Apple has introduced a new privacy feature that allows users to limit how precisely cellular networks can determine their location, the company said in a press release. The setting, called “Limit Precise Location,” is available on selected iPhone and iPad models using supported carriers.
The feature works by restricting some of the information that mobile networks use to estimate a device’s position, which is typically derived from connections to nearby cell towers. With the setting enabled, carriers may only be able to identify a broader location, such as a neighborhood, rather than a more exact position like a street address.
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“Cellular networks can determine your location based on which cell towers your device connects to,” Apple said, adding that the new option “enhances your location privacy by reducing the precision of location data available to cellular networks.” The company said the change does not affect signal quality or the overall user experience.
Apple noted that the setting does not alter location data shared with emergency responders during emergency calls and does not affect location information provided to apps through Location Services, including features such as Find My.
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The feature is supported on iPhone Air, iPhone 16e and iPad Pro (M5) Wi-Fi + Cellular models running iOS 26.3 or later. It is currently available with selected carriers, including Telekom in Germany, EE and BT in the United Kingdom, Boost Mobile in the United States, and AIS and True in Thailand.
Source: Apple