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So basically, here are my settings for Google Maps for iOS (running on an iPhone):

As can be seen Location is set to While Using, and Background App Refresh is turned off.

But, still when I exit from Google Maps, I get the message that it is actively using my location:

I remember few iOS update ago this didn't happen. I have an iPhone 6s running iOS 12.2.

How do I disable Google Maps from accessing the location after leave the app by pressing the Home button?

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  • Does the status bar shows this momentarily when you press the Home button? Is the app working in navigation mode?
    – Nimesh Neema ♦
    Commented Apr 22, 2019 at 10:11
  • I've seen this from time to time, I find that a double-tap on the home button and then swipe that app up, seems to kill that.
    – Steve Chambers
    Commented Apr 22, 2019 at 13:24
  • @NimeshNeema: yes the app is in navigation mode, it appears when I press Home while navigating
    – giò
    Commented Apr 22, 2019 at 15:05
  • @Steve: yes if I kill the app the message on top disappears, but the fact is that it shouldn't appear when I go home
    – giò
    Commented Apr 22, 2019 at 15:05
  • to downvoter: care to explain ? I think the question is fair
    – giò
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 10:10

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Google Maps uses one of the special privilege modes in iOS called background execution mode. Background execution is crucial for certain kind of apps such as those playing music, VoIP apps and the ones which provide navigation functionality.

Apps with the said requirements can be programmed in a special way so that they can continue execution even after you return back to the Home screen. Since the Google Maps app is providing navigation functionality (which can include spoken navigation), it continues to run when you press the Home button. Since the app is using location, the same is shown to you in the form of elongated and highlighted status bar.

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  • ok good, but i disabled all the background stuff in the app settings
    – giò
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 9:00
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    @giò Background execution mode is different from Background App Refresh settings. While the later gives your app the ability to run "momentarily" at opportune moments, the former lets your app "run uninterrupted". Uninterrupted execution is required is special cases such as VoIP call, audio playback and navigation. The Google Maps app is continuously running in the background mode.
    – Nimesh Neema ♦
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 9:09
  • then i don't understand how i can disable that
    – giò
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 9:12
  • @giò The point is that you can't. How do you expect Google Maps to provide navigation if the app itself isn't running. To turn off position (location) access, you'll need to quit the Google Maps app, which in turn will stop navigation.
    – Nimesh Neema ♦
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 9:14
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    google maps should provide navigation as long as is the active app on the screen... if i go home it shouldn't provide navigation if i have disabled all the background stuff... this sounds reasonable to me
    – giò
    Commented Apr 24, 2019 at 9:20

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