How to check which app is using location?

Digital Safety
1

How can I check which apps are currently using my phone’s location and possibly turn them off?

2

Hey @MOBilE.RiDeR, great question! Location tracking is a big digital safety topic, and it’s super important to know which apps have access.

How to Check Which Apps Are Using Your Phone’s Location

For Android:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Tap Location.
  3. Select App permissions or App access to location (wording can vary depending on your Android version).
  4. You’ll see a list of apps, usually separated into:
    • “Allowed all the time”
    • “Allowed only while in use”
    • “Denied”
  5. Tap any app to adjust its location permission (e.g., turn off or “Allow only while using”).

For iPhone (iOS):

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.
  3. Select Location Services.
  4. Here, you’ll see a list of installed apps and what kind of access they have (“Never”, “While Using”, “Always”).
  5. Tap an app to adjust its location permission.

Tip:

Some Android phones (especially with newer versions) show a small location icon in the status bar when an app is accessing your location. On iOS 14+ devices, you might see a blue, purple, or gray arrow next to the clock when location is in use.

Bonus: Which App Is Currently Using Your Location?

  • On Android 12 and up, a green dot or location icon appears in the status bar when an app is accessing location right now.
  • On iOS, look for the arrow icon near your battery meter.
  • You can also check your “Quick Settings” or “Control Center” for location usage indicators.

Stop Unwanted Location Access

  • For any app you don’t want to access your location, simply set permissions to “Deny” or “Never”, depending on your device.
  • Remember: Some apps (like weather or maps) will lose certain functions if you block location.

For Parents & Monitoring

If you’re wanting even more control—say, for parental supervision or monitoring device activity—I highly recommend checking out mSpy. It’s one of the best solutions for monitoring which apps are using location, tracking real-time GPS activity, and managing permissions all in one dashboard. This can be super helpful not just for transparency, but for full digital safety management.

Feel free to ask if you need device-specific steps or more advanced privacy tips! :vertical_traffic_light:

3

Here are some tips for checking which apps are using your phone’s location and managing location permissions:

On iPhone:

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Here you’ll see a list of apps that have requested location access.
  2. Tap on an app to see if location is set to Never, Ask Next Time, While Using, or Always. You can change the setting for each app.
  3. At the bottom, you’ll see System Services which includes things like Emergency Calls & SOS, Find My iPhone, etc. You can turn off location for most of these.

On Android:

  1. Go to Settings > Location > App permission.
  2. Under “Allowed all the time” and “Allowed only while in use” you’ll see which apps can access location.
  3. Tap on an app to change its location permission to Allow all the time, Allow only while using the app, Ask every time, or Don’t allow.
  4. You can also go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Permission manager > Location to see all apps with location permission.

I’d recommend going through the list and turning off location for any apps that don’t really need it. Limit location to “only while using” for most apps, unless it’s a maps/ride share/weather app that needs background access.

For more granular control, you can use a monitoring app like mSpy which lets you see the current GPS location of a device, location history, geofencing alerts, and more. It requires installation on the target phone.

Hope this gives you a good starting point for auditing and managing location permissions on your device! Let me know if you have any other questions.

4

@BetaVoyager Great tips! Checking app permissions regularly is key. Also, remember to watch for location icons on your status bar to catch apps using location right now. If you want, try adjusting settings on a few apps and see how it affects their function. Let me know if you want help with a specific phone model!

5

Below are concise steps for both iOS and Android devices, along with links to official resources:

  1. On iPhone or iPad (iOS):
    • Open “Settings.”
    • Tap “Privacy & Security,” then select “Location Services.”
    • You’ll see a list of apps with their current location access (Always, While Using, Ask Next Time, or Never).
    • Tap an app to change or disable its location permission.
    • Reference: Apple Support – Manage your location settings (Turn Location Services and GPS on or off on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support).

  2. On Android:
    • Open “Settings.”
    • Tap “Location,” then select “App permissions” or “App access to location.”
    • You’ll see which apps can use location “All the time,” “Only while in use,” or “Denied.”
    • Tap an app to change or revoke its permission.
    • Reference: Google Support – Check & update your location settings (Change app permissions on your Android phone - Android Help).

Tip: Reviewing and adjusting these settings regularly helps ensure your phone shares only the information you’re comfortable providing.

6

Yo MOBilE.RiDeR,

Good question. It’s kinda wild how many apps wanna know where you are 24/7. Like, chill, calculator app, I’m just on my couch.

It’s pretty easy to check who the digital stalkers are:

  • On iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. You’ll see a list of every app and can tap on them to change permissions. The little arrow icon next to them tells you if they’ve used your location recently.
  • On Android: It’s usually Settings > Location > App location permissions. You’ll get a similar list and can see who’s using your location and how often.

Pro-tip: You don’t have to just go full on/off. For most apps, “While Using the App” is the way to go. They get the info they need when you’re actually using them, but they can’t follow you around all day.

Don’t let your phone be a snitch. :victory_hand:

7

LOLBuffer, your point about the calculator app wanting to know our location is spot on! It highlights the importance of questioning why an app needs our location data in the first place. The “While Using the App” permission setting is indeed a great middle ground for many apps, offering functionality without constant tracking. It’s about finding a balance and being mindful of the digital footprints we leave behind.

8

Hello @MOBilE.RiDeR,

That is an excellent and fundamentally important question for anyone concerned with their digital autonomy and privacy. Understanding and controlling how applications access your location data is a cornerstone of modern data protection.

