Location Services turning on on it's own!

[clovehitch2]

Well, this damn phone has gotten much worse at this after the post Oreo Updates. IT seems to be semi related to location and wireless connections, but it's getting very very annoying! Wish there was a physical off switch for the GPS antenna!

I've been fighting this for months as well. turned off location permission for every single app that app management allows and it still is happening. I did have to turn Gallery location permission back on so that I could view my photos, which irks me and shouldn't be required since I never will accept location tags on my photos. I'm so furious about this location issue that I'm considering disassembling my phone and physically removing the gps hardware. It wouldnt be quite as big of an issue if manufacturers would start incorporating larger batteries, but having to recharge several times a day when only sending a text or two and having everything optimised for max battery life is ridiculous. But then perhaps I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't constantly trying to turn off everything that consumed battery unnecessarily. I seriously think I'm done with Google.

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

I seriously think I'm done with Google.

I'm with you! it sucks that Just as I pay this thing off it gets to be a pain in the a to use! What a pain the way they tell me how to use my stuff! It's my stuff and I'll use it my way.

 

[clovehitch2]

I had read somewhere about a bug with Wi-Fi calling and turned it off just to see if it made any difference, and I haven't seen my location turn itself on since! It's been at least 3 weeks, so I'm pretty confident that Wi-Fi calling was the culprit.

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

I had read somewhere about a bug with Wi-Fi calling ...

Interesting, I have it on as Coverage here and where I travel is iffy, and it helps make/get calls.

Google Play and IMS Service show as the only users when I catch it on.

 

[Andrew F1]

You may have already done this already, but go to Settings>Location, tap More, and look for an option to Improve Accuracy. Make sure that's turned off.

I have a Note 4 and there is no "More" after going into the Location setting. Since there's no "More" there's no Improve accuracy option. My location keeps turning on at random by itself and I keep getting the annoying agree or disagree to improve the locations accuracy. If any one has another idea I would like to read it.

 

[B. Diddy]

The Wi-fi/Bluetooth Scanning options can be in different menus, depending on the device. If your Note 4 has a Search option within the system settings, search for "Scanning" and see if you can find it that way.

 

[Yahweh Iliveg]

To Resolve the "Location" turning "Automatically On".

Find which apps were recently in use of the Location Request and switch the "Allow Permission" to "Off"

To do so, go to Settings->Connections->Locations There would be a selections of "Recent Location Request". The next process would be to "Enable" your "Location" to "On". Once you do so, "Tap" on the most (or all) "Recent Location Request". It should bring you to the "App Info" of the application that is, more likely so, turning on your "Location". Scroll down until you reach the "Advanced Section". Under the "Advanced" there shall be a setting that says "Apps that can change system settings". "Select it" and switch the "Allow Permission" to "Off".

For more accurate solution repeat this process for all of the "Recent Location Requests". Once you have completed the process simply switch your Location to "Off" and you shall have the problem resolved.

 

[W_A_Watson_II]

Went thru all that, they only Services that kept coming was Google Play Store.

However it looks like clovehitch2 Nailed it, I've turned off Wi-Fi calling and I've had no more location issues. It no longer keeps turning on the Location, it has stayed off. Just poor cell coverage call/service issues.

So a crappy function/feature/service of Wi-Fi calling appears to indeed be the culprit.

 

[JJOz]

Shame on you Google!

I got the same problem just after upgrading from Android 6 to 7. Whenever I enabled Wifi, the GPS location icon turned on as well. The most annoying thing is that it would pop up a message asking if I wanted to improve location accuracy. Every. Single. Time. I. Connect. To. Wifi! So incredibly annoying!

I tried many suggestions, but the thing that seems to have finally worked is to go into Settings - Apps - App Permissions - Location and disable the location permissions for ALL Google and Google Play apps (ie, Google, Google Play Store, Google Play Services, Google Play services for...) . It worked! Finally no more annoying popups, and GPS only when I want it!

GPS does still work with non-google apps that need it, I haven't tested with google apps yet.

 

[Tomi Gt]

further reading and investigating makes it look clear to me that it's google play. So no other active users are experiencing this?

am experiencing it

 

[Tomi Gt]

Re: To Resolve the "Location" turning "Automatically On".

Where is that on android 9?

 

[atta selim]

If you are using samsung phones. Samsung find my phone has an option that sends your last location whenever phones battery reach a certain level. I assume this is the problem.

If you are freaked out because you are getting spied on. You shouldn't be because it is legal in many laws including the US. And they don't need the gps to know where you are rn. They can actually know as long as you are connected to your network provider. Since your phone picks the signal from a certain tower beside you. The tower sends back to the network provider that your phone is asking for signal. Your phone has a fixed number code aka name that is linked to you when you bought it and your sim card is the same linked to you when you bought it. Also wifi does the same **** unless you have covered it with vpn.

In conclusion, if you are freaked out about your privacy either join a top hacking computer school or throw that smartphone and get a Nokia black and white... maybe China might make some incognito phones in the future as well... they wont gain anything from that though.

Oh and switching all location stuff off wont help it... because well... its find my phone... it is supposed to do so if you lost or got stolen...

 

[atta selim]

Now that I remember it has become more repetitive with updates to me. I assume it is part of the companies strategy to break down old phones so that people would buy new ones. Like make old phones slower and have less juice. [language redacted by Mod] samsung.

 

[Nostromo79]

I like a Location Service that knows what it wants.

 

[Rukbat]

But some other app may request location without bothering you with turning it on - so it gets turned on seemingly "by itself". It's not a bug with the phone, or a plot by the manufacturer, it's bad development by the app developer.

 

[stevejuststeve]

If you want to stop this, download Shizuku and AppOps. It can't deny the Wifi Calling's (IMS Service) location permission, but it can "ignore" it (as good as deny). No root required but Shizuku app can't be started from phone without root, so abd shell has to be used (Platform Tools). With this you can control any and all permissions on your phone.

 

[ITWizard]

Further reading and investigating makes it look clear to me that it's Google Play. So no other Active users are experiencing this?

In my case, same thing happening with my wi-fi icon!

 

[krie191]

Hi,

I came across this thread because I also noticed some unusual location requests from Google Play Services. I think this Register article gives an explanation.

Guess I'll be leaving my GPS off from now on...

My phone was in airplane mode earlier today and I noticed that GPS was on anyway, so good luck with that.. It turned off the moment I made my face clear to the forward facing camera.