How to disable location tracking on Windows 10

On Windows 10, location-based reminders, maps, shopping, restaurant, and other apps require to track your location to work as intended, but if you’re concerned about your privacy, Windows 10 offers an easy way to disable this feature.

Using the Settings app, you can disable location for your account and apps, or you can also turn off location tracking per applications. However, if you want to stop Cortana from knowing your location, you’ll need to disable the feature entirely.

In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to stop Windows 10 and apps from tracking your location on your device.

• How to disable location for Windows 10 and apps using Settings
• How to disable location for apps using Settings
• How to clear location history using Settings

How to disable location for Windows 10 and apps using Settings

To disable location tracking on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings on Windows 10.

2. Click on Privacy.

3. Click on Location.

4. Under the “Allow access to location on this device” section, click the Change button, and then turn off the Location for this device toggle switch.

   

Once you complete the steps, location will be disabled completely on the device.

How to disable location for apps using Settings

If you prefer to turn off the feature on apps, you need to turn off location for all or each application.

Disabling location for all apps

To prevent apps from accessing your current location, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on Privacy.

3. Click on Location.

4. Under the “Allow apps to access your location” section, turn off the toggle switch.

   

Disabling location per app

To disable location per app, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on Privacy.

3. Click on Location.

4. Under the “Choose which apps can access your precise location” section, turn off the toggle switch for each app that you want to access your location.

   

After you complete the steps, the apps you specified will no longer be able to access your precise location all the time.

How to clear location history using Settings

If you disable the feature, the location history will continue to be store on your device. While this information will eventually be deleted automatically, you can delete it manually.

To delete location history on Windows 10, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.

2. Click on Privacy.

3. Click on Location.

4. Under the “Location history” section, click the Clear button.

   

Once you complete the steps, the history of your locations will be deleted from your device.

These steps will only disable tracking on your account. If you share your device with other people, they must also turn off this option in their accounts.

Update October 18, 2019: This guide was originally published in August 2017, and it’s been revised for the latest version of Windows 10.