maps (ALL MAPS) won't show me my location ON THE COMPUTER...

hi, just wondering if anyone here has any insights into what could be the problem here..


this problem occurs ONLY ON THE COMPUTER..


maps (ALL MAPS) won't show me my location, even though wherever permissions can be set (browsers, System Settings), Location Services and permissions are TURNED ON...


what could be the problem here..


I have a feeling it's a mac OS issue, since in System Settings it shows Location Services is TURNED ON..


would appreciate any help/suggestions..


thank you..

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.5

Posted on Oct 23, 2023 7:42 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 29, 2023 8:38 AM

GPS uses satellites to determine your position - it needs a specific chip in your device. Your iPhone has a GPS chip. Your mac does NOT, and neither have most windows pc, as far as I know (some may have, but not many).


Therefore your mac has to resort to other ways to try and determine your location.

As others have been explaining, it gleans information from surrounding wifi networks. If it can associate a location to these networks, it knows where you are, more or less. But that requires it knowing that such Wifi network is in such place. Absent that information, it cannot.


Have you tried connecting your mac to your iPhone's (or Android phone's) personal hotspot?

Does your iPhone show its location? What about your mac then?

Similar questions

29 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 29, 2023 8:38 AM in response to kali90

GPS uses satellites to determine your position - it needs a specific chip in your device. Your iPhone has a GPS chip. Your mac does NOT, and neither have most windows pc, as far as I know (some may have, but not many).


Therefore your mac has to resort to other ways to try and determine your location.

As others have been explaining, it gleans information from surrounding wifi networks. If it can associate a location to these networks, it knows where you are, more or less. But that requires it knowing that such Wifi network is in such place. Absent that information, it cannot.


Have you tried connecting your mac to your iPhone's (or Android phone's) personal hotspot?

Does your iPhone show its location? What about your mac then?

Oct 25, 2023 9:35 AM in response to kali90

What exact version of Ventura is the computer running ?


There was an Issue somewhere around Ventura 13.5 affecting Location Services that was fixed in newer versions of Ventura


About this Mac will provided that needed info.


Be sure Not to Include the Serial Number as that is Personal Info and will probably be removed by the Moderators


Oct 25, 2023 9:39 AM in response to kali90

kali90 wrote:

nothing unusual about how I'm connected to wifi.. don't get what you're getting at..
I've tried at two different locations (several 100 miles apart from each other...)
thank you for your response..

I was explaining how Location Services gets your position using Wi-Fi access points. You don't have to get it. Your problem is your Mac isn't getting it.

For some reason, it is not triangulating your position from the know Wi-Fi Access Point database.

Your Mac doesn't have a GPS receiver. It doesn't have a cellular receiver. It has no integrated position capability. It relies on Apple's database of known Wi-Fi Access Points and the access points it sniffs around you.

Either you've been to two places with no known access points, or something in your Mac is preventing it from accessing that data.

Oct 25, 2023 10:07 AM in response to kali90

when I go to https://www.geolocation.com/

it shows my IP address.. but I get an alert saying I need to enable location-sharing on the browser..

It pulls a location from the registration address of your public IP address.

Your actual location from Location Services has not been allowed to be used by your browser.

at any rate Location Services is turned on in System Settings...

Location Services can be enabled and not be able to triangulate your position.

Nov 4, 2023 10:36 AM in response to kali90

kali90 wrote:

so what is Location Services on a computer if not GPS?

Location Services are the processes that manage the location information.

no, I don't get your explanation... are you saying it's NOT SUPPOSED to work on computers (does it work on yours?), or that it doesn't work in my computer because there's something wrong?

Location Services is working on your Mac. The actual location cannot be determined for some reason. It could be some problem on your Mac, but the most likely reason is that it cannot determine the location. I don’t know of any computer that has a GPS, GLONASS, or any other position receiver.

Apple has compiled a database of WiFi access point locations which macOS uses to determine location. With Wi-Fi enabled, it will look at signal strength of the WiFi access points around your Mac and uses the position information from the database to estimate the Mac’s position.


Oct 27, 2023 8:08 AM in response to Owl-53

this thing shows the same location maps (all maps) show by default, the capital city of my country, about 800 miles from where I am.. now on the phone it shows the same thing, whereas on maps on the phone it shows my exact location, i.e., it pinpoints the exact house where I am...


what does this tell you?


thank you..


This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

maps (ALL MAPS) won't show me my location ON THE COMPUTER...

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.