There are times when you may want to stop sharing your iPhone location with certain people without them knowing. This can be done in a few different ways, and it all depends on your preference.
One way to stop sharing is to turn off Location Services, which stops all apps from accessing your location. Another is to disable Find My iPhone’s location sharing, which will notify anyone who has Find My installed that you are no longer sharing your location.
1. Go to Settings
You may have heard that location services on your iPhone can give apps the ability to track you without your knowledge. While many people are fine with this, there are some users who want to disable the feature for security and privacy reasons.
Often, when you first install an app on your iPhone, it asks whether you want to allow the app to use your location. You’ll then see a list of other apps that can also use your location, and you can toggle them on and off if needed.
Some apps, like Maps or ride-share services, need precise tracking to locate you at all times so they can direct you to your destination or deliver food to the correct spot. Others, like social media apps or music apps, can be used without your exact location being tracked.
The best way to turn off location on an iPhone is to go to Settings. This is the place where you can control your iPhone’s notifications and privacy settings.
In the Privacy section, you’ll see a list of all your apps and which ones need to use your location. Tap on each one to choose whether you want to allow it or not.
For each app that needs to use your location, select one of the options: Never, Always, or While Using the App. You can also toggle on Precise Location if you prefer your app to know your exact location every time it uses the service.
This is a great option for apps that only need to know your approximate location, like the Instagram app. However, don’t forget that law enforcement can still use your location data in certain situations.
2. Tap Privacy
You might have noticed that your iPhone sometimes asks if you want to keep letting an app use your location. This is a privacy feature to make sure you’re aware of what data apps are accessing.
It also allows you to control which apps have access to your location, and when. You can also limit the information that these apps can use to serve you targeted ads.
Apple’s default setting is to allow apps to access your location anytime, but you can change this on a case-by-case basis. To do so, go to Settings and tap Privacy.
In the Privacy section, you’ll see a list of all apps that requested access to any of your personal information (Contacts, Calendars, Photos, Camera, and more). Then, tap each one to view their request and decide whether you want to grant them permission.
Some apps only need to use your location when you’re actively using the app, while others need it all the time. The most effective way to protect your privacy is to disable the ability for all apps to access your location.
If you’re a parent, consider turning off this option so your child won’t have access to your location. You might also consider turning off the option for “Find My iPhone” so your family won’t have a way to find your device if it goes missing.
3. Tap Location Services
If you’re concerned about location privacy, it can be easy to turn off the ability for your iPhone to share your location with apps. This is especially important if you want to protect your location from hackers, who may be able to steal it.
Apple, Google, and many third-party apps use your phone’s location data to provide an array of services and features, including helping you navigate your way around the city or finding a nearby restaurant. But there are times when it’s best to disable location sharing, either for security reasons or to conserve battery life.
To do this, open the Settings app and tap “Privacy.” Then scroll down to “Location Services,” and disable all of the location-related settings by tapping the switch next to each one.
You can also turn off location-based system services on a per-app basis to limit access to your location. These include apps like Find My iPhone that rely on location to function and emergency services, which use your location to help respond to emergencies.
Some apps, like Messages, require Location Services to be turned on to work properly. In those cases, you can select an option that limits how much access the app gets by choosing Always or While Using the App.
However, you might want to keep Location Services on for apps that have a more important role in your life, such as Maps. If you don’t think that an app is necessary to your everyday routine, you can disable the option by choosing Never from the app’s options.
4. Tap Share My Location
The iPhone’s Location Sharing feature allows you to share your location with someone through Messages, Google Maps, Apple Maps and Contacts. This feature is convenient for traveling and keeping your friends informed about where you are.
The location sharing feature also comes in handy if you’re traveling with children and want to ensure that they can find you. It’s easy to enable, and you can even select how long you want to share your location with them.
But there are situations where you don’t need to share your exact location. For example, if you’re meeting someone at the mall and don’t want them to know where you live, you can simply tap “Share My Location.”
While location sharing can be useful in many scenarios, it also raises some privacy concerns. That’s why it’s important to understand how to turn off location on an iPhone without them knowing, especially if you’re concerned about your security or privacy.
