To turn off GPS on an iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and turn off Location Services. The iPhone doesn’t have a separate GPS switch. Location Services is the setting that controls GPS, along with the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular signals your phone uses to work out where you are.
This guide shows how to turn location off completely, how to limit it for one app at a time, and how to stop sharing your location with people. The steps follow Apple’s iPhone User Guide article on controlling the location information you share, plus Apple’s support pages on turning Location Services and GPS on or off, privacy and Location Services and stopping location sharing.
Turn Off Location Services (GPS) for Everything
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Privacy & Security.
- Tap Location Services.
- Turn off Location Services, then confirm.
Result: Apps can’t use your location from Location Services, in the foreground or background.
Apple warns that many important iPhone features stop working when Location Services is off. Features that depend on knowing where you are, such as directions in Maps, your local weather, and locating your phone in Find My, may not work. For most people, limiting location for certain apps is a better choice.
One exception: Apple says your iPhone’s location may still be used when you place an emergency call, to help responders, whether or not Location Services is on.
Turn Off Location for One App
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and make sure Location Services is on.
- Tap the app you want to change.
- Choose an access level (explained in the table below).
- To share only your approximate area, turn off Precise Location on the same screen.
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Never | The app can’t use your location at all |
| Ask Next Time Or When I Share | The app has to ask each time, and you decide |
| While Using the App | Only when the app or one of its features is on screen |
| Always | The app can use your location in the background too |
Result: That app follows the new setting, and every other app keeps its own setting. You can tap the app here anytime to read its explanation for wanting your location.
If you turn off location for Weather, you can still manage the cities in the Weather app by hand.
Turn Off Location for System Services
iOS itself uses your location for features such as location-based alerts, location-based suggestions and location-based ads. You can turn these off one at a time and keep Location Services on for your apps.
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap System Services.
- Turn off the services you don’t want.
Location-based alerts are reminders that go off when you arrive at or leave a place, so they won’t trigger if you turn them off. On the same screen you can also turn on a status bar icon that shows when system services use your location. To review places your iPhone has recorded, see how to check your iPhone location history.
Stop Sharing Your Location With People
Location Services controls what apps know. Sharing your location with friends and family is a separate setting in Find My.
- Stop sharing with everyone: Open the Find My app, tap Me, and turn off Share My Location. You can also go to Settings > [your name] > Find My and turn off Share My Location.
- Stop sharing with one person: In Find My, tap People, tap the person’s name, then tap Stop Sharing My Location and confirm.
People you stop sharing with may see a note about the change in Messages.
How to Tell When an App Is Using Your Location
An arrow icon appears in the status bar while an app is using Location Services. If an app you don’t trust keeps showing it, change that app’s setting to Never.
Apps you allow to use your location Always will trigger reminders from time to time, so you can change your mind. These alerts include a map of places the app recently accessed. To hide the map but keep the alerts, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Location Alerts and turn off Show Map in Location Alerts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn Location Services back on later?
Yes. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and turn it on.
Will emergency services still find me?
Apple says your location may be used for emergency calls even with Location Services off. For related settings, see how to turn off SOS on iPhone.
How do I do this on an iPad?
The steps are almost the same. See how to turn off Location Services on iPad.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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