Windows 10: Turn On or Off Location Services in Windows 10

How to: Turn On or Off Location Services in Windows 10

How to Turn On or Off Location Services in Windows 10


Some apps need to know when youre in a specific location to work correctly. For instance, if youve asked an app to remind you to buy bread when youre in the grocery store, the app will need to know when youre in the store. To give you maps to get you where youre going, or to show you lists of shops or restaurants near you, many apps and services request location information from your device. Thats what the Windows 10 location service does: tells your apps and services where you are or where youve been, so that you can get info more relevant to you.

How the location settings work

The device location setting enables certain Windows features such as auto-setting the time zone or Find my device to function properly. When the device location setting is enabled, the Microsoft location service will use a combination of global positioning service (GPS), nearby wireless access points, cell towers, and your IP address to determine your devices location. Depending on the capabilities of your device, your devices location can be determined with varying degrees of accuracy and may in some cases be determined precisely.

If you have enabled the device location setting, your device sends de-identified location information (including wireless access point information, cellular tower information, and precise GPS location if available) to Microsoft after removing all personally identifiable information at the device. This de-identified copy of location information is used to improve Microsoft location services and, in some instances, shared with our location service provider partners, currently HERE, to improve the location services of the provider.

Additionally, you can allow apps to use your devices location and location history to deliver location-aware services as precisely as your device supports. If you grant a specific app access to your devices location on the settings page, that app will have access to precise location information. Otherwise the location information provided to the app has lower accuracy. When your location is used by a location-aware app or Windows service or feature, your location information and recent location history are stored on your device.

If you are signed in with your Microsoft account and location history has been enabled, your last known location information is also saved to the cloud, where it is available across your devices to other apps or services that use your Microsoft account. If you are signed in with your Microsoft account and your device cannot reliably determine your current location on its own (such as when you are in a building or basement), apps or services can use your last known location from your location history that is stored in the cloud if it is available.

There are some exceptions to how your devices location can be determined that are not directly managed by the location settings.

Desktop apps are a specific type of app that wont ask for separate permission to discover your device location information and wont appear in the list that allows you to choose apps that can use your location. What are desktop apps? Theyre usually downloaded from the internet or installed with some type of media (such as a CD, DVD, or USB storage device). Theyre launched using an .EXE or .DLL file, and they typically run on your device, unlike web-based apps (which run in the cloud). See also: Windows 10 desktop apps and privacy | Microsoft Support

Even when youve turned off the device location setting, some third-party apps and services could use other technologies (such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular modem, etc.) to determine your devices location with varying degrees of accuracy. Microsoft requires third-party software developers that develop apps for our Microsoft Store or develop apps using Microsoft tools to respect the Windows location settings unless youve provided any legally required consent to have the third-party developer determine your location. However, to further reduce the risk that an app or service can determine your location when the Windows device location setting is off, you should only install apps and services from trusted sources. For more comprehensive protection of your location, you could consider disabling radio-based components of your device such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular modem, and GPS components, which might be used by an app to determine your precise location. However, doing so will also impair other experiences such as calling (including emergency calling), messaging, internet connectivity, and connecting to peripheral devices like your headphones. Please read the privacy policies of the apps and services youve installed to learn more about how they use your devices location.

To facilitate getting help in an emergency, whenever you make an emergency call, Windows will attempt to determine and share your precise location, regardless of your location settings. In addition, your mobile operator will have access to your devices location if your device has a SIM card or is otherwise using a cellular service.

For more information, see: Windows 10 location service and privacy | Microsoft Support

Starting with Windows 10 build 17115, Windows 10 has gotten a new privacy screen settings layout.

This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off the location services for your device (PC), account, and apps in Windows 10.

*note If one or more apps are currently using your device location through the Windows location service, youll see the Location

icon in the notification area of your taskbar. The location in-use notification wont be shown for geofencing.

If you use Cortana, then Cortana will need access to your device location and location history to work properly, so the Windows location service must be turned on for your device, user account, and the Search app.

The Geolocation Service will need to be enabled and running to be able to turn on the Location service .


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Turn On or Off Location Service for your Account and Apps in Action Center
• Option Two: To Turn On or Off Location for this Device in Settings
• Option Three: To Turn On or Off Location Service for your Account and Apps in Settings
• Option Four: To Turn On or Off Location Service for your Account and Apps using a REG file
• Option Five: To Turn On or Off Location for this Device using a REG file
• Option Six: To Turn On or Off Location for this Device during Windows Setup

OPTION ONE [/i] To Turn On or Off Location Service for your Account and Apps in Action Center
*note Location must be turned on for the device by an administrator using Option Two or Option Five before you will be able to do this option.
1. Open the Action Center (Win+A).

2. Click/tap on the Location quick action button to toggle location services on or off for what you want. (see screenshot below)









OPTION TWO [/i] To Turn On or Off Location for this Device in Settings
*note You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

2. Do step 3 (on) or step 4 (off) below for what you want.


3. To Turn On Location for this Device
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on Location on the left side, click/tap on the Change button under Location for this device is off on the right side, turn on location access for this device, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)





4. To Turn Off Location for this Device
A) Click/tap on Location on the left side, click/tap on the Change button under Location on this device is on on the right side, turn off location access for this device, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)





5. When finished, you can close Settings if you like.





OPTION THREE [/i] To Turn On or Off Location Service for your Account and Apps in Settings
*note Location must be turned on for the device by an administrator using Option Two or Option Five before you will be able to do this option.
1. Open Settings, and click/tap on the Privacy icon.

