How to Enable or Disable Location Services in Windows 11

Understanding Windows Location Services

Windows 11 location services use GPS, Wi-Fi 📶 networks, and cell towers to work out your position for apps and system features. This data lets things like your time zone and weather apps update automatically. You can view and clear your saved location history at any time in the main location settings.

Windows saves your location history when apps use your location. If you sign in with a Microsoft account, your last known location can also be saved online and used on your other devices. Some older apps, especially those installed from discs or downloaded from the internet, don’t follow these settings. They may still be able to find your location.

Microsoft requires apps from the Microsoft Store to follow your Windows location settings. Still, be careful where you download software from. For the strongest privacy, you could turn off your device’s wireless connections. That also stops your internet, phone calls, and Bluetooth 🔷, so it’s rarely practical.

To keep an eye on things, check the list of apps that have permission to use your location. The list appears in the Location page of the Settings ⚙️ app, and you can switch off any app you don’t trust or don’t use.

This is a safety feature and cannot be turned off.

Option 1Turning Location Services On or Off in Settings

This is the easiest and most common way to manage location services. It works the same on Windows 11 Home and Pro, and you don't need to touch the registry or a command line.

Step 1Open Windows Settings

1. Press the Windows key + I keys on your keyboard at the same time.
2. The Settings app should open. This is the quickest way to get there.

Step 2Go to Privacy & Security

1. In the Settings window, look at the menu on the left side.
2. Click Privacy & security. The privacy options now appear on the right.

Step 3Find Location Settings

1. On the right side of the Privacy & security page, scroll down to the App permissions area.
2. Click the Location option. The location settings page opens.

Step 4Control Location Services

The main switch on this page controls Windows 11 location tracking for your device. Below it are settings for individual apps. The steps are:

• To turn Location Services ON: Make sure the switch is in the "On" position. Most Windows computers are set up this way by default.
• To turn Location Services OFF: Click the switch so it moves to the "Off" position.

If the switch is greyed out, or you see a message that some settings are managed by your organization, a work or school policy is controlling it. Settings can't override that. Changing the device-wide switch may also need an administrator account. If you're on a standard account, you may only be able to change the options for your own user.

With the main switch on, you can scroll down to the list of apps and turn individual apps on or off. To remove saved history, look for the location history option on the same page and use its clear button.

Step 5Confirm If Turning Off

When you turn location services off, Windows will probably ask you to confirm.

1. Look for the button labelled Turn off.
2. Click it to finish the change. The switch should now show "Off".

Step 6Close Settings

Once you've made the changes you want, close the Settings window. No restart is needed. To undo the change, come back to the same page and flip the switch again.

Option 2Managing Location Services with Command Prompt or Windows Terminal

If you like working from the command line, or you need to apply these changes to several computers, you can use Windows Terminal. It hosts both Command Prompt and PowerShell. You need administrator rights for this method.

Step 1Open Windows Terminal as Administrator

1. Click the Start button.
2. Type Terminal.
3. Right-click Windows Terminal in the search results.
4. Choose Run as administrator.
5. If a User Account Control (UAC) message asks for permission to make changes, click Yes.

A terminal window opens with administrator rights. The window title usually says so.

Step 2Enter the Command

With the elevated terminal open, type or paste the command for what you want, then press Enter. The change applies straight away.

• To turn Location Services ON:
  💻Code

  Copy

  SystemSettingsAdminFlows.exe SetCamSystemGlobal location 1

• To turn Location Services OFF:
  💻Code

  Copy

  SystemSettingsAdminFlows.exe SetCamSystemGlobal location 0

Explanation: These commands change a system setting that turns the main location service on or off. The number '1' usually means 'on' or 'enabled,' and '0' means 'off' or 'disabled.' To undo a change, run the other command.

Step 3Close the Terminal

After the command runs, you can close the Windows Terminal window. If you want to check the result, open Settings › Privacy & security › Location and look at the main switch.

A small mistake can cause problems. It's best to copy and paste the commands exactly as given.

Option 3Using the Registry Editor (for Experienced Users)

The Registry Editor gives you direct control over Windows 11 location settings. It's meant for experienced users who are comfortable editing system keys. Back up the registry before you change anything, so you can recover from a mistake. This method works on both Home and Pro.

Important Note: Before you start, create a backup of your registry. Open the Registry Editor, go to File > Export, and save a copy of your registry somewhere safe.

Step 1Open Registry Editor

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run box.
2. Type regedit.
3. Press Enter or click OK.
4. If User Account Control (UAC) asks for permission, click Yes.

The Registry Editor opens, with the key tree on the left and values on the right.

Step 2Go to the Correct Registry Key

You need to reach a specific registry key to configure location settings by hand. Paste this path into the Registry Editor address bar and press Enter:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Location

The editor jumps to that key. If it can't find it, you'll need to create it, as described next.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LocationAndSensors

If the Location folder (called a "key") doesn't exist, create it:

1. Right-click CurrentVersion.
2. Choose New > Key.
3. Name the new key Location.

Step 3Create or Change the Value to Enable Location Services

To turn location tracking on in the registry, make sure the DisableLocation value is set to 0 or removed entirely. If the value doesn't exist yet, create it as a new DWORD value named DisableLocation and set its data to 0.

1. In the right-hand pane, right-click an empty spot.
2. Choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
3. Name the new value DisableLocation.
4. Double-click DisableLocation.
5. Make sure its Value data is set to 0. If the value is already there and set to 1, changing it to 0 will turn on location services. If it's not there, creating it with a value of 0 will also turn it on.
6. Click OK.

Explanation: A value of 0 for DisableLocation means that location services are not turned off, so they are on.

Step 4Create or Change the Value to Disable Location Services

To turn location services off for the whole computer, create or edit the DisableLocation value and set its value data to 1.

1. In the right-hand pane of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\LocationAndSensors key, right-click an empty spot.
2. Choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
3. Name the new value DisableLocation.
4. Double-click DisableLocation.
5. Set its Value data to 1.
6. Click OK.

Explanation: A value of 1 for DisableLocation tells Windows to turn off location services. To undo it, set the value back to 0 or delete the value.

Step 5Apply Changes

Registry changes usually need a restart before they take full effect. Restarting only the Windows Explorer process sometimes works, but a full restart is the most reliable. To restart, open Start, click the power button, and choose Restart. Afterwards, check Settings › Privacy & security › Location to confirm the result.

Summary

For most people, the Settings app under Privacy & security is the right place to manage Windows 11 location services. For automation or advanced control, use Command Prompt or Windows Terminal with administrator rights. The Registry Editor offers the most granular control, but it needs caution and a backup first.