Current Location

How to turn on location in your browser

For a website to show where you are, two permissions are needed: your device's and your browser's. Here are the steps for each case.

First: the two permissions involved

  1. Your device's location must be turned on, and your browser must be allowed to use it. You set this in your phone or computer settings.
  2. Permission for the website is given in the browser when a site asks for the first time. If you chose “Block”, you have to change it by hand.

When you are done, go back to my current location, reload the page and tap “Show my exact location”.

Android with Chrome

Permission for the website

  1. With the page open, tap the icon to the left of the address.
  2. Open “Permissions”.
  3. Tap “Location” and choose “Allow”.

Your phone's location

  1. Open Settings, then “Location”.
  2. Turn on “Use location”.
  3. Under “App location permissions”, find Chrome, choose “Allow only while using the app” and turn on “Use precise location”.

Menu names can vary slightly depending on the manufacturer and Android version.

iPhone and iPad with Safari

Your device's location

  1. Open Settings, then “Privacy & Security”.
  2. Tap “Location Services” and turn it on.
  3. In the list, open “Safari Websites”, choose “While Using the App” and turn on “Precise Location”.

Permission for the website

  1. With the page open, tap the page settings button in the address bar.
  2. Choose “Website Settings”.
  3. Under “Location”, choose “Allow” or “Ask”.

Computer with Chrome or Edge

  1. Click the icon to the left of the address.
  2. Find “Location” and set it to “Allow”. If it isn't listed, open “Site settings”.
  3. Reload the page.

To check all websites at once, open the browser settings, then “Privacy and security”, “Site settings”, “Location”.

Computer with Firefox

  1. Click the permissions icon in the address bar.
  2. Under permissions, clear the block on “Access your location”.
  3. Reload the page and choose “Allow” when Firefox asks.

Mac with Safari

  1. In the Safari menu, open “Settings” and go to the “Websites” tab.
  2. Choose “Location” in the left column.
  3. Next to the website's name, choose “Allow”.

Your browser must also be turned on in System Settings under “Privacy & Security”, “Location Services”.

Windows

  1. Open Settings, then “Privacy & security”.
  2. Choose “Location”.
  3. Turn on “Location services” and “Let desktop apps access your location”.

If it still doesn't work

  • Private window. Some browsers block location in private mode. Try a normal window.
  • Battery saver. On Android it can switch off GPS. Turn it off for a moment.
  • No signal. Indoors, move to a window and turn on Wi-Fi, even without connecting to a network.
  • Browser inside another app. If you opened the link from WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook, use the app's menu to open it in Chrome or Safari.
  • Work computer. On devices managed by an organization, location may be blocked by policy.

The official help pages have up-to-date screenshots: location in Chrome and Location Services on iPhone and iPad.

Frequently asked questions

Why doesn't my browser ask for permission anymore?

Because at some point you chose “Block”, and the browser remembers that answer for the site. You have to change the permission by hand, using the icon next to the address or in the browser settings.

I allowed it, but my location doesn't appear. What should I do?

Check two things: that location is turned on in your device, and that your browser is allowed to access location in the system settings. Then reload the page and tap the button again.

Is it safe to allow a website to use my location?

The permission only applies to that website, and you can withdraw it at any time. Give it to sites you trust that need it for what you want to do. On this site your position is only used to show you the result and is not stored.

What does “precise location” mean?

Android and iPhone can give each app either a precise location (to the meter) or an approximate one (to the kilometer). If your browser only has the approximate one, websites can't show your exact address.