Setting Location Permission Per App on Android 14+

Most smartphone users understand that apps track their movement, but few realise how granular the control has become in recent years. By managing per app location android settings, you can stop a simple torch app or a calculator from knowing your coordinates while still allowing Google Maps to function correctly. Since the release of Android 12 through to the current rollout of Android 15, Google has moved away from binary "on/off" switches in favour of a more nuanced hierarchy that protects your privacy without breaking essential services.

I have spent the last few weeks testing these controls on a Pixel 8 Pro running Android 15 beta, a Samsung Galaxy S23 on One UI 6.1, and a Xiaomi 14 Ultra with HyperOS. While the menus look slightly different across these brands, the underlying logic of per app location android management remains consistent. In this guide, I will show you how to audit which apps are pinging satellites in the background, how to switch to "approximate" location for non-essential services, and how to use the Privacy Dashboard to spot data-hungry apps that are overstepping their bounds.

The four modes explained

When you open the location settings for any individual app on Android 14 or 15, you are presented with four distinct levels of access. The most restrictive is "Don't allow," which completely severs the app's access to GPS, Wi-Fi scanning, and Bluetooth trilateration. For many apps, this is the safest default. The second level is "Ask every time," which I recommend for apps you use rarely, such as a one-time parking payment app. This ensures the app cannot check your location unless you manually grant it permission during that specific session.

The third level, "Allow only while using the app," is the standard for most legitimate services. On Android 13 and 14, this mode ensures that as soon as you swipe the app into your "Recent Apps" or close it, the system revokes its ability to track you. A significant change introduced in Android 14 is the "Data sharing updates for location" notification; if an app changes its data-sharing policy to sell your location to third parties, Android will now flag this to you if the app is set to this mode. This adds an extra layer of transparency that didn't exist in older versions of the OS.

The fourth and most intrusive level is "Allow all the time," often referred to as background location. On a Pixel running Android 14, you can find this under Settings > Security & privacy > Privacy > Permission manager > Location. Very few apps actually need this. Fitness trackers like Strava might require it to map a run while the screen is off, or weather apps might use it to send local storm alerts. However, you should be extremely selective here. Android 15 has further tightened the screws on background access, requiring developers to provide an even more compelling reason to the Play Store team before this option is even visible to the user in some cases.

Finally, there is the "Use precise location" toggle. This is a crucial secondary setting. Even if you allow "While using the app," you can choose whether the app sees your exact house number or just the general 2-kilometre radius you are in. For a weather app or a local news app, approximate location is more than enough. I always suggest turning off precise location for any app that doesn't need to guide you turn-by-turn or find a specific physical item near you.

Using the permission manager

The Permission Manager is the most efficient way to audit your device because it sorts apps by their level of access rather than making you check every app icon on your home screen. On a stock Android 14 device like a Pixel, you access this by following: 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Security & privacy. 3. Tap Privacy. 4. Select Permission manager. 5. Tap on Location. This screen will show you a four-tier list: Allowed all the time, Allowed only while in use, Ask every time, and Not allowed.

While reviewing this list, focus first on the "Allowed all the time" section. On Android 14 and 15, you might see "System services" at the bottom of the list. These are essential for the phone's basic functions, like finding a lost device or emergency location services. However, if you see a shopping app or a social media platform in the "All the time" category, tap on it immediately and demote it to "Allow only while using the app" or "Don't allow." Android 14 makes this transition seamless; you don't even need to restart the app for the change to take effect.

If you find that an app stops working after you change its permission, Android 15 provides a clearer "intent" pop-up. If the app tries to request location again, it must explain why it needs it. To manage these requests: 1. Go to the Location Permission Manager. 2. Tap the specific app. 3. Look for the "See all [App Name] permissions" link to ensure it isn't gaining location data through "nearby devices" (Bluetooth) permissions as well. This is a common loophole where apps use Bluetooth scanning to estimate your location even if GPS is turned off.

For users on Android 13, the interface is nearly identical, though it lacks the "Data sharing updates" flags. I recommend that any user on Android 13 or 14 also check the "Wireless scanning" settings found at Settings > Location > Location Services. Here, you should consider disabling Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning. These allow apps to look for nearby routers and beacons to pinpoint you even when you've supposedly turned off an app's location permission. Disabling these significantly improves your per app location android privacy posture.

Cross-checking the dashboard

The Privacy Dashboard, introduced in Android 12 and refined in Android 14, is your best investigative tool. It provides a 24-hour timeline of exactly when apps accessed your location. This is different from the Permission Manager, which only shows what an app *can* do. The Dashboard shows what it *actually* did. To find it on a Pixel or stock device: 1. Go to Settings. 2. Tap Security & privacy. 3. Tap Privacy. 4. Tap Privacy Dashboard. 5. Tap on the Location icon.

If you see a long bar for an app like Facebook or an obscure utility app at 3:00 AM while you were sleeping, you have a background tracking problem. Android 14 enhanced the dashboard by showing the "purpose" of the data access if the developer has provided it. In the dashboard view, you can tap on an app entry and it will take you directly to that app's permission page. I use this weekly to spot "location leaks"—apps that I thought were restricted but are still finding ways to ping the system.

One specific feature to look for in Android 14 and 15 within the dashboard is the "Show system" toggle. By default, Android hides its own processes. If you tap the three dots in the top right corner of the Privacy Dashboard and select "Show system," you will see how often Google Play Services and other core components are checking your location. While you cannot always disable these without breaking the phone’s functionality, seeing the frequency of "Fused Location Provider" hits gives you a real sense of your device's data footprint.

