Location Services Explained: What You Need to Know

June 3, 2025 By Christine Margret No Comments 8 minutes

Location services are inherent components on most of the devices we carry daily, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops, that enable them to determine exactly where we are on the planet. They achieve this by combining multiple technologies, such as GPS (Global Positioning System), Wi-Fi networks, cellular (mobile) networks, and occasionally Bluetooth signals, to make an estimation and follow your location physically with great precision. When you launch a navigation app such as Google Maps, view the weather forecast in your location, or create a reminder that triggers once you arrive at a destination, it‘s the location services working behind the scenes that enable these capabilities.

They enable apps to personalize information and services based on your location, providing convenience and personalization. However, while location services bring many helpful benefits, they also raise important questions about privacy and data sharing, which is why understanding how they work and how to control them is so important.

Key Takeaways

• Functionality: Location services use GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and Bluetooth to determine your location.
• Benefits: They enhance app functionalities, offering personalized experiences like navigation and local weather.
• Privacy Control: You have the ability to control and manage what applications use your location information.
• Security: Utilizing services such as VPNs can protect your location data from intruders.

How Do Location Services Determine Your Location?

Your device figures out your location by combining data from GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and Bluetooth. GPS uses satellites for precise outdoor positioning but struggles indoors, so the device also taps into local Wi-Fi and nearby cell towers for better accuracy. Bluetooth adds extra precision by sensing close devices like beacons or headphones, especially in places like malls. Together, these sources help create a detailed and accurate location so apps can offer personalized services.

Managing Location Services on Various Devices

1. Location Service On Windows

We’ll walk you through how to manage location services on Windows 11 — and don’t worry, the steps are pretty much the same on Windows 10 (though some menus might have slightly different names).

By default, location services are turned on when you set up Windows for the first time. But if you skipped turning them off during setup or bought a device with Windows already installed, here’s how you can change that:

• Open the Settings app.
  
• Go to Privacy & security → App permissions → Location.
  (On Windows 10, go to Start → Settings → Privacy → App permissions → Location.)
  
• Use the toggle to turn Location services on or off — but keep in mind, you’ll need an administrator account to make this change.
• Allowing individual apps: Once Location services are turned on by an admin, regular user accounts can decide which apps can access location data. You can easily manage this per app.
• Clearing location history: You can also clear the saved location history stored on your device right from this settings page.

Important note: Most third-party apps (those you download separately) won’t appear on this list. That’s because, if you agreed to their terms and conditions (yes, that long fine print most of us skip), they often already have full access to your location data as part of their permissions. So, be mindful of which apps you install and what you agree to!

2. Location Service On macOS

On a Mac, location services are usually switched on by default. If you want to turn them off, just go to System Settings → Privacy & Security → Privacy → Location Services. From there, you can either turn off location services completely or control them app by app, choosing which apps can use your location.

One nice thing about macOS is that all the apps that might ask for your location should show up in this list, making it easier to manage permissions. But keep in mind, even if you turn off location services, apps and websites can still figure out your approximate location by checking your IP address, which is something to be aware of.

3. Location Service on Chromebook

On a Chromebook, you can control location services for each app individually, including both system apps like Chrome and any Android apps you have installed. To do this, open the Settings app, then go to Apps → Manage your apps, pick the app you want, and under Permissions, toggle the location option on or off.

For the Chrome browser itself, the process is a bit different. After selecting Chrome from your apps list, click or tap More Chrome app settings and permissions. This will take you to Chrome’s Privacy and security → Site settings. From there, go to Permissions → Location and choose how you want Chrome to handle location requests by default.

4. Location Services On Android

To completely turn off location services on your Android device, open the Settings app, go to Location, and switch the toggle from On to Off. From this same screen, you can also manage location permissions for each app you have installed. Additionally, you can tap on Location Services to control how Google uses location data on your device.

Securing Your Location with FastestVPN

Every device that connects to the internet has a public IP (Internet Protocol) address that can be seen by websites, apps, and services online. This IP address is assigned by your internet service provider (ISP) or the ISP of the network you’re using, like a public WiFi hotspot.

Because ISPs usually assign blocks of IP addresses by geographic location, your IP address can provide a fairly accurate sense of where you’re accessing from. What that means is your IP address is essentially a location label that operating systems, apps, and sites use to infer your location. In fact, your IP is probably one of the simplest methods for them to do that, even if you turn off location services on your device or in specific apps.

The caveat? Turning off location services alone will not stop your IP from revealing your approximate location.

That’s where a reliable VPN like FastestVPN comes in. When you connect through FastestVPN, your internet traffic is routed through one of its many secure servers located around the world. This directs your device’s true IP address to be covered up and substituted with the IP address of the VPN server you’re connected to. This allows you to “spoof” your location and keep your real location hidden.

To receive the full protection, make sure your apps never access your device’s native location services—stacking VPN use with restricting location permissions gives you much improved privacy. With FastestVPN, you are able to encrypt your IP address and hide your online whereabouts anywhere in the world.

Do You Keep Location Services On or Off?

Whether location services should remain on or off will primarily depend on your own needs and the nature of use of your devices.

Leave them on if:

1. You depend on navigation apps such as Google Maps, Waze, or Apple Maps for live navigation, traffic information, or estimated time of arrival. You appreciate location-based personalized recommendations such as local weather, recommendations for the nearest restaurants, special offers, or social media check-in.
2. You use apps such as ride-sharing apps (Uber, Lyft) or delivery apps that require your precise location to function at their best.
3. You get features such as Find My Device or Find My iPhone that assist you in locating lost or stolen devices.

Shut them down if:

1. You dislike privacy and do not wish for companies or apps to know where you are or to collect information regarding your travel.
2. You prefer saving battery life, as constant location tracking can drain power, especially on older handsets.
3. You use apps that need real-time location or just location services at intervals.
4. You would prefer conserving data usage, as some of the location services can send and receive data in the background.

Conclusion

Location services play an important role in how we make use of our devices on a daily basis, ranging from getting directions and displaying weather to nearby restaurants or getting location-based reminders. While they offer unarguable convenience and personalization, they come with privacy and security concerns that cannot be circumvented. Being aware of how location services work and understanding how to control them on your devices, you stand a better chance of making informed choices as to when to keep them active and when to turn them off. Whether it’s about convenience or privacy concerns, the notion is that you know and are in charge of your settings. Remember, your location is private information, and you can choose how much you disclose about it.