How to Find and Turn Off Significant Locations on iPhone!

Sometimes, you are not aware of this, but your iPhone covertly maintains a record of all the places you commonly visit. This component is known as the iOS significant locations feature. Some iPhone users believe it is beneficial, while others believe it poses a security concern.

Even if Apple cannot read encrypted data, other persons who have access to your device will be able to examine this data in a manner accessible by humans and get significant facts about the locations you have been to.

If you hate this, you can turn off your smartphone's Significant Whereabouts Tracking function, preventing it from recording your locations in minute detail. We decided to investigate more, find out the significant locations on iPhone operate and determine whether you should be concerned about this feature.

Table of Content

Part 1: What is the Significant Location feature on iPhone?

Apple uses iOS Significant Locations to attempt to forecast where you will be during the day. If you have a habit of going to the same relative's home on Saturdays, you could notice that Apple Maps prioritizes that place among its recommendations for that particular day. You may also get information regarding the weather and traffic at that spot.

Your smartphone and not iCloud is the sole place where locations are saved. You can also opt-out of Significant Locations if you believe it is an invasion of your privacy.

Your iPhone's built-in GPS is used for Significant Locations to function properly. This GPS may record the places you regularly go, such as your employment. It can also locate sites you regularly visit, such as a relative's home or a restaurant you like.

The algorithm that decides this considers the frequency you visit an area and the time you spend there. Everything occurs in the background without you being notified or taking any action on your part.

Part 2: Should you turn off significant location and turn it off?

The Maps app uses information from Location Services about your important locations to give you personalized services like predicting where traffic will take you. Your important areas are encrypted from beginning to end, so Apple can't read them. For example, you can delete essential locations anytime to start over with personalized services like predictive traffic routing.

Apple asserts that Significant Locations are encrypted from beginning to finish, like the data saved in iCloud and connected with your Apple ID. That results in Apple and any other third party not seeing or reading the files.

Therefore, Significant Locations for iPhones have a satisfactory level of safety. However, this does not imply that you should switch or leave them on. First, it is normal to feel uneasy about your iPhone following your every step and recording everything. In particular, if you discover that the advantages are relatively slight.

In addition, end-to-end encryption protects your information. Also, it is being sent to and received from iCloud. It does not guarantee that your data will remain safe if someone cracks the passcodes protecting your Apple device or Apple account.

In the end, best practices require you only allow your devices to monitor the data you need to perform successfully according to your needs. This means you should limit the data your devices may track to the information you need.

There is no compelling reason to use the functionality of iPhone Significant Locations does not satisfy those requirements.

The settings on your iPhone are where you'll find Significant Locations. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Settings > Significant Locations if you want to view a list of your Significant Locations or disable the feature altogether.

Tap "clear history." All the essential locations on your devices signed in with the same Apple ID will get deleted when you do this.

Note that you may need to scroll down depending on how many apps you have on your iPhone's System Services at the bottom of Location Services. While in Location Services, you should check to see if any apps have recently used your location and change your permissions as needed. Remember that you should only give apps what they need to work correctly.

You'll be able to view your most recent records in this section. The Maps app on your device will tell you how long you were at a specific location and whether or not that location has a name. You can also see the total records in your possession.

You can clear your Significant Locations history by tapping the Clear History button at the bottom of the page. This will allow you to start fresh. To disable Significant Locations, you can deactivate the feature by toggling the button. If you disable it, consider turning off tracking for individual apps.

Part 3: Best Alternatives to Significant Locations for iPhone

Now, let us move on to our best alternative to iPhone Significant Locations' lengthy, tiresome process.

Geonection

Geonection is compatible with Android and iPhone phones, so you can use it to keep track of the whereabouts of your family member's loved ones and ensure they are secure. By taking the necessary precautions, the company provides you with all of the required features with Wondershare Geonection.

Geonection works like a significant location on the iPhone. Every journey is recorded in detail by Geonection's driving history reports, which include moving routine, top speed, average speed, the total distance is driven, and more.

Step 1: Access Geonection on Your Mobile

Open the Geonection app and allow it to utilize your location and track your movements.

Step 2: Make a New or Join Circle

The map that shows your account avatar with the avatars of other users, such as your friends and family, is the core component of the user interface (UI). You may either make a new circle or join an existing one by tapping on your circle.

Step 3: Check the Location History

Finally, to check the location history of your circle, scroll the circle name toward the map at the bottom of the page, and then click the circle you made.

By granting Geonection permission to track your physical activities, it works like the iOS Significant Locations feature. It keeps track of all your actions or the activities of your circle.

Part 4: Summary

What happens when suddenly, while using your iPhone, you see a setting named Significant Locations on your iPhone? You think, "Has Apple been following me wherever I go."

So, we learned:

An "iOS Significant Locations" feature keeps track of and saves the places you go to most often. Apple sends you specific alerts based on your location in the Calendar, Maps, and Photos apps. Significant Locations are safe on your iPhone, but Apple can't see or read them because the data is encrypted.

Besides, you can use the best alternative Geonection and save yourself from the cumbersome procedure of Apple's inbuilt app.