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Location Privacy is broken after installing 13.5 update

Apps no longer show up under Location Services under Privacy and Security after installing 13.5 update.


As a result users are unable to edit location permissions or see what apps have location access.


If a new app tries to request location services, it doesn’t show in System Settings so it’s impossible to enable it. Hopefully macOS 13.5.1 will address that issue.

Mac mini (M1, 2020)

Posted on Jul 25, 2023 1:02 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jul 25, 2023 2:13 AM

dragontorc wrote:

Weather Guru, FindMy, Maps, Google Chrome, Safari and Siri are some of the apps that require location access.

App location privacy settings are no longer shown in the Security & Privacy preferences after applying the 13.5 update.


https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/597a0c29-0de6-4624-9b32-8b40ebbe8cbd

Yes, the Location Services in " Privacy & Security " has changed and does not Expressly List all the Applications that use this service.


This is a change in Appearance from previous version of Ventura


But it does not mean it is broken as per se


Have just done a few tests running some different Applications that would require this Location Service functions.


They all work as expected


I have noticed a newer appearance of an icon in Upper Right of the Menu Bar.


It will appear with a small Blue Dot and pulsate bright Blue and then to almost white each time an Application that uses the Location Service


It is part of the System Services which Location Service is part of it


We hope this answers your question or at least shed some light on it


All above is from a computer running Ventura 13.5




87 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jul 25, 2023 2:13 AM in response to dragontorc

dragontorc wrote:

Weather Guru, FindMy, Maps, Google Chrome, Safari and Siri are some of the apps that require location access.

App location privacy settings are no longer shown in the Security & Privacy preferences after applying the 13.5 update.


https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/597a0c29-0de6-4624-9b32-8b40ebbe8cbd

Yes, the Location Services in " Privacy & Security " has changed and does not Expressly List all the Applications that use this service.


This is a change in Appearance from previous version of Ventura


But it does not mean it is broken as per se


Have just done a few tests running some different Applications that would require this Location Service functions.


They all work as expected


I have noticed a newer appearance of an icon in Upper Right of the Menu Bar.


It will appear with a small Blue Dot and pulsate bright Blue and then to almost white each time an Application that uses the Location Service


It is part of the System Services which Location Service is part of it


We hope this answers your question or at least shed some light on it


All above is from a computer running Ventura 13.5




Jul 26, 2023 7:34 AM in response to PRP_53

You seem determined to establish that this is a "feature change" rather than a bug but I would suggest that the evidence points to this being a bug and that feedback should be sent to Apple to highlight this to be corrected in a future 13.5.1 update. Firstly, the blue dot you refer to in the Menu Bar was introduced with the 13.3 update, so is not connected to this incident. Secondly, the support page you linked to still refers to the list of applications and the ability to switch permissions for individual apps. Thirdly, the System Settings window itself still contains the phrases "Allow the applications and services below to determine your location." and "(Arrow) Indicates an application that has used your location within the last 24 hours." If this "feature" has been deliberately removed, then these sentences are redundant and should've been removed also.


[Edited by Moderator]

Jul 25, 2023 1:20 AM in response to dragontorc

dragontorc wrote:

Apps no longer show up under Location Services under Privacy and Security after installing 13.5 update.

As a result users are unable to edit location permissions or see what apps have location access.

If a new app tries to request location services, it doesn’t show in System Settings so it’s impossible to enable it. Hopefully macOS 13.5.1 will address that issue.

Does the user ( dragontorc ) can to share what Apps are in question ?


Allow apps to detect the location of your Mac - Apple Support (CA)


Jul 25, 2023 3:19 AM in response to dragontorc

dragontorc wrote:

Due to this change users can't find a way to use the traditional slider switches to enable or disable access on the fly.

Of course I suppose the new design has already been implemented on macOS Sonoma, currently under development.

Thanks again for the useful information!

Welcome and thank you too.


Aside - agree on the Slider aspect of your above


If you are so inclined >>


Then have a few suggestions ;


1 - Get Support Choose a product and we’ll find you the best solution.Start now and open an Apple Support Ticket as they are Apple Employees to deal will these types of issues . 


2 - Product Feedback - Apple and make it known to Apple regarding this ongoing issue 


As for macOS 14 Sonoma and anything related to Beta Software - I am not in a position to speculate

Jul 26, 2023 2:40 AM in response to MircoT65

Short answer - Not possible


Whether we agree with this decision or not the best we can do is live with it or as previous suggests to another user


Then have a few suggestions ;


1 - Get Support Choose a product and we’ll find you the best solution.Start now and open an Apple Support Ticket as they are Apple Employees to deal will these types of issues . 


