Setting Location Permission Per App on Android 14+

Managing your phone's privacy can feel like a part-time job. I remember the days when location was just an "On" or "Off" switch—it was simple, but it was also terrible for privacy because every app had a copy of your home address. With Android 14 and 15, the control we have is much better, but the menus have become a bit of a maze. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the number of clicks it takes to see which apps are actually watching you, you are in the right place. I spent an entire Saturday afternoon going through every single app on my phone to figure out a system that works, so you don't have to.

The four modes explained

When you look at an app's location settings today, you usually see four choices. They aren't always clear, so let’s translate them. First is "Allow all the time." This is the dangerous one. It means the app can check your location even when your phone is in your pocket and the screen is off. I only give this to one app: my personal safety app that shares my location with my family. Almost nothing else needs this.

The second is "Allow only while using the app." This is the sweet spot. It means the app gets data when it's open or when it's performing a specific task you asked for (like playing music or navigating). Third is "Ask every time." I use this for social media apps. If I want to tag a photo in a park, it asks for permission, I say "Only this time," and then it loses access the moment I've posted. Finally, there's "Don't allow." This is my default for 90% of my apps. If a game wants my location to "improve my experience," I just say no. It has never made the game less fun.

Using the permission manager

Instead of hunting down every app individually, you should use the "secret weapon" in your settings: the Permission Manager. You can find this by going to Settings > Privacy > Permission Manager > Location. This screen is eye-opening. It groups every app on your phone by what kind of access they have. The first time I saw this, I found a random PDF reader that had "Always" access to my location. Why? I have no idea, but I fixed it in two seconds.

This manager is the most efficient way to audit your phone. You can quickly scan down the list of "Allowed all the time" apps and demote them to "While using" or "Don't allow." It’s much faster than opening each app’s info page. A pro-tip: look for apps that you haven't opened in months but still have permissions. Android 14 is supposed to auto-revoke these, but sometimes a few slip through the cracks. Doing a manual sweep once a season keeps things tight.

Cross-checking the dashboard

If you want to know if an app is actually using the permissions you gave it, check the "Privacy Dashboard." It’s usually right above or below the Permission Manager in the settings menu. This gives you a 24-hour timeline. When I checked my dashboard yesterday, I saw that a weather app had checked my location at 4:00 AM while I was asleep. Because I had set it to "While using," this shouldn't have been possible unless I had a widget on my home screen updating in the background.

The dashboard is great for catching "liars." If an app claims to only need your location when you're using it, but the dashboard shows it checking in every 15 minutes all day long, you know something is up. It’s the best way to see the actual behavior of your apps rather than just what the settings say. It gives you concrete proof of how much data is being requested. Seeing those numbers—like "Location accessed 142 times in 24 hours"—is usually enough motivation to finally delete those leaky apps.

Samsung and HyperOS UI paths

Of course, it wouldn’t be Android if every manufacturer didn't move things around. If you’re on a Samsung Galaxy, the path is Settings > Security and Privacy > Privacy > Permission Manager. Samsung also has a great feature where it will send you a "Privacy Alert" notification if an app uses your location for the first time in a while. I actually find these notifications helpful rather than annoying; they’re a good reminder of what’s happening in the background.

Xiaomi’s HyperOS is a bit different. You usually have to go to Settings > Protection of Privacy. They use a lot of colorful icons and "Security scores" to show you how safe your phone is. While some of that is just marketing fluff, their list of "Apps with high-risk permissions" is actually quite good at highlighting anything that has access to your location "All the time." No matter which phone you have, the core permissions logic remains the same even if the buttons are a different color.

Recommended settings for common app types

To make this easy, here is the "cheat sheet" I use for my own phone. For Social Media (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), I use "Ask every time." There is no reason for them to know where I am unless I’m specifically tagging a post. For Shopping & Food (Amazon, Yelp, Grubhub), I use "While using the app" but I turn OFF the "Precise Location" toggle. They only need to know my general city to show me deals or menus.

For Utilities (Calculator, Flashlight, Clock), the setting is always "Don't allow." They don't need it, period. For Navigation & Transit (Google Maps, Uber, Airline apps), I use "While using the app" with "Precise Location" turned ON. This ensures I get my flight updates and my GPS works when I’m actually on the road. One caveat: if you use a "Find My Car" feature in a specific app, that might be the one time a shopping app needs "All the time" access, but I usually find it's better to just drop a pin in Google Maps manually.

Quarterly review checklist

Privacy isn't a "one and done" thing. Apps update, personal habits change, and sometimes we grant a permission in a hurry because we're trying to get something done. I've started a "Privacy Sunday" habit once every three months. It only takes five minutes if you know where to look. I go to the Permission Manager, look for any new apps that have "Always" access, and I check the "Unused apps" section to see what Android has automatically put into "hibernation."

One final thing to check is your Google Play Protect. Sometimes, it will flag apps that are being overly aggressive with their data collection, even if you’ve given them permission. If you see a warning there, take it seriously. I also recommend checking your "Location Services" to make sure "Emergency Location Service" is still on even if you've locked down everything else. These small, regular checks are what actually keep your data safe over the long run. It's much easier to spend five minutes every few months than it is to try and clean up a data breach after it happens.