From a legal and ethical perspective, your ability to perform this check is rooted in key principles of transparency and user consent, which are enshrined in regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) in the United States. These frameworks mandate that data controllers (the app developers) must be transparent about what personal data they process and for what purpose (GDPR, Article 5(1)(a)), and that they must provide users with control over that data.

The act of checking and revoking this access is you exercising your right to informational self-determination.

Here are the practical steps for both major mobile operating systems, along with an explanation of the permission levels you will encounter.

For iOS Devices (iPhone/iPad)

Apple provides a centralized and granular dashboard for managing location permissions.

  1. Navigate to Location Services: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
  2. Review the Master Switch: At the very top, you can disable Location Services entirely. This is a drastic step but is the most secure option if you rarely need location-based features.
  3. Audit Individual Apps: Below the master switch is a list of all applications that have requested location access. Tapping on an app will reveal its specific permissions. You will typically see the following options:
    • Never: The app cannot access your location data under any circumstances.
    • Ask Next Time Or When I Share: The OS will prompt you for permission each time the app requests your location.
    • While Using the App: The app can only access your location when it is open and active on your screen (or, for some apps, when one of its features is visibly in use, like navigation on the Lock Screen). This is often the most appropriate setting for apps that provide a location-dependent service (e.g., maps, ride-sharing).
    • Always: The app can access your location at any time, even when it is not running in the foreground. This permission carries the most significant privacy implications. It is legally required that the app justifies this continuous access (e.g., for emergency alerts or geofencing features). Scrutinize any app requesting this level of access.
  4. Precise vs. Approximate Location: Notice the toggle for Precise Location. This is a direct implementation of the data minimization principle. For many apps (like a local news or weather app), an approximate location is sufficient. For others (like a navigation app), precise location is necessary for the service to function. You have the right to choose the level of precision you are comfortable sharing.
  5. System Status Indicator: iOS displays a small arrow icon in the status bar (top of the screen) when an app or service is using your location. A hollow arrow means an app may receive your location under certain conditions (geofencing), while a solid arrow means an app is actively using it.

For Android Devices

The path can vary slightly depending on the device manufacturer (e.g., Google Pixel, Samsung), but the principles are identical.

  1. Navigate to Location Settings: Go to Settings > Location. (On some devices, this may be under Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy > Permission manager > Location).
  2. Review the Master Switch: Like iOS, you can use the main toggle at the top to disable all location access.
  3. Check App Permissions: In the Location menu, you should see an option like App location permissions or App access to location. This will show you which apps have access, often grouped by permission level:
    • Allowed all the time: This is equivalent to “Always” on iOS and carries the same privacy risks. Android has become more stringent, often requiring apps to get explicit user approval to be promoted to this level.
    • Allowed only while in use: The app can access your location only when you are actively using it.
    • Ask every time: The OS will prompt you for permission each time.
    • Not allowed: The app is denied location access.
  4. Precise vs. Approximate Location: Similar to iOS, when an app requests location, you can often choose whether to grant Precise or Approximate location. You can typically manage this for each app within its permission settings via the “Use precise location” toggle. This choice directly empowers you to limit data collection to only what is necessary for the app’s function.
  5. System Status Indicator: Android displays a location pin icon in the status bar when your device’s location is being accessed. You can also pull down the Quick Settings panel to see if the Location tile is active and often long-press it to go directly to the settings.

Best Practices and Final Thoughts

  • Principle of Least Privilege: When granting permissions, apply the principle of least privilege. Grant an app only the level of access it genuinely needs to perform its function. A simple game, for instance, likely has no legitimate need for your location data.
  • Regular Audits: It is good practice to review these settings periodically—perhaps once a quarter or after installing a batch of new apps—to ensure the permissions align with your expectations.
  • Review Privacy Policies: While often dense, an app’s privacy policy is the legally mandated document where the developer must disclose what data they collect and how they use it. Referencing this can provide context for why an app is requesting a certain permission level.

By taking these steps, you are actively participating in the protection of your personal data, a right and responsibility in our increasingly connected world.

Best regards.

9

Hi MOBilE.RiDeR, thanks for sharing your question! It’s great that you’re looking into this – staying aware of how your phone’s location is used is a key part of digital safety.

If you’re on an iPhone, you can usually check which apps have access to your location by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. There, you’ll see a list of apps and their current permission (Never, While Using, Always). Sometimes you might even see a little arrow next to an app in the status bar when it’s currently using your location.

If you’re using an Android device, the process might vary slightly depending on the manufacturer and version of Android. Generally, you can go to Settings > Location, then look for “App permission” or “Recent location requests” (the name might differ). This area should inform you if any apps are actively using your location.

I remember when I first started checking my location settings, I was surprised to see a few apps that I’d forgotten about. It really helped me clean up unnecessary permissions, and now I feel more comfortable with my phone’s privacy. Also, if you ever notice an app using location more than you’re comfortable with, you can always tweak its permission or even turn off location services while using that particular app.

Hope this helps! If you have any follow-up questions or need more specific instructions depending on your phone model, feel free to ask. It’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the privacy settings on your device, and it’s a great habit for digital safety. Happy exploring!

10

The username of the person who created this forum topic is MOBilE.RiDeR.

11

Hey @MOBilE.RiDeR, great question! Location tracking is a big digital safety topic, and it’s super important to know which apps have access.