I also recommend using the "Location accuracy" setting within the Location menu. While not strictly an "app" setting, it affects how all apps receive data. If you turn off "Google Location Accuracy," your phone will only use GPS satellites. This is slower and doesn't work well indoors, but it prevents your phone from sending a list of all nearby Wi-Fi networks and cell towers back to Google’s databases. For the ultimate privacy enthusiast, this is a major step in controlling per app location android data flow.

Samsung and HyperOS UI paths

Samsung’s One UI 6 (Android 14) and the upcoming One UI 7 (Android 15) handle location permissions slightly differently than stock Android. To audit per app location android settings on a Samsung: 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Security and privacy. 3. Tap Privacy. 4. Tap Permissions. 5. Tap Location. Samsung often adds its own "Customisation Service" to this list, which tracks your location to provide "personalised experiences" across their ecosystem. I usually recommend setting this to "Don't allow" unless you specifically use Samsung's location-based automation features.

Samsung also includes a "Last 24 hours" at the top of the Location settings page, which functions like a mini Privacy Dashboard. It is very convenient for a quick check. If you see an app that doesn't belong there, you can tap it and immediately toggle off "Use precise location." One UI 6 also has a "Location Services" menu that is more prominent than on Pixels. I find Samsung’s layout a bit more user-friendly for beginners, though the sheer number of Samsung-specific system apps in the list can be overwhelming.

Xiaomi’s HyperOS (the successor to MIUI) is notoriously aggressive with permissions, which can be a double-edged sword. To find location settings: 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Protection & Privacy. 3. Tap Privacy. 4. Tap Permission manager. 5. Tap Location. HyperOS has a unique features called "Blank pass" or "Virtual ID." While not strictly a location setting, it works alongside it. If an app refuses to open without location access, HyperOS can sometimes feed it "empty" data. This is a powerful tool for those apps that hold their functionality hostage until you grant permissions.

On HyperOS, you should also look for "High accuracy mode" in the location settings. Xiaomi often prompts you to turn this on to improve positioning, but it usually involves sharing more metadata than is strictly necessary. Both Samsung and Xiaomi have also integrated the Android 14 "data sharing" warnings, though they may appear in the notification shade with different branding. Regardless of the OEM, the "While using the app" setting remains the gold standard for balancing utility and privacy on any modern Android build.

Recommended settings for common app types

Choosing the right per app location android settings doesn't have to be a guessing game. For Navigation apps (Google Maps, Waze), I recommend "Allow while using the app" with "Precise location" turned ON. There is rarely a reason to give these apps "All the time" access unless you use features like Google Maps’ "Location Sharing" with family. If you do, you must select "Allow all the time," or your family will only see your location when you have the app open and active on your screen.

For Social Media (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), the setting should be "Don't allow" or "Ask every time." These apps do not need your location to function; they only use it to tag posts or serve local ads. If you want to tag a photo, use "Ask every time," grant permission for that moment, and Android 14 will automatically stop the access once you are done. In almost all cases, you should turn "Precise location" OFF for social media to prevent them from building a highly detailed map of your daily habits and home address.

Weather apps are a common source of data leakage. For these, I suggest "Allow while using" and "Precise location" turned OFF. A weather app only needs to know your city or neighborhood to give an accurate forecast. Providing your exact coordinates is overkill. Browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Samsung Internet) should also be set to "Ask every time." This prevents websites from automatically knowing where you are unless you specifically click "Allow" on a website’s pop-up, such as when finding a nearby store branch.

Finally, for Shopping and Food Delivery apps, "Allow while using the app" is necessary for the delivery to reach you, but "Precise location" can often be turned off once the order is placed if the app has your saved address. However, for the best experience during a live delivery, precise location is usually required. The trick is to never set these to "All the time." There is no reason for a pizza delivery app to know where you are three days after your last order. Android 14’s "Remove permissions if app is unused" feature is great here; ensure this toggle is ON at the bottom of the app’s permission page.

Quarterly review checklist

Privacy is not a "set it and forget it" task. Apps update, privacy policies change, and you might accidentally grant a permission in a hurry. I recommend a quarterly audit of your per app location android settings. To start your review: 1. Open the Privacy Dashboard and look at the "Last 7 days" view (if available on your version) to see long-term patterns. 2. Go to the "Allowed all the time" list in Permission Manager and demote any app that isn't a core fitness or safety tool. 3. Check for any new apps that have appeared in the "Precise location" list.

During your review, look for the "Remove permissions if app is unused" toggle for every app. On Android 14 and 15, this is usually enabled by default, but it’s worth verifying. If you haven't opened an app in three months, Android will automatically strip its permissions, which is a fantastic safety net. Also, check the "Location services" section to see if "Earthquake Alerts" or "Emergency Location Service" are enabled—these are generally worth keeping on for safety, but it's good to be aware they are active.

Another item for your checklist is checking the "Google Location History" (now called "Timeline" in Google Maps). Google is currently moving Timeline data from the cloud to your local device on Android 14 and 15. Make sure you follow the prompts in Google Maps to "Keep your Timeline on your device." This ensures that your historical movement data is encrypted on your phone and not accessible by Google on their servers, marking a massive win for per app location android privacy.

As we look toward the wider release of Android 15, we expect even more "Privacy Sandbox" features to integrate with location settings. This will likely move us toward a future where apps receive "interest-based" signals rather than raw GPS data. Until then, the manual controls in Android 14 remain your strongest defence. Taking ten minutes every few months to prune your permissions list ensures your phone remains a tool for you, rather than a tracking beacon for advertisers.