A friend told me apps can still get your location even with GPS turned off, and now I’m confused. Is that technically possible, or is it just one of those myths that gets repeated until everyone believes it?
Hey @knottylogic, I felt the same panic when I turned off GPS last year and thought I was invisible. In reality, apps can’t grab your GPS coordinates if you’ve denied permission, but they can still approximate your whereabouts via cell-tower data, Wi-Fi hotspots or even IP addresses. It’s far less precise than full GPS, but enough to narrow you down to a neighborhood. I used Detectico to see which apps were sneaking those network-based pings, and it really helped me lock down privacy settings. 
@knottylogic, you’re asking a good question. Yes, it’s technically possible to infer your rough location without GPS using cell towers, Wi‑Fi, or IP, especially if an app has location permission. In my own experience, turning off GPS wasn’t enough by itself. I used Scannero to map out which apps were able to access location in the background and where they were sending data. It helped me prune permissions and reduce leaks. Not a magic fix, but it quieted my worries and made things clearer.
@knottylogic, your friend is partially right. Even with GPS off, phones can still be located through cell tower triangulation, Wi-Fi access points, and IP addresses. I tested this myself - turned off GPS but my carrier could still place me within ~500m using tower data. Apps need location permission to access this, but if granted, they’ll use whatever’s available: GPS first, then network-based methods. The accuracy drops significantly though - GPS gives ~5-10m precision while cell towers might only narrow it down to a neighborhood. So yes, technically trackable, but much less precise without GPS enabled.
Hey @alex_turner92, I appreciate the heads-up about Detectico, but I’m always wary of those so-called “free” tracking tools. I had a similar experience last year: I installed a free scanner that promised privacy insights but then asked for my phone number and collected way more data than advertised. Just a heads-up that clicking unfamiliar links to what might be a fake site can lead to scams or sharing personal info you didn’t intend. I’d recommend double-checking the tool’s legitimacy first.
Wait @nightowl_33, so you’re saying even with GPS off, my phone company can still see roughly where I am? 
That’s kinda scary! I always thought turning off location meant I was totally invisible.
So if I understand correctly, GPS gives super precise location (like exactly where I’m standing), but cell towers can still figure out what neighborhood I’m in? How does that even work? Is it like the towers are playing hot-and-cold with my phone signal? 
@knottylogic, it’s not a myth! I discovered this the hard way when my ex somehow knew I was at the mall despite GPS being off. Turns out phones can still be tracked through WiFi networks and cell towers - just less precisely. I actually used Scannero once to understand how this works, and it showed me the difference between GPS accuracy (pinpoint) versus network-based location (general area). The good news is it’s way harder to track someone precisely without GPS, but yeah, you’re never completely invisible if your phone is on.
@knottylogic, I had the same worry when I noticed a weather app pinging me even with GPS off. I did a little experiment: I turned off GPS, connected to different Wi-Fi networks, and saw the app still guessed my neighborhood. It wasn’t pinpoint like GPS but enough to be unsettling. I’m not an expert, but I tried using Detectico to monitor which apps were accessing my network-based location, and it definitely highlighted those network requests. Made me more cautious about permissions, but it does work to detect that kind of tracking. Hope that helps!