color display with 240 x 320 display pixels for improved readability
- Preloaded with Topo Active maps with routable roads and trails for cycling and hiking
- Support for GPS and GLONASS satellite systems allows for tracking in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- 8 GB of internal memory for map downloads plus a micro SD card slot
What Microsoft says happens to location data
Microsoft says that when Location services is enabled, the device sends de-identified location information—including wireless access-point, cellular-tower and GPS information when available—to improve Microsoft location services. Microsoft says it may share this information with its current service-provider partners HERE and Skyhook for their service improvement.
If an app or feature uses location while you are signed in to a Microsoft account, your last-known location may also be saved to the cloud. Microsoft says other apps or services using that account may be able to access it when they have permission. You can view or clear this account activity in the Microsoft account privacy dashboard.
Rank #4
- 8” navigator with high-resolution, dual-orientation display and map updates of North America .Special Feature:Large Display; Voice Assist; Hands-Free Calling; Live Traffic and Weather; Traffic Cams and Parking; Smart Notifications,Driver Alerts; Tripadvisor; National Parks Directory; Find Places by Name; Garmin Real Directions Feature.
- Hands-free calling when paired with your compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH technology and convenient Garmin voice assist lets you ask for directions to places you want to go
- Road trip–ready features include the HISTORY database of notable sites, a U.S. national parks directory, Tripadvisor traveler ratings and millions of Foursquare POIs
- Driver alerts for things such as school zones, sharp curves and speed changes help encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness
- Access live traffic, fuel prices, weather, parking and smart notifications when you pair this navigator with your compatible smartphone running the Garmin Drive app
Location history changed in March 2025
Microsoft’s current support page says local location-history storage and its associated settings were removed in March 2025. Instructions that tell you to clear local history through the former Windows Location history setting may therefore be out of date. Cloud location activity for a signed-in Microsoft account can still be managed through the account privacy dashboard.
Emergency calls are an exception
Microsoft says Windows will attempt to determine and share precise location whenever an emergency call is made, regardless of the ordinary Location setting. Turning off Location services should not be treated as a way to prevent emergency-call location sharing.
Best Value
- Bright, high-resolution 5” glass capacitive touchscreen display lets you easily view your route
- Get more situational awareness with alerts for school zones, speed changes, sharp curves and more
- View food, fuel and rest areas along your active route, and see upcoming cities and milestones
- View Tripadvisor traveler ratings for top-rated restaurants, hotels and attractions to help you make the most of road trips
- Directory of U.S. national parks simplifies navigation to entrances, visitor centers and landmarks within the parks
Windows 10 support status
Microsoft states that after October 14, 2025, it will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance or security fixes for Windows 10. The Windows 11 settings path above does not apply to Windows 10; consult Microsoft’s location service and privacy page for its Windows 10 guidance and current support details.
Quick Recap
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