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Apps can show different cities because they may be using different location signals. Windows can estimate where a device is from signals such as GPS and nearby Wi-Fi, while a website can estimate location from the public IP address it sees. A VPN changes that IP address, but it does not necessarily change Windows’ device-location estimate.
Why location results can disagree
“Location” is not always one shared result. Windows Location Services can combine device and network signals, while a website may independently look up the IP address it receives. A browser may also pass a device-location estimate to a site after you grant permission. Those methods can return different cities even when they are used on the same PC.
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Microsoft says Windows Location Services may use GPS, nearby wireless access points or routers, cell towers, an IP address, or a default location. The estimate depends on which signals are available. Microsoft’s Windows location and privacy documentation describes these sources.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →What each location source tells an app or website
| Source or pathway | What may inform it | What the result may represent |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Location Services | GPS, nearby Wi-Fi access points or routers, cell towers, IP address, or a default location | A device-level estimate that can differ from an IP lookup. |
| Browser location shared with a website | Windows’ location estimate, which may use IP, Wi-Fi, and GPS when available; the website must be allowed to access device location | A location supplied by the device through the browser, distinct from the site’s own IP-based estimate. |
| Website IP estimate | The public IP address visible to the website | A broad estimate that may correspond to the VPN endpoint rather than your physical city when a VPN is active. |
These are separate pathways, not guaranteed to produce matching results. Microsoft Edge notes that websites can also estimate an imprecise location from an IP address without requesting browser location access. Edge’s location and privacy guidance explains its permission behavior.
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What a VPN changes—and what it does not
A VPN routes your internet traffic through a VPN server, so a website generally sees the VPN server’s IP address rather than your usual public IP. An IP-based city lookup may therefore show a city associated with that endpoint. The result is not proof that Windows believes the device is in that city. ExpressVPN’s IP-address explainer describes how IP-based location estimates work.
A VPN does not, by itself, replace GPS, nearby Wi-Fi, or other signals used by Windows Location Services. If a browser shares a Windows device-location estimate after you grant a site permission, that estimate may differ from the VPN-based IP result. The precise behavior depends on the site and browser; do not assume every site uses the same method.
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How to identify which result is wrong
- Identify where the city appears. Is it in Windows or an app that uses Windows location, in a browser after a location permission prompt, or on a website that may be estimating location from your IP? Compare results from the same pathway rather than treating them as equivalent.
- Review Windows location settings. In Windows 11, open Settings > Privacy & security > Location. Check device location, app access, and recent precise-location activity. In Windows 10, use Settings > Privacy > Location.
- Check the website’s browser permission. In Edge, review the site’s Location permission in browser settings. Edge prompts when a website requests device location, and you can change or revoke permission for that site.
- Consider IP geolocation if the site still shows a city. Blocking a site’s browser location permission does not prevent it from looking up the IP address it receives. An IP-based city estimate can still appear.
- If you use a VPN, compare the pathways. Compare an IP lookup with a result from a site that explicitly requests browser device location. The IP result may correspond to the VPN endpoint while the permitted device-location result may reflect Windows’ estimate. This is a diagnostic comparison, not a guarantee about every site.
Windows location privacy and support status
Windows and browser permissions are separate layers. Windows settings control device and app access to location; Edge separately asks whether a particular website may access device location. Turning off Windows Location Services or denying a browser permission limits those sources, but does not make all location inference impossible: a site may still estimate an imprecise location from the IP address it sees.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsMicrosoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. The PC continues to work, but Microsoft recommends moving to Windows 11. Microsoft’s location and privacy page includes this lifecycle context.
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For app developers: use the location API
Microsoft advises apps that need the host device’s location to use Windows Geolocation APIs rather than infer location from a Wi-Fi scan. Windows location consent controls access to Wi-Fi identifiers used in location estimation. See Microsoft’s WLAN and location consent documentation.
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