2 - Product Feedback - Apple and make it known to Apple regarding this ongoing issue 

Jul 26, 2023 11:49 AM in response to PRP_53

P. Phillips, may I ask why you are so adamant that this is a feature change rather than a bug? Do you have any official source that states this? It's not typical Apple behavior to change something critical like this without warning.


Apple generally keeps their fantastic documentation up to date, and I can't find this mentioned anywhere. Their support pages still state we should be able to control location services for third party apps.


Allow apps to detect the location of your Mac - Apple Support


Also, the blue dot you claimed to be new as part of this "feature change" has actually been there since 13.3. That is mentioned in the link above.

Jul 27, 2023 6:02 AM in response to PRP_53

It's not a feature, it's a bug.

Current official documentation

"Turn Location Services on or off for each app in the list on the right."

https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/allow-apps-to-detect-the-location-of-your-mac-mh35873/mac

https://web.archive.org/web/20230629182124/https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/allow-apps-to-detect-the-location-of-your-mac-mh35873/mac

It will be a feature when the documentation changes.


[Edited by Moderator]


Jul 27, 2023 9:15 PM in response to dragontorc

Until a fix comes into surface there's a workaround to the broken Location Services bug.


Resetting the system privacy permissions for specific apps seems to be the only way out.


However, do note that the success rate of this workaround is quite low (only a handful of the users ‘claimed’ that this rectified their issue), so proceed ahead keeping that in mind:


  1. Head over to System Settings > Privacy and Security.
  2. Then disable the toggle next to Location Services.
  3. Now go to Launchpad > Others > open Terminal.
  4. Then type in the below command to reset the location for the desired app:
tccutil reset app_name
  1. Now restart your Mac, enable Location Services and check out the results.


That’s it. This was all from this guide regarding the Location Services not working on macOS 13.5.

As far as the official stance on this matter is concerned, Apple developers are aware of this issue but they haven’t given out any ETA for the rollout of a fix.

Aug 10, 2023 9:31 PM in response to AppleBoy123

For example…

If you're experiencing issues with location privacy after a software update, here are a few steps you can take:

  1. Check App Permissions: Make sure that your apps have the appropriate permissions to access your location. You can usually manage app permissions in your device settings.
  2. Location Services: Ensure that your device's location services are enabled and configured correctly. You can usually find these settings in the device's settings menu.
  3. Privacy Settings: Review your device's privacy settings and make sure you are comfortable with the level of location sharing you've enabled.
  4. Update Apps: Sometimes apps themselves might have bugs related to location privacy. Make sure all your apps are up to date from the respective app stores.
  5. Device Software Update: If the issue arose after a software update, check for any subsequent updates that might have been released to address bugs or issues.
  6. Contact Support: If none of the above steps resolve the issue, consider reaching out to the device manufacturer's support or visiting an authorized service center for assistance.

Jul 26, 2023 3:37 PM in response to Clive Webber1

Clive Webber1 wrote:

You seem determined to establish that this is a "feature change" rather than a bug but I would suggest that the evidence points to this being a bug and that feedback should be sent to Apple to highlight this to be corrected in a future 13.5.1 update. Firstly, the blue dot you refer to in the Menu Bar was introduced with the 13.3 update, so is not connected to this incident. Secondly, the support page you linked to still refers to the list of applications and the ability to switch permissions for individual apps. Thirdly, the System Settings window itself still contains the phrases "Allow the applications and services below to determine your location." and "(Arrow) Indicates an application that has used your location within the last 24 hours." If this "feature" has been deliberately removed, then these sentences are redundant and should've been removed also.

[Edited by Moderator]

So far all I see is direct to me.


To put thins right I am not Apple but a User just like you.


So the questions become;


Have your directed your concerns directly to Apple ?


If not yet - when


Ask Apple if this is Bug or Feature Change as Only Apple can proved a definitive answer.


As for the wording you have correctly quoted.


In Apple Mail on Both macOS Ventura and iOS 16.6


Refer ito image below


Mail Setting >> Junk Mail >>> Blocked


One may have the " Move it to Trash " as listed in the UI by Apple - but we know it does not move to Trash but goes to Junk Folder


There are wording Oddities that do exist and no doubt they may get fixed If it truly and Error






Location Privacy is broken after installing 13.5 update

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