Restrict Background Location Access on Android

Why Background Location Matters

Since Android 10, apps can request three levels of location permission: Allow all the time, Allow only while using the app, and Deny. The first option lets an app collect your GPS data even when it isn’t visible on the screen. This capability powers useful features—like fitness tracking or weather widgets—but it also creates a privacy risk if the permission is granted unintentionally.

Restricting background location reduces the amount of personal data that can be harvested, helps preserve battery life, and complies with many data‑protection regulations. The steps below work on Android 10, 11, 12 and newer, with optional ADB commands for devices that do not expose a UI toggle.

Step 1: Identify Apps Using Background Location

Android provides a built‑in view that lists apps with background location access. Follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Privacy → Location.
3. Select App permission manager (or “Location permission” on some skins).
4. Tap the filter icon (usually a three‑dot menu) and choose Allow all the time. The list now shows every app that can run in the background with location data.

If the UI differs slightly—e.g., on Samsung One UI or Xiaomi MIUI—the path is still Settings → Privacy → Location → Permission manager. The goal is to see which apps have the most permissive setting.

Step 2: Change Permissions via the Settings UI

For each app you want to limit, do the following:

1. Tap the app name in the list.
2. Choose Allow only while using the app or Deny.
   • Allow only while using the app keeps location functional when you actively interact with the app (e.g., opening a maps app).
   • Deny stops the app from accessing location entirely, which may break features that rely on it.
3. Confirm the change if a dialog appears.

Repeat for every entry in the “Allow all the time” list. After you finish, you should see only a few or none remaining.

Step 3: Use Android 11+ One‑Time Permission (Optional)

Android 11 introduced a one‑time permission option for location. If you prefer a temporary grant:

1. Open the app that requests location.
2. When the permission prompt appears, tap Allow one‑time instead of “Allow all the time”.
3. The app receives location data only for the current session; the next launch will prompt again.

This is handy for occasional utilities like a QR‑code scanner that needs location just once.

Step 4: Advanced Control with ADB (For System Apps or Persistent Grants)

Some pre‑installed system apps—especially on devices with custom skins—may not expose a UI toggle for background location. In those cases you can use the Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to modify the permission directly.

Prerequisites:

• A computer with platform‑tools installed.
• USB debugging enabled on the phone (Settings → About phone → tap Build number seven times, then Settings → System → Developer options → USB debugging).

Once the setup is complete, connect the phone via USB and run the following commands in a terminal:

# List all packages that currently have the "allow all the time" location permission
adb shell pm list packages -3 | while read -r pkg; do
  perms=$(adb shell dumpsys package $pkg | grep "android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION" -A1);
  if echo "$perms" | grep -q "granted=true"; then
    echo "$pkg";
  fi;
 done

This script prints the package names of third‑party apps with background location granted. For each package you want to modify, run:

# Revoke the background location permission
adb shell pm revoke <PACKAGE_NAME> android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION

Replace <PACKAGE_NAME> with the actual identifier, e.g., com.example.weather. To grant a less permissive level instead of revoking entirely, you can use:

# Grant only "while‑in‑use" permission (Android 11+)
adb shell pm grant <PACKAGE_NAME> android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION

Note that the pm grant command only works for runtime permissions on apps that target API 23+ and are not system‑privileged.

Step 5: Verify the Changes

After adjusting permissions, it’s a good idea to confirm that the changes took effect.

• Return to the Location permission manager screen. The “Allow all the time” list should be empty or contain only the apps you intentionally left.
• For ADB‑modified apps, run adb shell pm dump <PACKAGE_NAME> | grep ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION. The output should show granted=false.

Step 6: Understand the Risks and Compatibility Limits

Restricting background location is generally safe, but be aware of the following:

• Feature loss: Navigation apps, weather widgets, and fitness trackers may stop updating when the screen is off.
• Battery impact of frequent prompts: If you repeatedly grant one‑time permission, the system will keep prompting, which can be annoying.
• Device‑specific quirks: Some OEM skins (e.g., older Samsung One UI versions) cache the permission state and may require a reboot to fully apply the change.
• ADB limitations: On devices without USB debugging enabled or with a locked bootloader, ADB commands won’t work. In that case, you must rely on the UI or wait for a future OTA that adds the toggle.

Step 7: Ongoing Maintenance

New apps installed after you’ve completed the steps will request location permissions anew. To keep your privacy posture consistent:

1. Periodically revisit the Location permission manager (once a month is a good cadence).
2. Consider enabling the Permission manager shortcut in Quick Settings for faster access.
3. If you use an Android version that supports Permission auto‑reset (Android 11+), enable it under Settings → Privacy → Permission manager → Auto‑reset permissions.

Summary

Restricting background location on Android is a straightforward process that combines built‑in UI controls with optional ADB commands for deeper control. By regularly auditing which apps have the “Allow all the time” permission and downgrading them to “While using the app” or revoking the permission entirely, you protect your privacy, extend battery life, and stay compliant with modern data‑protection expectations. The steps outlined above work across most Android 10+ devices, and the ADB method ensures you can handle stubborn system apps that hide the toggle.