Has anyone else noticed that since Catalina, Maps is now continually triggering Location Services, even if the app hasn't been used? The little directional arrow in the menu bar keeps appearing and disappearing about every 30 seconds.
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Maps constantly using Location Services
- Thread starter jayducharme
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Anything that uses location services will trigger that arrow, not just Maps.
Go to Settings/Privacy/Location Services.
You will see there are many apps that may use location services.
Some even have a setting to use location scan for locations "always"
Be cautious about turning location services off, as you may create limitations for software that may affect how it performs. (Just something to think about - remember which apps you use a lot, and what changes you make to apps that might use location services.)
And, then you want to also look at the bottom of that list for System Services. There's lots of settings that affect how Location Services function.
Have fun -- keep track of what you change, so you can go back and turn some back on, if needed.
Go to Settings/Privacy/Location Services.
You will see there are many apps that may use location services.
Some even have a setting to use location scan for locations "always"
Be cautious about turning location services off, as you may create limitations for software that may affect how it performs. (Just something to think about - remember which apps you use a lot, and what changes you make to apps that might use location services.)
And, then you want to also look at the bottom of that list for System Services. There's lots of settings that affect how Location Services function.
Have fun -- keep track of what you change, so you can go back and turn some back on, if needed.
Understood. But in my case, whenever I click on that location services arrow it says that Maps is using it. I haven't seen any other app listed as using it (at least not at this point).
Yes, I understand that. However, in my case, maps is checking the location every 45 seconds and the location services arrow stays in the menu bar for 10 seconds each time.
For anyone interested, I just checked this; System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy tab > Maps (toggled to "Enabled"). I then opened the Maps app and the behavior is still present - location services is launched every 45 seconds and the location arrow is showing up in the Menubar for 10 seconds each time. I toggled Maps off in location services.. my MBA doesn't need to have Maps locations enabled anyway.
FYI: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50673031
iPhones sometimes ignore your location prefs. I've not heard the same about Macs yet.
iPhones sometimes ignore your location prefs. I've not heard the same about Macs yet.
Mike Richardson
macrumors regular
I had typed this up for a new thread and then found this one. However, I do think it is in the wrong forum.
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This issue occurs on several versions of macOS including newer ones, I just happen to be booted into Crapalina right now.
Randomly, the menu bar Location Services icon will pop up. If I click it, it will say Maps is using my location.
Important information:
1. Maps.app is not open when this happens.
2. No websites are open that are using embedded Apple Maps.
3. Significant Locations is not turned on.
4. Safari isn't even allowed to use Location Services (due to rampant abuse online)
5. When the icon occurs, I am not trying to use Find My (Mac) on another device.
The only apps and services allowed to use my location are Maps, and Find My Mac.
If I disallow Maps from using my Location (so that the ONLY app or service allowed to see it is Find My Mac), I will see the icon far less, but I will still see it sometimes, stating that Find My Mac is using my location, even though I am not accessing Find My (Mac). However, I assume this has something to do with sending occasional pings out, or perhaps when the battery is low.
Here are two other threads online where Significant Locations is mentioned, but then the thread dead-ends.
1. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251065179
2. https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/372505/apps-using-location-maps-but-maps-isnt-running
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This issue occurs on several versions of macOS including newer ones, I just happen to be booted into Crapalina right now.
Randomly, the menu bar Location Services icon will pop up. If I click it, it will say Maps is using my location.
Important information:
1. Maps.app is not open when this happens.
2. No websites are open that are using embedded Apple Maps.
3. Significant Locations is not turned on.
4. Safari isn't even allowed to use Location Services (due to rampant abuse online)
5. When the icon occurs, I am not trying to use Find My (Mac) on another device.
The only apps and services allowed to use my location are Maps, and Find My Mac.
If I disallow Maps from using my Location (so that the ONLY app or service allowed to see it is Find My Mac), I will see the icon far less, but I will still see it sometimes, stating that Find My Mac is using my location, even though I am not accessing Find My (Mac). However, I assume this has something to do with sending occasional pings out, or perhaps when the battery is low.
Here are two other threads online where Significant Locations is mentioned, but then the thread dead-ends.
1. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251065179
2. https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/372505/apps-using-location-maps-but-maps-isnt-running
Mike Richardson
macrumors regular
No, that makes no friggin' sense whatsoever. The Find My function is a separate checkbox in the privacy settings, and shows up separately under the menu bar Location services icon.
Maps is just another consumer of Location Services.
Mike Richardson
macrumors regular
Anything that uses location services will trigger that arrow, not just Maps.
Go to Settings/Privacy/Location Services.
You will see there are many apps that may use location services.
Some even have a setting to use location scan for locations "always"
Be cautious about turning location services off, as you may create limitations for software that may affect how it performs. (Just something to think about - remember which apps you use a lot, and what changes you make to apps that might use location services.)
And, then you want to also look at the bottom of that list for System Services. There's lots of settings that affect how Location Services function.
Have fun -- keep track of what you change, so you can go back and turn some back on, if needed.
You are confusing macOS and iOS here. This thread is about macOS.
hmm...
OK, so your Mac wants to update your current location.
It's your Mac.
I suspect this is how locations work: If you have Location Services enabled, then any setting that uses location services would occasionally ping to update your current location, making that available to Maps, even if Maps is not running.
is there some other way that you think location services would work without making the info available to Maps, which, IMHO, could be called the visual output for Location Services -- where it makes computed/reported location data visible (so always keeping Maps data current (which would include your current location). At least, that's how I expect Location Services to work.
Therefore, Maps naturally uses your current location, and would be reflected in the location activity symbol. It shouldn't matter if the Maps app is open or not - data is still provided to Maps and the activity would report that Maps is using location services, thus the sysmbol comes on when that data is updated. Maybe that is limited to current location.
OK, so your Mac wants to update your current location.
It's your Mac.
I suspect this is how locations work: If you have Location Services enabled, then any setting that uses location services would occasionally ping to update your current location, making that available to Maps, even if Maps is not running.
is there some other way that you think location services would work without making the info available to Maps, which, IMHO, could be called the visual output for Location Services -- where it makes computed/reported location data visible (so always keeping Maps data current (which would include your current location). At least, that's how I expect Location Services to work.
Therefore, Maps naturally uses your current location, and would be reflected in the location activity symbol. It shouldn't matter if the Maps app is open or not - data is still provided to Maps and the activity would report that Maps is using location services, thus the sysmbol comes on when that data is updated. Maybe that is limited to current location.