How to Disable Location on Android: A Complete Privacy Guide for Every Device

Android’s location tracking can drain your battery and expose your movements to advertisers—but you don’t have to choose between privacy and functionality. This guide shows you exactly how to take control of your location settings, with three different approaches from complete privacy to balanced control.

What Does Disabling Location Mean on Android?

Android offers multiple layers of location control that work together. You can disable location services entirely (preventing your device from using GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular networks to find your position), or you can grant precise location to some apps while keeping others restricted to approximate location only.

Starting with Android 12 (October 2021), Google added a game-changing feature: the ability to grant apps approximate location permission instead of precise location. This means you can share your general area (within about 1.2 miles or 2 kilometers minimum accuracy) with apps that need it, while blocking access to your exact coordinates. Before Android 12, location precision was an all-or-nothing device-wide setting.

Think of it like this: precise location tells a restaurant exactly where you’re sitting; approximate location tells it which city you’re in. [Current as of: Android 12 and later - 2024]

Why You Should Control Your Location Sharing

• Stop Location Tracking by Advertisers: Apps like social media platforms, shopping apps, and games use location data to build profiles about your habits and sell that information to advertisers. Controlling location access prevents this data collection.

• Improve Battery Life: Disabling location services provides approximately 5-6% battery retention improvement over 24 hours on light-use devices. This varies based on which apps request location and how frequently they update, but switching to ‘Battery Saving’ mode provides better practical results than complete disabling while maintaining functionality.

• Protect Your Routine: Location data reveals patterns—where you work, shop, worship, and sleep. This information can be sold to data brokers, compromising your personal security and privacy.

• Maintain Emergency Services: Even with location disabled, Android’s Emergency Location Service (ELS) automatically enables location for emergency calls and texts, then disables it again after the emergency ends. Carrier networks also provide backup location to emergency services through cell tower triangulation, regardless of your device settings.

Things to Consider Before Disabling Location

• Maps and Navigation Won’t Work: Disabling location entirely prevents Google Maps, Apple Maps, and other navigation apps from showing your position or giving turn-by-turn directions. If you disable location completely, you’ll need to manually select your destination.

• Weather Apps Need Location: Many weather apps automatically show conditions for your current location. Without location access, you’ll need to manually search for your city each time.

• Some Banking Apps May Request Location: Not all banks require location, but some use it as optional fraud detection. EU banking regulations (PSD2) require multi-factor authentication but do NOT mandate location as a security requirement. If your bank requests location access and you’re concerned, enable it temporarily during banking sessions and disable it afterward. Location is a risk assessment tool, not a compliance requirement in regulated markets.

Three Ways to Disable Location on Android (Choose Your Level)

Method 1: Turn Off Location Entirely (Maximum Privacy)

This disables GPS, Wi-Fi location, and cellular location for the entire device. Use this if privacy is your top priority.

For Google Pixel (8, 9) and most Android devices:

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Location
3. Toggle Location off

Quick access: Swipe down from the top of your screen twice to open the Quick Settings panel, then tap the Location icon to toggle it off.

Method 2: Control Location Per App (Balanced Approach)

This is the most practical approach for most users. You keep location on for emergency services and GPS apps you trust, while blocking it from social media and advertising networks.

For Google Pixel:

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Location
3. Tap App Permissions
4. Select each app and choose:
   • “Don’t allow” (no location access)
   • “Allow all the time” (always has location)
   • “Allow only while using the app” (only when you actively use it)

For Samsung Galaxy (S23, S24):

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Location
3. Tap Permissions
4. Select each app and choose your permission level

Pro tip: Start by disabling location for social media apps (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) and advertising networks first—these are the heaviest location data collectors.

Method 3: Grant Approximate Location Instead of Precise (Android 12+)

This is the privacy-conscious sweet spot. Apps get your general area without knowing your exact position. This works best for weather, maps, and location-based services that don’t need pinpoint accuracy.

For Google Pixel (Android 12 or later):

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Apps
3. Select the app you want to modify
4. Tap Permissions
5. Tap Location
6. Choose “Approximate location” instead of “Precise location”

For Samsung Galaxy (Android 12+):

1. Open Settings
2. Tap Permissions
3. Tap Location
4. Select the app and toggle between “Precise” and “Approximate”

What approximate location shares: A circle representing your general area with minimum 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) accuracy. Apps can see you’re in a city, but not your exact coordinates. Wi-Fi based location can achieve better accuracy (~100 meters) when available, but still respects the approximate permission limit.

Example: A weather app with approximate location knows you’re in London, not that you’re on a specific street corner.

Troubleshooting: What If Apps Stop Working?

If Maps stops showing your location:

• Use Method 2 to set Maps to “Allow all the time”
• Or use Method 1 again and turn location back on system-wide

If Weather apps show generic forecasts:

• Grant approximate location permission (Method 3)
• Or type your city name manually in the weather app (most apps support manual location entry)

If Your Banking App Won’t Work:

• First, check if your bank actually requires location. Many banks list their security requirements online—location is usually optional, not mandatory
• If location is required, enable it temporarily during banking sessions:
  1. Open Settings > Location
  2. Toggle Location on
  3. Open your banking app
  4. Return to Settings and toggle Location off
• If this pattern is frustrating, consider switching to a bank that doesn’t require location, or contact your bank to ask if they can disable this requirement

If Fitness Apps Show Inaccurate Routes:

• Set fitness apps to “Allow all the time” (Method 2)—these apps need continuous, precise location to track your running or cycling routes
• Approximate location won’t work for fitness tracking because the app needs second-by-second GPS data

Regional Variations: Important Notes by Location

European Union: EU banking regulations (PSD2) require multi-factor authentication for payments—this means two of: something you know (password), something you have (phone), or something you are (fingerprint). Location is NOT required by law. Banks may use location as optional fraud detection, but you can disable it without breaking security requirements. The multi-factor authentication requirement is consistent across all EU member states.

Asia-Pacific: Each country has different banking security frameworks (Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and Japan all have separate regulations). Unlike the EU, there’s no unified standard across the region. Check with your local regulator or bank for specific requirements in your country.

North America: No specific regulatory requirement for location in banking. Banks may request it for fraud detection, but it’s entirely optional.

All Regions: The location settings paths are consistent globally—Settings > Location works across all manufacturers. However, some manufacturers (Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola) have slightly different menu layouts in their custom Android versions.

You don’t have to choose between privacy and functionality. Start with Method 2 (app-by-app control) for a balanced approach, or Method 1 (complete disable) if privacy is your priority. If you’re on Android 12 or later, Method 3 (approximate location) gives you the best of both worlds. Check your location settings today—you might be surprised how many apps were tracking you without your knowledge.