Turn Off Location Completely

  1. 1

    Quick Settings method (fastest)

    Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings. If you see a Location tile, tap it to toggle location off. If you do not see it, swipe down again or look for it in the full Quick Settings panel (tap the pencil icon to add it).

  2. 2

    Settings method

    Go to Settings → Location and toggle off Use Location (or Location Access). This turns off GPS and location services for all apps until you turn it back on.

Control Location Per App (Recommended)

Rather than turning off location entirely (which breaks navigation apps), controlling which apps have access is usually the smarter approach.

  1. 3

    Go to Settings → Location → App Permissions

    This shows every app on your phone and their current location permission level.

  2. 4

    Review and adjust each app

    For each app you can choose: Allow all the time, Allow only while using the app, Ask every time, or Deny. For most apps — including social media and games — Deny is appropriate. For navigation and weather, Allow while using the app is the right choice.

Best privacy practiceReview location permissions periodically — app updates sometimes silently reset permissions. Most apps do not need location access at all, and social media apps should never have it.

Check for Apps Accessing Location in the Background

Settings → Location → App Permissions → filter by "All the time". Any app with permanent background location access is worth reviewing. Only navigation apps, family safety apps and similar truly need this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, particularly if apps are accessing location in the background. GPS is one of the more power-intensive features on a phone. Restricting background location access for apps that do not need it can noticeably improve battery life.
It reduces tracking but does not eliminate it entirely. Google can still estimate your location from WiFi networks and cell towers even without GPS. To reduce Google tracking further, review your Google Account Activity Controls at myaccount.google.com.