You were using your iPhone when all of a sudden you stumbled upon a setting called Significant Locations. “Has Apple been tracking me everywhere I go!?” you ask yourself. In this article, I’ll explain the iPhone Significant Locations feature and show you how to turn it off!
What Is iPhone Significant Locations?
iPhone Significant Locations is a feature that tracks and saves the places you’re located most often. Apple uses these locations to send you specific alerts in the Calendar, Maps, and Photos app. Although your iPhone saves these Significant Locations, Apple can’t see or read them because the data is encrypted.
To view your iPhone Significant Locations, go to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> System -> Services -> Significant Locations. If you have Significant Locations turned on and you’ve had your iPhone for awhile, you’ll probably see a few locations here under History. If you just got your iPhone, you may not have any have any Significant Locations yet.
How To Turn Off Significant Locations
Turning off Significant Locations is one of the many steps in our article about extending iPhone battery life. Location Services that track you everywhere you go can be a huge drain on your iPhone’s battery.
To turn off iPhone Significant Locations, open Settings and tap Privacy -> Location Services -> System Services -> Significant Locations. Then, turn off the switch next to Significant Locations. You’ll know it’s off when it’s white.
If you ever want to turn iPhone Significant Locations back on, just go back to this menu and turn the switch back on. It make take a few days before Apple has enough data to save any Significant Locations on your iPhone.
Clear Significant Locations History
If you want to erase the Significant Locations that have been saved on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod, go to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> System Services -> Significant Locations and tap Clear History. Finally, tap Clear History when the confirmation alert appears on the screen.
Significant Locations: Explained!
You now know what Significant Locations are on your iPhone and how to turn them off! Share this article on social media to teach your family and friends about iPhone Significant Locations too. Leave a comment below if you have any other questions about your iPhone!
Thanks for reading,
David L.
View Comments (32)
I turned off location sevices, with dire warnings of it affecting apps, services, but I turned off. Then went to clear history, Then it said could not access, what is this endless apple intrusion into our lives? I loved Apple products for 25 years, now I loathe them. Spying, controlling words we type, devices that waste my precious time trying to turn off everything I can find, but never enough. Apple Co is treacherous company who has betrayed its users. iphone13 is HUGE heavy, clunky, ugle disappointment.
Why when turning Significant Locations does it say this will affect many apple apps, services, like maps blah blahnand Photos
My sig locattions said 82 recordings. I couldnt access them. What is that please?
I show 71 records in significant locations. Can i expand that to see a specific location?
My "Significant Locations" summary says 94 records (2 month date range), but only displays 1 under RECENT. How do I see the other 93?
How do I see the rest of my Recents in Warren significant locations
I want to see my history not clear it. It is only showing me two locations but says I have 202 in my summary. I need to see the summary. Can you help?
I read an article that said if I turn this off, optimized battery charging wont work. Is this true?
yes thats true. You also need the System Costumization services turned on.
I can’t clear my history on Significant Locations - what do I need to do to clear it?
How can I stop Facebook for see my location on my iPhone
You can do this by turning off Facebook in Location Services! To do this, open Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services. Then, scroll down to the Facebook app listing and tap it. From there, just tap Never under Allow Location Access.
iPhone 12 Mini here, version 14.5.1 - and under Location Services, there is no "System Services" to be found. What now?! Thanks.
Hi, I wanted to know how come the significant location is showing me in a false location, from the previous morning, at 8am when I was home in bed today? Any advice?
I followed your instructions. When I got to significant locations, it was switched on. When I tapped the on, to switch it off, there was a red circle which looked like a finger print + Touch ID for "Settings". However, touching it did not accept the thumb print which I use to open my phone.
How do I get around this please?
It wants your fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor (prob your round button on the bottom center of your phone that you prob click on when you want to go to your home screen) or else it will be above/beside/below the camera on the back of your phone. It doesn’t want you to actually touch the fingerprint icon that displays on your screen. I did the same thing once lmbo
If I turned of location services would significant locations still be on?
I followed these instructions to clear history but there is a circle that just keeps spinning. It won’t clear. Every time the screen goes off it I have to start it all over again. Been trying for two days-it just won’t clear!
Can I view the location on a larger map as some are not very accurate
does this significant location record when the iphone is powered off but still traveling. The device has cell service just powered off?
Probably not. Your iPhone can only record significant location when it's powered on
Does this turn off photo location tagging in my iphone camera?
I was able
to clear the history on my IPhone but when I went to do it on my husband’s phone, I got a message saying can not clear history. Why is that?
Mine is saying that as well it says I cannot clear it cannot delete it why why can’t I delete my significant locations or my Maps history I’m wondering is it being shared somewhere else and I don’t know my phone is the phone it’s my only ID
I can’t find the ‘system services ‘ ... the fourth point in the instructions ?
Based on my ‘Significant Locations’ data, it appears it only notes locations when you’ve utilized an app that has requested location services (eg. Google Maps, Walmart/Retail Apps, Calendar, etc.). As to what qualified these locations as “significant”, it doesn’t seem to matter how many times you’ve been to a particular location, nor the duration of the visit, although it does note this information in your results.
Apple seems to be doing more than most tech companies to maintain some level of privacy, but I’d still turn these off, as well as most of the other location permission settings. You can always temporarily enable one or more if necessary.
If you need convincing of why to turn these off, search ‘geofence warrants’. Basically they are huge, sweeping GPS/cell data dragnets that law enforcement is demanding large tech companies to conduct, and provide the resulting tons of private data for their perusal. If that doesn’t concern you, make sure you still have a pulse.
I am *very* cynical of conspiracy theorists without some substantial proof, but this isn’t a conspiracy. It’s a real thing, and we need to wake up before we all become Tom Cruise in *Minortiy Report*.
Mine does the same thing, however, sometimes the place are wrong for example I ordered a Uber for someone and it shows that I went there. I wonder why
You didnt discuss what significant locations means.
If I visit a place just once for a few minutes will it register as a significant location-would be convenient?
Why do some places show up and others do not? Also, why on some locations it shows how long the trip took - and others dont?
If i go to a place, will it automatically register the place ive been to? Or will the place registration relect in a couple of days?
Where are the answers to all these questions that Id like to know myself?