How to disable location services entirely or for specific apps on Android.
⏱ 2 min readEasyUpdated June 2026
Quick Answer
Quick toggle: swipe down twice to open Quick Settings → tap the Location tile to turn it off entirely. For per-app control: Settings → Location → App permissions → tap each app to set its permission to Denied, Only while using, or Ask every time.
Turn Off Location Entirely
1
Swipe down twice → tap Location tile
Swipe down from the top of the screen twice to fully expand Quick Settings. Find the Location tile (looks like a location pin). Tap it to toggle location off. The icon turns grey/white when disabled. All apps lose access to your location until you re-enable it.
Turn Off Location for Specific Apps
2
Settings → Location → App permissions
Open Settings. Tap Location (may be under Privacy or Connections depending on your Android version). Tap App permissions. All apps that have requested location access are listed, grouped by permission level.
3
Set each app’s permission
Tap any app to change its permission: Allow all the time: app can access location even when not in use (only necessary for apps like Find My Device or navigation). Allow only while using: recommended for most apps that need location (maps, weather, ride share). Ask every time: prompts each time the app wants location. Deny: no location access. Denying for social media, shopping and most apps has no impact on their core function.
Which apps actually need location?Apps that genuinely need location: Google Maps, navigation apps, weather apps, ride-share (Uber, DiDi), food delivery. Apps that do not need constant location: social media, shopping, games, news, most utility apps. Review which apps have “Allow all the time” — very few apps justify background location access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — Google Maps needs location to show your current position on the map and provide turn-by-turn navigation. Maps still works for searching addresses and viewing maps without location enabled, but the blue dot (your position) will not appear. Re-enable location when using navigation, or set Google Maps to “Allow only while using” so it has access when open but not in the background.
When Android location is completely disabled, apps cannot access GPS or network-based location. However, approximate location can still be inferred from WiFi networks (even without GPS), cell tower data, and IP address — these cannot be fully disabled without turning off WiFi and mobile data as well. For most privacy needs, restricting app permissions to “Only while using” and denying background location is sufficient.