2. Do step 3 (on) or step 4 (off) below for what you want.


3. To Turn On Location Service for your Account and Apps
A) Click/tap on Location on the left side, and turn on Allow apps to access your location on the right side. (see screenshot below)

*note This is the default setting.



B) Under Choose which apps can access your precise location, turn on or off apps you want, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)




4. To Turn Off Location Service for your Account and Apps
A) Click/tap on Location on the left side, turn off Allow apps to access your location on the right side, and go to step 5 below. (see screenshot below)





5. When finished, you can close Settings if you like.





OPTION FOUR [/i] To Turn On or Off Location Service for your Account and Apps using a REG file
*note Location must be turned on for the device by an administrator using Option Two or Option Five before you will be able to do this option.

The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\location

Value sting value

Deny = Off
Allow = On


1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Turn On Location Service for your Account and Apps
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_On_Location_service_for_your_account_and_apps.reg

Download

3. To Turn Off Location Service for your Account and Apps
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_Off_Location_service_for_your_account_and_apps.reg

Download
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. If you like, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.





OPTION FIVE [/i] To Turn On or Off Location for this Device using a REG file
*note You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.

The downloadable .reg files below will modify the string value in the registry key below.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\location

Value sting value

Deny = Off
Allow = On


1. Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.


2. To Turn On Location for this Device
*note This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_on_Location_for_this_device.reg

Download

3. To Turn Off Location for this Device
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

Turn_off_Location_for_this_device.reg

Download
4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

6. When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

7. If you like, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.





OPTION SIX [/i] To Turn On or Off Location for this Device during Windows Setup
1. When you get to Choose privacy settings for your device during Windows Setup while doing a clean install of Windows 10, you can turn on (default) or off the Location privacy setting for what you want. (see screenshots below)







That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to View App Permissions in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Cortana Location Permissions in Windows 10
• How to Clear Your Personal Data and Info from Cortana
• How to Turn On or Off Find My Device in Windows 10
• How to Use Microsoft Privacy Dashboard to Manage Your Privacy on the Cloud in Windows 10
• How to Turn On or Off Improve Inking & Typing Recognition in Windows 10
• How to Set, Change, or Clear Default Location for Windows 10 PC
• How to Clear Your Location History on Windows 10 PC
• How to Turn On or Off Location Access for Desktop apps in Windows 10

:)

 

Location Services off or on?

Setting Location Services off does extend battery life but at the same time leaving it on does not dramatically reduce battery life. I have it On all the time on my 920 but Off on my 820. I still charge both every 2-3 days. Apps that require location will
request for it to be turned on when the app is started. So if you get tired of being asked to turn Location on all the time then you might as well just leave it on. The Here apps require Location Services to be enabled.

 

Location Services off or on?

As I heard with Settings > location > Off
helps to increase battery power.

But my question here is I am using these app [ cricket score app, news app & info app (imdb, wiki) ] lots. So can I use these app without any difficulty with settings of location off.

Moreover Can I use here maps, here city lens, here drive + with settings of location off ?

 

Anyone know the relevant registry keys for it that aren't the group policy restriction type? I assume the device location is under HKLM and location for apps is per user under HKCU.

 

Hello Pk King X11,

I have added OPTION FOUR to the tutorial for a .reg file option. *Smile

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1...a.html#option4

 

Thank you, I tried the registry changing "download" and it apparently worked. I will now wait and see what happens.


I appreciate your assistance

 

I'm glad it could help Julsiel. *Smile

 

Hello! I have a big problem. Please guide me: the location of my device is offed and the change botton doesn't work and cortana doesn't work too. What should I do?

 

Hello Sara, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

It sounds like you have stopped and disabled the GeoLocation Service (lfsvc) service that would cause this.

From: Windows 10 Enterprise release notes - known issues)

You can download and merge the .reg file below and approve to automatically delete this registry key for you.

*Arrow Delete_registry_key.reg

Afterwards, enable and start the GeoLocation Service (lfsvc) service. You should now be able to turn on location for your device.

Services - Start, Stop, and Disable in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

 

Here are the group policy admin template locations translated as run commands. They also add the "Some settings are managed by your organization" message on the Settings page, which is ok in my case.

REG ADD "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LocationAndSensors" /v "DisableLocation" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LocationAndSensors" /v "DisableLocation" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

 

i reversed this to enable location,and I have to thankyou as it had me baffled for 2 days or more.

 

admin and all who have contributed, i have to thank you for getting me unstuck. My location was disabled as was cortana as i stupidly ran DWS. I have read through hundreds of pages of nonsense that got me to here and the correct solution. All i have left to o is get Maps to work and update. I get the error code 0x80070005, i have tried to reinstall using powershell and although i have managed to fix 20 other updates this one eludes me. Anyway i can live with it til i find and answer. Again thx everyone *Smile

 

I have been trying to do this also but I am still unable to at least enable location services globally allowing non admin users to turn on or off location service on Windows 10 build 1607

The only way I can do it is if I log in as an admin to enable it ( allowing users to turn location on or off) - dont want to do this manually we need to automate it somehow

In the reg path and key above I tried to reverse it too. I put a 0 as the value for the DWORD value "Disablelocation" but as a non admin users I am still not able to turn on location

Any help?

 

I've updated the tutorial to add OPTION FIVE for turning on/off Location for this device using a .reg file to help. *Smile

 

YAAAYYYY thank you Brink. Finally got this turned on!

now I can make a script and deploy this out to many non admin users *Smile