When you have location turned on for your phone, you can get info based on its location, like commute predictions, nearby restaurants, and better local search results.
When an app is using your phone’s location via GPS, the top of your screen shows Location
.Understand the location settings available on your phone
Important: When you turn off location for your phone, apps and services will not be able to get your phone’s location, but you could still get local results and ads based on your IP address.
Google has a number of location-based services, including:
- Location Accuracy for your Android device (a.k.a. Google Location Services)
To get a more accurate location for your phone, learn how to turn on Location Accuracy. - Location History for your Google Account
To see and manage the places your phone has been, learn how to turn on Location History. - Location Sharing for Google Maps
To let others see where your phone is, learn how to share your real-time location via Google Maps. - Location in Search
To get more helpful results when you search on Google, learn how to manage location permissions for websites and apps.
Tip: Apps have their own settings. Learn how to manage app location settings.
Turn location on or off for your phone
- Swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Touch and hold Location
. If you don't find Location
- Tap Edit
or Settings
.
- Drag Location
- Tap Edit
or Settings 
.Tip: If these steps don’t work for you, get help from your device manufacturer.
- Apps can find your phone's location to give you location-based info or services. Learn how to change app location settings.
- If Google Location Accuracy is on, Google Location Services can collect data to improve location-based services. Learn about Google Location Services.
- You can get search results and ads in apps based on your phone's location.
- You can locate where your phone is if you lose it. Learn about Find My Device.
- You can share your phone's location with others. Learn about Location Sharing with Google Maps and sending location in emergencies.
- If you have Location History turned on, the places your phone goes will be saved. You can review and manage them later. Learn about Location History.
- Your phone’s location isn't shared with any apps. Features that use location may not work properly.
- Google Location Services won’t collect data to improve location-based services.
- You can get search results and ads based on your IP address.
- You can’t see where your phone is if you lose it. Learn about Find My Device.
- You can’t share your phone’s location with anyone via Google Maps. Your device can still send it to first responders in an emergency. Learn about Location Sharing with Google Maps and sending location in emergencies.
- Even if you have Location History turned on, the places your phone goes won’t be saved. Learn about Location History.
Help your phone get a more accurate location (Google Location Services a.k.a. Google Location Accuracy)
Turn your phone’s location accuracy on or off
- Swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Touch and hold Location
- If you don't find Location
- If you don't find Location
- Tap Advanced
Google Location Accuracy.
- Turn Improve Location Accuracy on or off.
Google Location Accuracy. When you have Google Location Accuracy turned on, your phone uses these sources to get the most accurate location:
- GPS
- Wi-Fi
- Mobile networks
- Sensors
When you turn off Google Location Accuracy, your phone uses only GPS to find location. GPS can be slower and less accurate than other sources.
Let your phone scan for nearby networks or devices
To help apps get better location info, you can let your phone scan for nearby Wi-Fi access points or Bluetooth devices.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Touch and hold Location
- Tap Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning.
- Turn Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning on or off.
Send your location in an emergency
To help first responders find you quickly, dial an emergency number. For example, dial 911 in the US or 112 in Europe.
If Android Emergency Location Service (ELS) works in your country and on your mobile network, and you haven't turned off ELS, your phone will automatically send its location using ELS. If ELS is off, your mobile carrier may still send the device's location during an emergency call or text.
Turn emergency location service on or off
You can turn emergency location services on or off at any time.
- Swipe down from the top of the screen.
- Touch and hold Location
- If you don't find Location
- If you don't find Location
- Tap Advanced
- Turn Emergency Location Service on or off.
How Emergency Location Service works
Your phone uses ELS only when you call or text an emergency number.
During your emergency call, ELS may use Google Location Services and other information to obtain the most accurate location possible for the device.
Your phone sends the location to authorized emergency partners for the purpose of helping emergency services locate you. Your location is sent directly from your phone to emergency partners, not through Google.
After a completed emergency call or text during which ELS was active, your phone sends usage and analytics data to Google for the purpose of analyzing how well ELS is working. This information doesn't identify you and Google doesn't use it to identify you.
If you use an older Android version
Choose location settings (Android 9.0)
To change location settings:
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Tap Security & Location
- If you have a work profile, tap Advanced.
Then, choose an option:
- Turn Location on or off: Tap Location.
- Scan for nearby networks: Tap Advanced
- Turn emergency location service on or off: Tap Advanced
You can choose your location mode based on accuracy, speed, and battery use.
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap Security & Location
- Tap Mode. Then pick:
- High accuracy: Use GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and sensors to get the most accurate location. Use Google Location Services to help estimate your phone's location faster and more accurately.
- Battery saving: Use sources that use less battery, like Wi-Fi and mobile networks. Use Google Location Services to help estimate your phone's location faster and more accurately.
- Device only: Use only GPS. Don’t use Google Location Services to provide location information. This can estimate your phone's location more slowly and use more battery.
You can control what location information your phone can use.
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Under "Personal," tap Location access.
- At the top of the screen, turn Access to my location on or off.
- When location access is on, pick either or both of:
- GPS satellites: Lets your phone estimate its location from satellite signals, like a GPS device in a car.
- Wi-Fi & mobile network location: Lets your phone use Google Location Services to help estimate its location faster, with or without GPS.
- When location access is off:
Your phone can’t find its precise location or share it with any apps.
- When location access is on, pick either or both of:
Tip: If you have a tablet that more than one person uses, each person can have different location access settings.