Windows 10: Device Location Is Incorrect

Hi everyone,


I am having an issue in which the location service is showing the system in Oregon, despite the system being in Denver. I haven't been able to get it to recognize the correct location. The steps that have been taken so far are:

- Attempted to get the system to ping its own location through the Maps app, no change
- Cleared Location History, no change

- Set default location correctly, no change because it think it's correctly in Oregon


Bit of a strange one, anyone have any ideas?


Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 10.0.19042

System is on the 20H2 version right now

:)

 

Location incorrect in weather app and find my device

Windows 10 has several settings that control access to a device's location. They can be found under:

Settings -> Privacy -> Location

The first two settings are called Location and Location service. If either one is turned off, then Windows will NOT REVEAL your location to apps that ask.
Location is a system-wide setting, and if turned on, then
Location service controls location access for the current user only.

• Make sure that Location and Location service are both turned on.

The next setting lets you specify a Default location to be used whenever Windows cannot determine your location with any degree of accuracy or confidence. I'll come back to this setting in a moment.

This is followed by a way to Clear your location history stored on this device, as well as
some links to manage or review information concerning your location online.

After that, you should see a list of Apps. This is where you can allow or deny location access on a per-app basis.

• Make sure this setting is turned on for the "Weather App" and "Find My Device".

Please note that despite having identical names, this more general Windows 10
Default location setting does NOT work in the same way as the Default location setting in the Weather App. The Weather App will
always use its default location if one is specified. Windows 10 only uses its more general default location setting if all else fails. I have devised an experiment, which exploits that difference. I think it should be able to identify the
underlying location problem on your system.

1. Start the Weather App and select the Settings tab. Make sure that
   Launch Location is set to "Always detect my location".
   Exit the Weather App.
2. Go to the general Windows 10 Settings -> Privacy -> Location and temporarily set your
   Default Location to somewhere that's way off - wrong by thousands of miles (let's say Timbuktu in Mali).
3. Note which of the following networks are up and accessible form your Surface Pro 2017:
   
   (a) Ethernet, (b) Wi-Fi, (c) Bluetooth, (d) cell phone connectivity (via optional LTE-Advanced modem).
4. Start the Weather App again and select the Favorites tab. Make a note of the first listed favorite (the Launch Location), and exit the Weather App.
5. If it is Timbuktu (Windows hasn't got a clue where you are), then go to Step 9.
6. If it is Cape Coral (Windows THINKS it knows where you are, but it's WRONG), then go to Step 8.
7. If it is Knoxville (Windows got it right), then the
   Location Service works correctly when Windows has access to the infrastructure of the networks you noted as available in Step 3. Go to Step 8.
   
8. To reproduce the problem and perhaps isolate the cause, disable all the networks listed in Step 3. Then re-enable each of the networks ONE AT A TIME, repeating the steps from Step 3 each time. If you ever get to Step 6, then the one-and-only enabled network
   that time is the SOURCE OF YOUR PROBLEM. If you ever get to Step 7, then ADD the one-and-only enabled network that time to YOUR LIST of reliable location sources.
   
   SOLUTION A:
   
   (a) Ensre that a network on YOUR LIST of reliable location sources is up and available.
   
   (b) Whenever you require an accurate location, ensure that the network observed to be the SOURCE OF YOUR PROBLEM is neither up nor available.
   
9. Using the infrastructure of the networks you noted as available in Step 3, Windows was not able to determine your location with any degree of accuracy or confidence. Enable as many of the networks listed in Step 3 as you can. Restart the experiment at Step
   3. If you still end up here, then you MUST EITHER modify the general Windows 10
   Default location setting every time you need an accurate location OR ...
   
   SOLUTION B:
   
   Move back to Cape Coral, Florida.
   
   Phew!

 

Location setting

Hi,



This issue could occur due to incorrect location settings or it would depend on your IP address. We suggest you to check the location settings of your PC, and check if it helps. Here are the steps:

• Click the Start button, and select Settings.
• Go to Privacy, and choose Location.
• Make sure that the Location service is On.

If issue persists, then it has something to do with your IP address. It’s because the location detected depends on the location set on your IP address.



Let us know how it goes.

 

device location

Hi Rosdan,

We need more information regarding your concern. Which device are you pertaining to? Are you talking about the
Find my device feature of your Microsoft account? Are you talking about the location settings of your device? If you are using a desktop computer with no Wi-Fi capability, your location will be based on your IP address. Because of that, the
results can widely vary in accuracy, resulting in an incorrect location for your device. You can set your address as your default location in the Maps app so that Windows, apps, and services can use it when the system could not detect a more exact location
of your device. To do so, kindly follow these steps:

• Launch the Maps app.
• Click on
  
  , then click on
  Settings.
• Under Default location, click on Change default location.
• Click on Set default location, type in your current location, then click on
  Choose location.
• Click on Set.

Kindly get back to us with the information that we asked for so that we can assist you better with your concern.

We look forward to your response.