Our phone knows almost everything about us, including our location data. Though Google has made it hard for third parties to access it by moving it to the device only, some apps can still access your location. Some of these apps do not need this permission, and in this guide, we will look at apps that need location permission on your phone.
While most apps request access to your location to perform better and make recommendations, some ask for permission to spy on you. It is necessary to audit apps with location permission and revoke those that do not need it to function.
Why should you grant an app location permission?
Some apps, like Maps, need your location to function. Sometimes, your camera requests it to include it in your photo’s metadata. Interestingly, Google and Apple have come up with an idea in the recent Android and iOS updates, respectively. You can give an app limited access – access your location only while using it. Often, you get the option while installing the app, but you can always adjust it in the Settings app.
So, which apps need your location permission?
It will be impossible to mention all the apps, as there are many of them. We will group them under categories, so you know which apps to consider allowing access to your location.
Maps
Perhaps, the only apps that need permission to your precise location. Of course, without it, they cannot give an accurate direction. In addition, when sharing your whereabouts with someone, it’s recommended to grant full access to the app, or your location will stop updating, making the whole thing useless.
Weather Apps
You will probably want a weather forecast for your location and not some random places. That can only happen if the app knows your location. If you move around a lot or live in a place prone to bad weather, it might be necessary to grant the app full access. We recommend when using the official weather app on your device.
Camera
It might feel weird seeing the camera app ask for location permission. I will allow it access as it includes places where pictures are taken to the metadata. That’s why when you click the “more” option on your photos, you see where you took your photos. However, it’s not necessary to enable it, but it comes in handy to remember places you have been to.
Dating apps
These types of apps require your location to make recommendations. In addition, show your profile to people around your area who might be interested in matching with you.
Ridesharing Apps
Apps like Bolt, Uber, and Lyft need your precise location. However, since you don’t always use the app, we recommend giving it limited access – only get access when the app is open.
Social media
Mostly for geotagging the photos you post on your social media. However, some of them need it to direct you to things happening in your area and recommend people close to you. In addition, it helps improve ads targeted to you, but it is something you can disable.
How to see apps with location permission
Android
- Open the Settings app.
- Click on Location and tap on Apps Location permissions.
- You will see Apps with ”Allowed all the time” and ”Allowed only while using the app.”
- Also, the ones without access.
- Click on each app to adjust the permission they have.
iOS
- Launch the Settings app
- Select Privacy, and then Location Services
- You will see a list of all the apps on your device, and you can choose to grant or deny location access or select the “While Using” option like on Android.
You might be surprised by the number of apps that have location permission after checking this. It takes only a few minutes to audit apps on your phone and we recommend you do it often. If someone is spying on you using a spy app, you might be able to know by checking apps with access to your location.
