Location Services Constantly 'On' in iOS 11

[PC Surgeon]

I updated to iOS 11 last week, and I don't have the Locations Services arrow in my status bar. Of course, I have Location Services disabled. After any OS update I go through my Settings thoroughly because I've found Apple "helpfully" turns some things back on, and Location is the main one. After so many years with iPhones I still haven't found a single reason to ever have Location activated.

You may also have a botched install. On my iPhone 5, a botched install of iOS 8 (I think) resulted in Location Services being turned on permanently, with the on/off slider greyed out. I had to do a complete wipe and reinstall in order to get it to stop. Have you tried turning off Location Services completely to see if you can get the tracking to stop?

The only way to get the location status icon removed is to disable it in. Settings. Im convinced apple has been on a downward spiral since the death of Jobs. My next phone wont be apple im afraid as it seems they are doing more for “the developers “ than the consumer (see reasons for being unable to disable wifi/Bluetooth)

 

[Sill]

The only way to get the location status icon removed is to disable it in. Settings. Im convinced apple has been on a downward spiral since the death of Jobs. My next phone wont be apple im afraid as it seems they are doing more for “the developers “ than the consumer (see reasons for being unable to disable wifi/Bluetooth)

The Jobs DNA is definitely leaving, but there are still enough of his personal touches there to keep me interested. I've thought about leaving, from time to time, but there is no alternative. Unless a new OS arrives from a new player, or perhaps a Linux phone takes off, there just isn't anywhere else to go. Despite my intense dislike of Google, my main objection to Android is Android itself. Its really frustrating for me to use it. I've had two devices so far - made available to me for free - and I couldn't make it past two minutes with any of them. When a customer would rather pay the "Apple tax" than take your stuff for free, you're doing something wrong.

 

[Verita]

Same issue. I use Siri watch face and weather doesn't auto update as I travel if you only have 'while using' for iPhone weather app. So watch is pinging and geofencing via iPhone to know where you are. I read years ago that arrow doesn't assume GPS, could be tower triangulation and other non battery consuming methods.

 

[Siana1501]

Hi guys.

I don’t know if you’re still looking for a solution but I think I got it.

Try that out:
Privacy —> location services —> system service —> significant location —> and you turn that off.

It disappears instantly. I tried to load google maps and left. It appeared and then left once I quit the map app !

Let me know if it’s what you were looking for too

Cheers

 

[GeorgeDeme]

It's definitely not Apple Watch causing the issue. I have been using iOS 11 since the GM was available, without updating my Apple Watch to watchOS 4, and the icon has been persistently there.

Perhaps Apple has tweaked their location service algorithm or made the icon more 'true'.

Indeed you seem to be right. The arrow came back even after I unpaired my Apple watch. However I have since used the reset settings option and since then the arrow has vanished !! I am not sure what caused the issue but now I do not have it

 

[Sill]

Same issue. I use Siri watch face and weather doesn't auto update as I travel if you only have 'while using' for iPhone weather app. So watch is pinging and geofencing via iPhone to know where you are. I read years ago that arrow doesn't assume GPS, could be tower triangulation and other non battery consuming methods.

Try turning off Locations completely, and just enter your location into the weather app manually. Problem solved.

 

[Verita]

Try turning off Locations completely, and just enter your location into the weather app manually. Problem solved.

For those not on the move all the time, sure! That’s not me.

 

[macfacts]

Also noticed this with earlier iOS 11 betas. However the description changed in Privacy -» Location Services -» System Services. A hollow (outline) arrow prior to iOS 11 referred to geofencing but now it says "A hollow arrow indicates that an item may receive your location under certain conditions." So I think it's not constantly using the GPS, only in "certain" conditions.

That is such bad UI design, changing the meaning of an established icon previously used.

 

[Sill]

For those not on the move all the time, sure! That’s not me.

to each their own. I travel extensively, and I'm on the road about 12-13 hours every day. I have not once needed Location Services.

 

[nmendes]

Do a restore of the Location Services. It works for me.

 

[Thyfere]

Ever since I updated to iOS 11, there is a persistent location services icon (arrow) in the status bar. It simply does not stop tracking me! I switches between being an outline and a filled in arrow, however.

I have checked in settings, and it is "Significant Locations" that might be doing this. Every time I check, that arrow is purple, but I don't remember it always tracking my location in previous version of iOS. However, I would like to keep that on as I find it useful. I've tried turning that one off, and doesn't help too much anyway.

I have location services off (from the start) for many apps that I don't need to share my location with, but this persistent icon is something new they've done in iOS 11 and I'm worried about my battery life on my 5s. I don't want to turn off location services completely as that would defeat the purpose of maps etc.

Any ideas or reasons why they've done this?

It’s compass callibration in Sytem services. Once u disable that, it’s gone

 

[Sirious]

It’s compass callibration in Sytem services. Once u disable that, it’s gone

Still there for me

 

[hendrilei]

Hi guys.

I don’t know if you’re still looking for a solution but I think I got it.

Try that out:
Privacy —> location services —> system service —> significant location —> and you turn that off.

It disappears instantly. I tried to load google maps and left. It appeared and then left once I quit the map app !

Let me know if it’s what you were looking for too

Cheers

What is this significant location for ? Is it safe to tirn it off ?

 

[Renegade72]

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-on-all-the-time.2069422/page-3#post-25095231

Good article. I noticed that new behavior
[doublepost=1507309396][/doublepost]

That is such bad UI design, changing the meaning of an established icon previously used.

