How to Enable or Disable App Location Requests in Windows 11

Prerequisites

Turn “Notify when apps request location” on or off

Windows 11 can show an alert every time a program tries to check where you are. With “Notify when apps request location” turned on, you get a warning in your taskbar whenever a piece of software checks your physical position. That makes it easy to see which apps are asking and how often.

1. Open the Windows Settings⚙️ app. Click the Start menu and select Settings, or press the Win+I on your keyboard. The Settings⚙️ window opens.
2. Click Privacy & security in the list on the left side of the window. The privacy options appear on the right.

3. Scroll down to the app permissions section and select the Location tile on the right. The location settings page opens.

4. Look for the Notify when apps request location tile. If you don’t see it, install the💿 latest Windows updates, because it is only on recent Windows 11 builds. You can still use the registry method below.
5. Click the switch to turn it On or Off, whichever you prefer. The switch label changes to match your choice.

The change takes effect right away. No restart is needed with this method. To undo it, come back to the same page and flip the switch again.

Close Settings when you finish.

Global vs. Per-App Settings

Managing Location History and Privacy

Windows keeps a record of your location history. To remove it, go to Settings › Privacy & security › Location and click the Clear button next to Location history. This stops apps from reading past location data stored on your device.

Clearing the history does not turn location off. Apps that have permission can still ask for your current position, and Windows will start building a new history unless you switch location access off.

Troubleshooting Inaccurate Location

If apps report a wrong or very rough position, check that Wi-Fi is turned on. Wireless networks help Windows work out where you are, and a PC with Wi-Fi off often gives much less accurate readings. This matters most on desktops and laptops that have no GPS chip.

Use Windows Registry to change settings

The Registry Editor lets you manage location requests through system keys when the Settings page is locked or unavailable. The change applies to your whole user account, so you don’t need to click through the app menus. It works on Windows 11 Home as well as Pro. Create a restore point first, as described above.

1. Press the Win+R, type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. Click Yes if User Account Control asks for permission.
2. Navigate to this path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CapabilityAccessManager\ConsentStore\location
3. If you do not see the location key, right-click ConsentStore and create a subkey named location. The new folder appears under ConsentStore.

4. Right-click in the empty space on the right side of the folder. Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
5. Name this new item ShowGlobalPrompts.
6. Double-click ShowGlobalPrompts. Make sure Base is set to Decimal.
7. Change the Value data:

   • Type 1 to receive notifications when an app asks for your location.
   • Type 0 to stop these notifications.
8. Click OK. The value now shows your number in the right-hand pane.

Close the Registry Editor and restart the computer to apply the new configuration. To undo the change, open the same value again and enter the other number, or delete the value you created and restart.

Summary

Managing Windows 11 location notifications gives you control over who can see your physical position while keeping privacy protection active. Check the setting again after major Windows updates, since they can occasionally reset privacy options.