How to turn off exact location on Instagram (and why you need it)

We share high quality Instagram photos, videos and live videos with many people. But often you also add location tags. While these are clear features, the information you share goes beyond your friends list or mentions. You can’t tell who might see it.

So it’s obvious that Instagram is one of the many apps that share your exact location if left unmarked. And as you know, there are a lot of stalkers in the network. Many Instagram users even fear that revealing their real-time location could increase their chances of harm. This is not far from the truth.

Luckily, like many apps, Instagram only shares what you allow. Here’s how you can turn off your exact location on Instagram on iPhone to stay safe online.

How to disable location service for Instagram on iPhone

Instagram doesn’t have a built-in feature to turn off your precise location. But as I mentioned earlier, denying location permission on your iPhone or iPad works.

1. Open iPhone Settings → Privacy & Security.
2. Go to Location Services.
3. Tap Instagram.
4. Disable precise location.

On Android devices:

Go to “Settings”→ “Location”→ “App Permissions”→ find and tap the app you want to change → tap the “Precise Location”toggle and turn it off.

Why You Should Disable Your Accurate Location on Instagram

The Internet is a free space where everyone does what they want. Even worse, the opportunities that stalkers are grabbing through your social media to follow you online. Well, we can hardly do without the Internet. The best thing you can do is protect yourself online.

If you turn off your precise location, Instagram will not be able to detect and share your real-time geolocation. So when you share a photo, video, video or story, people won’t know where you are. This is true for other apps and social apps on your iPhone.

However, if you want to extend this setting to several other apps on your iPhone or iPad, you can disable Location Services. To do this, go to iPhone settings → Privacy and security → Location services. Then turn off location services.

That’s all! Instagram now knows less about your location if you followed the instructions above. That being said, many users have also reported that the location service continues to work even after turning it off; check out these solutions to fix it.

Have questions or comments? Let me know in the comment box below.