How to Turn Off Location Tracking for Apps on Xiaomi HyperOS
Your Xiaomi phone's location is one of the most sensitive pieces of data you share. Here's how to control it precisely.
Master Location Toggle
Turn off location for ALL apps at once:
1. Swipe down notification panel.
2. Tap Location quick tile to toggle off.
3. Or: Settings → Location → toggle Use location off.
Per-App Location Control
To be more selective (recommended):
1. Settings → Location → App permissions.
2. Each app is listed with its current location access:
- Allow all the time — background + foreground.
- Allow only while using — only when app is open.
- Ask every time — prompts each use.
- Deny — no location access.
Recommended Location Settings per App Type
| App Type | Recommended Setting |
|---|---|
| Maps (Google Maps, Waze) | Allow while using |
| Ride-hailing (Uber, Grab) | Allow while using |
| Food delivery | Allow while using |
| Weather app | Allow while using (or set manually) |
| Social media (Instagram, TikTok) | Deny |
| Shopping apps | Deny |
| Games | Deny |
| Banking apps | Deny |
| Camera (if no geotagging needed) | Deny |
Disable Location History
Google also tracks location independently:
1. Settings → Google → Location → Location History.
2. Tap Turn off → Turn off and delete activity.
3. This stops Google from building a historical map of your movements.
Check Which Apps Recently Accessed Location
- Settings → Privacy → Privacy dashboard → Location.
- See a 24-hour timeline of every app that read your location.
- Investigate any apps you don't recognize accessing location.
Xiaomi System Services Location
Some Xiaomi system services also use location (e.g., Weather, Find My Device):
1. Settings → Location → System service location or Advanced.
2. Disable location access for services you don't use:
- Emergency location service — keep this ON (used for 911/112 calls).
- Google location accuracy — uses Wi-Fi + mobile networks; disable to prevent passive scanning.
Pro Tips
- "Allow while using" is the right choice for the vast majority of apps — very few apps legitimately need background (all-the-time) location access.
- If you notice your battery draining unusually fast, check the Privacy dashboard — background location access by multiple apps is a major battery drain.
- HyperOS 2's hardware location toggle in the quick panel blocks location at the chip level — no app can access it even with permission granted, until you re-enable.
