Understand the location settings available on your device
Google has location-based services, including:
- Location Accuracy for your device (a.k.a. Google Location Services): To get a more accurate location for your device, learn how to manage Location Accuracy.
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Emergency Location Service for your Android device:
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Earthquake alerts for your Android device: To get updates for nearby earthquakes on your device, learn how to manage Earthquake alerts.
- Use location for time zone on your device: To get time zone updates based on location, learn how to manage location for time zone.
- Timeline for your Google Account: Timeline is a Google Account setting that creates a personal map that helps you remember places you’ve been, and routes and trips you’ve taken. Learn how to turn on Timeline.
- Location Sharing for Google Maps: To let others know where your device is, learn how to share your real-time location via Google Maps.
- Location in Search: To get more helpful results when you search on Google, learn how to manage location permissions for websites and apps.
- Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning: To help apps get better location info, learn how to manage Location Accuracy.
- Nearby devices permission: To enable nearby devices to connect, learn how to turn on the Nearby devices permissions.
- Satellite SOS: If you’re somewhere without cellular or Wi-Fi, some Pixel phones can connect to an emergency service provider via satellite to get help. Learn how to get emergency help via Satellite SOS.
Turn location on or off for your device
- Open your phone’s Settings app.
- Tap Location. If you have a work profile, tap Advanced.
- At the top, turn Use location on or off.
Tip: You can also turn your phone’s location on or off with Quick Settings. Learn about Quick Settings.
When Location is on- Apps with location permission can access your device's location to give you location-based info, services, or ads. Learn how to manage location permissions for apps.
- If Location Accuracy (also known as Google Location Services) is on, Location Accuracy can collect data to improve location accuracy and location-based services. Learn about Location Accuracy.
- You can get search results based on your device's location, if your app and browser permissions allow it. Learn how to manage your location when you search on Google.
- You can locate where your device is if you lose it. Learn about Find Hub.
- You can share your device's location with others. Learn about Location Sharing with Google Maps and how to send your location in an emergency.
- You can get earthquake alerts for nearby earthquakes. Learn about earthquake alerts.
- If you have location for time zone enabled, your device can use your location to determine your time zone. Learn about location for time zone.
- If you have Location History turned on, your precise device location is regularly saved to your devices and Google’s servers, even when Google apps aren’t being used. You can always review your Location History, or change how long you keep it, by visiting activity.google.com or your Timeline. Learn about Location History.
- Your device's location isn't shared with any apps. Features that use location may not work properly.
- Location Accuracy won’t collect data to improve location accuracy or location-based services. Learn about Location Accuracy.
- You can get search results and ads based on information such as your IP address. Learn how to manage your location when you search on Google.
- You may not be able to locate where your device is if you lose it. Learn about Find Hub.
- You can’t share your device's location with anyone via Google Maps. Learn about Location Sharing with Google Maps.
- Emergency location services or your mobile carrier can still automatically send your device's location to emergency responders when you call or text an emergency number. Learn about emergency location services.
- You can’t get earthquake alerts for earthquakes nearby. Learn about earthquake alerts.
- Your device won’t be able to use location to determine your time zone. Learn about location for time zone.
- Even if you have Timeline turned on, the places your phone goes won’t be saved. Learn about Timeline.
- Apps with the nearby devices permission can still determine the relative position of connected devices. learn how to turn on the Nearby devices permissions.
Help your device get a more accurate location (Location Accuracy, also known as Google Location Services)
Turn your device's location accuracy on or off
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Tap Location
Location services
- Turn Improve Location Accuracy on or off.
Location services When Location Accuracy is on, your device uses these sources to get the most accurate location, which may include elevation or floor level:
- Wireless signals, if available, such as:
- GPS
- Wi-Fi
- Mobile cellular networks
- Sensors, if available, such as:
- Accelerometer
- Barometer
- Gyroscope
This can be especially important if you’re using your device indoors or when GPS satellites are obscured, because in those situations devices need to use additional signals to be able to estimate their location. Apps and services with the appropriate permissions can use this location to provide you with location-based features.
When your device’s Location Accuracy is off:
- When available, only GPS and device sensors, such as accelerometer, barometer, and gyroscope, will be used to determine your device’s location, which may impact the availability and accuracy of locations for apps and services such as Google Maps and finding a lost device.
- Wireless signals and sensor data are not collected by the Location Accuracy service. However, emergency location services or your mobile carrier can still automatically send your device’s location enhanced by Location Accuracy to emergency responders when you call or text an emergency number.
Set up Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning
To help apps get better location info, you can let your phone scan for nearby Wi-Fi access points or Bluetooth devices.
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Tap Location
- Wi-Fi scanning: Tap Wi-Fi scanning. Then, turn Wi-Fi scanning on or off.
- Bluetooth: Tap Bluetooth scanning. Then, turn Bluetooth scanning on or off.
Send your location in an emergency
To help responders find you quickly, your phone's location can be sent when you dial or text an emergency number, like when you dial 911 in the US or 112 in Europe.
If Android Emergency Location Service (ELS) works in your country or region and on your mobile network, and you haven't turned ELS off, your phone will automatically send its location to first responders through ELS. If ELS is off, your mobile carrier might still send the device's location during an emergency call or text.
Turn emergency location service on or off
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap Location
- Turn Use Emergency Location Service on or off.
How Emergency Location Service works
ELS is only activated when you call or text a local emergency number.
During your emergency call, ELS may use Google Location Accuracy and other information to get the most accurate location possible for the device. If your device’s WiFi setting is off, ELS may turn it on.
Your phone sends its location to authorized emergency partners for the purpose of helping emergency services locate you. Your location is sent directly from your phone to emergency partners.
After a completed emergency call or text during which ELS was active, your phone may send de-identified usage and analytics data to Google for the purpose of analyzing how well ELS works. This information doesn’t include the location sent to authorized emergency partners, and doesn't identify you.