Your iPhone Has a Hidden Map That Tracks Everywhere You’ve Been

Turn Off iPhone Significant Locations

You can find Significant Locations in your iPhone settings.

Here’s how to turn it off and delete all the saved locations.

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap Privacy & Security.

3. Then, select the very first option: Location Services. You’ll find Location Services turned ON by default and all the apps you allow to track your location.

You’ll see a lot of system services that use your location to power various built-in features. You can turn off the ones you think you don’t need. however, for this guide, skip to step #4 below.

4. Scroll to the bottom and select System Services.

5. Tap on Significant Locations. Depending on the iOS version running on your iPhone, it might say Frequent Locations.

To ensure only authorized users can access this data, Apple requires authentication via passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID.

Once you’re in, you’ll see a list of all the frequent locations, along with the dates and times spent there.

6. At the bottom, you’ll see a list of all the locations you’ve been to. Tap Clear History to delete these locations on devices signed in with the same Apple ID.

7. Swipe the slider to the left to turn Significant Locations off. If the icon is no longer green, your iPhone will stop tracking locations you frequently visit.

Is Significant Locations a Security Risk? 

The notion that your iPhone collects data on all the places you frequently visit might be unsettling.

I completely understand; I was also taken aback when I discovered a record of locations spanning years, some of which I couldn’t even recall visiting.

However, for reassurance, Apple emphasizes that the data on your device is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that only you and your iPhone can access it. This means neither Apple nor third-party apps can access this information.

You should know that your iCloud backups specifically exclude Significant Locations.

Therefore, if you switch to a new iPhone, you won’t be able to retrieve this particular set of data.

Why You Cannot Click on Significant Locations Summary

With the latest iOS updates, Apple has removed the ability to view the detailed record of significant locations.

It’s incredibly frustrating to see the data you need right there but be unable to click on it for details. This is especially annoying because it’s our own data.

As a workaround, you can change the date and time of your iPhone to see the significant locations data of that specific day.

To change the date and time, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Select Date and Time.
4. Then, turn off Set Automatically.

Select a specific date within the range of locations stored on your iPhone. This range typically covers the last few months.

For example, if your iPhone has saved locations between February 27, 2024, and April 5, 2024, you could choose a date like March 1, 2024, to see the data for that specific day.

Viewing data for specific dates is tedious now. You need to repeat the process for each date instead of having a handy list like in the past, where you could simply click on the desired data for quick access.

Should You Turn Off Significant Locations?

Turning off Significant Locations on your iPhone is a good idea if you are concerned about privacy and security.

By disabling it, you can prevent privacy breaches in the future, particularly when third-party apps might gain access to your information.

Ultimately, you should only allow your iPhone to track the data they need to function properly.  

If you have any feedback or questions, please don’t hesitate to comment below.