It's a little confusing for sure, but I wouldn't call it such a big deal

 

[Mrs.Dodd]

I’ve tried disabling mostly everything in location services including system services. I am convinced this is tied to being paired with a watch on OS4. I turned off Bluetooth and indicator goes away. Curious if those with issues also have an Apple Watch?

Yes. I see the hollow arrow on my iOS11 phone and my new Apple Watch. The icons match. I was trying to shut down location services to

 

[Mercenary]

If anyone is worried about these location services being on draining battery then don't. I've been testing and leaving them on or off has ZERO impact on battery.

These services don't use the power hungry GPS but rather uses cellular triangulation and detecting nearby WiFi to get a very close approximation of your location. These take no real power. GPS is only uses for mapping apps.

 

[Snerch]

Probably the difference of "Status Bar Icon" being On versus Off for the System Services location services. The default setting for that is 'Off', but it's possible the update turned that on for whatever reason.

Check Settings.app > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > (Scroll to bottom) Status Bar Icon

Worked for me! Thanks!

 

[Delmarco]

Worked for me! Thanks!

No that only HIDES the Location Services Icon from the top bar which is worse because then you won't even know what and if apps are using location services.


It was frustrating because before the update battery life on my iPad Mini 4 was like this: 7 am leaving home for work with 100%. My morning consisted of basic usage at 100% brightness reading New York Times App continuously on my 40 minute train ride into work. Then at work mildly using eBay, a Subway Map App, Google Maps, Words with Friends, Email checking and writing.
By lunch I would have at least 80% of battery left.

After the update, with doing the same exact things by lunch time, my battery life was barely higher than 40%. Even dimming the brightness by half didn't help much.

Here is how I fixed it:

A - First you need to go down your Location Services App List and decide what Apps you need to set to location services ALWAYS on, only on WHILE USING THE APP and NEVER on.

For basic everyday iOS users none of us do not need any non-essential/non-system Apps to be ALWAYS on. Our core group of Apps (google, chrome, safari, maps, facebook, instagram...) should only access location services WHILE USING THE APP while most of our Apps (games, shopping stores, ESPN, Calculator Pro, etcc...) should NEVER be set to using location services EVER!

B - To fix my issue I needed to do several things in System Services to stop location services from being ALWAYS on.

1. Wi-Fi Networking (turn off) - not sure what this is and why WiFi needs location services. With this off WiFi works the same. My WiFi antenna is always turned on 24 hrs a day so I was really hurting here.

2. PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT - Routing & Traffic (turn off) basically Apple is using your device as a location beacon for creating real time traffic flow maps in your area for their general network. For some reason this was turned off previously but IOS 11 turns it back on even though other items in PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT remained off.


Now with my changes I only ever see the Location Service is On arrow icon when I expect to the the arrow icon! Not sure why Apple make end user configurations so complicated!

 

[Iiscn]

Ever since I updated to iOS 11, there is a persistent location services icon (arrow) in the status bar. It simply does not stop tracking me! I switches between being an outline and a filled in arrow, however.

I have checked in settings, and it is "Significant Locations" that might be doing this. Every time I check, that arrow is purple, but I don't remember it always tracking my location in previous version of iOS. However, I would like to keep that on as I find it useful. I've tried turning that one off, and doesn't help too much anyway.

I have location services off (from the start) for many apps that I don't need to share my location with, but this persistent icon is something new they've done in iOS 11 and I'm worried about my battery life on my 5s. I don't want to turn off location services completely as that would defeat the purpose of maps etc.

Any ideas or reasons why they've done this?

[doublepost=1508594914][/doublepost]I turned location services off then back on and it stayed off now.

 

[miscend]

Hi guys.

I don’t know if you’re still looking for a solution but I think I got it.

Try that out:
Privacy —> location services —> system service —> significant location —> and you turn that off.

It disappears instantly. I tried to load google maps and left. It appeared and then left once I quit the map app !

Let me know if it’s what you were looking for too

Cheers

No effect for me

 

[mikeyy4380]

Ever since I updated to iOS 11, there is a persistent location services icon (arrow) in the status bar. It simply does not stop tracking me! I switches between being an outline and a filled in arrow, however.

I have checked in settings, and it is "Significant Locations" that might be doing this. Every time I check, that arrow is purple, but I don't remember it always tracking my location in previous version of iOS. However, I would like to keep that on as I find it useful. I've tried turning that one off, and doesn't help too much anyway.

I have location services off (from the start) for many apps that I don't need to share my location with, but this persistent icon is something new they've done in iOS 11 and I'm worried about my battery life on my 5s. I don't want to turn off location services completely as that would defeat the purpose of maps etc.

Any ideas or reasons why they've done this?

What solved this for me is because I was sharing my location with some friends and family in the “My Friends,” app... BUT, I had added a notification to “Notify friends option” when I leave my home... I deleted the notification I added and it fixed it immediately!!

 

[HeathH]

Yes, very odd and happened to me also after iOS 11. It doesn’t matter what I do the arrow stays hollow on the status bar. I’ve turned off location services, Bluetooth, WiFi, everything I can think of and it still stays on.

 

[Speedman100]

Yes, very odd and happened to me also after iOS 11. It doesn’t matter what I do the arrow stays hollow on the status bar. I’ve turned off location services, Bluetooth, WiFi, everything I can think of and it still stays on.

Got it to go away by setting Weather to “While using app”. That’s the only way to make it go away (in my case).

 

[CjonesHouston]

I turned off location services. Then did a hard shutdown. Powered back on and turned location services back on. Problem went away for now.

 

[SketchyClown]

Its 'Routing and Traffic' in System Services on mine. As soon as I disable that option it disappears.

x2 for this solution.