Turn Off iPhone Precise Location Tracking: How To

Many iOS apps ask for permission to precisely track your location by default when you first open them. But it can be easy to forget how many or which apps you’ve given that permission to. Here’s how to turn off precise iPhone location tracking.

The main choices when the location tracking dialog box appears after opening the app for the first time are “Allow once”, “Allow while using the app” and “Don’t allow”.

It’s easy to miss that in the upper left corner is “Precise: On.” It’s actually a button that lets you choose whether you want to keep precision tracking on by default or change it to use your approximate location.

The difference is precise can be as accurate as the specific house or building you are in (within feet), and the iPhone’s approximate location generally indicates what city you are in (within miles).

Here’s how Apple describes it: “Allows apps to use your specific location. When this setting is turned off, apps can only determine your approximate location.”

How to turn off precise iPhone location tracking for apps

Note: Some apps may not work properly if precise location tracking is not enabled – also remember to move the precise location tracking settings to the new iPhones if you’re restoring from a backup.

1. Open it Settings app on your iPhone
2. Swipe down and select Privacy and security
3. At the top, tap Location services
4. Select an application from the list to see if it uses your exact location
5. Look for it swipe past Precise Location at the bottom, touch to turn off

Here’s how to turn off precise iPhone location tracking:

Remember, when you turn off precise tracking, apps can still track your location, it’s just not accurate. If you want to completely turn off tracking for the app, select “Never” at the top.

And if you want to turn off all tracking, you’ll need to turn off the location services master switch.

Check out our full guides on how to perform a full location privacy check and use the iOS security check feature:

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