What Apps use Location Services on Android?

What apps use location services on Android phones and tablets?

Apps use location services on your Android device are doing so to track your location.  Many of them not only track your location, but they also store a history of where you’ve been.  Advertising apps will display advertisements based on your location. Social media apps will also display advertisements and choose potential friends based on your location.

Your Android device has a feature where you can control which apps can use your location.  Some apps won’t work well without knowing your location, such as Google Maps, while others are sneaking behind your back and collecting your location information to improve their offerings.

For more information about maintaining app permissions, refer to this page (Managing App Permissions on Android…).

Find which apps use your phone’s location:

• Swipe down from the top of the screen of your Android device.
• Long touch (touch and hold) on the Location icon . 
• Touch App Permission.
• To set the location permission for an app, find the app you want to control the location and touch it.
• You can set the app’s location permission to one of the following:
  • All the time: The app can use your location at any time.
  • Only while using the app: The app can use your location only when you’re using that app.
  • Ask every time: Every time you open the app, it’ll ask to use your location. The app can use the setting until you close it.
  • Deny: The app cannot use your location, even when you’re using the app.

Types of location access apps can request:

If an app has permission to use your location, it will use one of the following:

• Approximate location: The app can tell that your phone is in an area a few hundred meters wide.
• Precise location: The app can tell your phone’s exact location.
• In the foreground: The app can use your location only when the app is open on your screen or when you ask the app to do something.
• In the background: The app can use location info at any time, even if you aren’t using it.

What Permissions does an app have?

• On your home screen, find the app you want to see the detailed permissions for.
• Long touch the app icon and this will appear:
• Touch the information icon in the upper right corner .
• Touch Permissions.
• All the permissions for the app will be displayed.
• To change a permission, touch on the permission you want to change, and select the access type you want.