How To Stop Applications From Accessing Location On Windows 10?

By Author: jaxson
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Location privacy settings are a part of the Settings app. These settings allow users to tweak the location access permissions for applications as well as users. The latest Windows 10 versions can be tweaked to permit or refuse access to the location for the installed applications. If you are worried about your privacy, then you can stop apps from accessing your location. Here is how you can turn off app access to the location in Windows 10.

Disable Location Access for Applications via the Windows Settings

Hit the Windows and I hotkeys together to open the Windows Settings.
Thereafter, select the Privacy section on the lower side of the screen.
You should move down, then tap the toggle of ‘Allow apps to access your location’ to disable it.
Disable Location Access for Applications via the Local Group Policy Editor

Hit the Windows and R hotkeys together to open the Run prompt.
Then input “gpedit.msc” in it and select the OK button to invoke the Local Group Policy Editor.
Once you reach the screen of Local Group Policy Editor, go to this path: Computer Configuration\Administrative ...
... Templates\Windows Components\App Privacy
Thereafter, select the setting of “Let Windows apps access location” and twice click on it, then choose the Enabled option.
You should change one of the three choices as the standard for every app.
After doing that, hit the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes.
To locate the ‘Family Package Name (PFN),’ browse ‘PowerShell’ via the feature of Windows search and right-click on it to pick the ‘Run as administrator’ option.
Finally, input this command to locate the PFN: Get-AppxPackage -Name “Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge.”
Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge is the name of the package. You should locate every package name using this command: Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | Select Name, PackageFullName
Entering the ‘Package Family Names’ into the ‘Force Deny’ section will turn off the location’s access for those apps.
Disable Location Access for Applications via Registry Editor

Hit the Windows and R hotkeys together for launching the Run prompt.
Afterward, input “regedit” in it and select the OK button to launch the Registry Editor.
Then pick the Yes option in the UAC pop-up.
You should enter this key into the Registry Editor. In case the key is not there, then make it: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\AppPrivacy
Thereafter, reach the right pane, and right-click on it.
Now, pick the New option.
Go to the ‘DWORD (32-bit Value)’ option and click on it.
Reach the “LetAppsAccessLocation“ option and twice click on it. Now, modify the value data to 2.
Then reach the right panel, right-click on it, and pick the New option.
Save the changes.
Source: Stop Applications from Accessing Location on Windows 10.