Android 17 Brings Major Location Privacy Upgrades

Google recently released Android 17 Beta 3 for eligible Pixel devices. The update brings a suite of new location privacy features along with improvements in other areas. These tools let you see when apps access location while offering more flexible control over sharing.

Here are the new location privacy features in Android 17

Speaking of the new location button, Android 17 brings an easy way to give precise location access. Now you don’t need to allow apps to track your location in the background. The dedicated button lets you share your location, which automatically expires when you close the app. It comes in handy for a bunch of tasks, such as finding a nearby area or tagging a location in a social media post.

Thanks to the improved location access indicator, Android 17 now shows a clear status bar icon when a non-system app uses your location. This gives you more transparency about when and how the app accesses your location. You can tap the indicator to see recently used apps, then remove permissions immediately if you want.

Furthermore, Android 17 improves the approximate (coarse) location approach. The system now dynamically changes location accuracy depending on local population density. It does not use a fixed-size population algorithm as previous operating systems did. The company basically aims to make the location area larger in less-populated regions.

The update also improves the location runtime permission dialog. The dialog shows two options: Precise and Approximate, letting you understand the difference before giving access. This helps you take the most informed privacy decisions with less friction.

Samsung’s upcoming One UI 9 (based on Android 17) should also adopt these location privacy improvements. The Korean firm has yet to share a timeline for the beta program, but internal testing is already underway. We will let you know if new information surfaces about the next-gen software.