Blue GPS bubble is turning on while im on different apps

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Level 1

5 points

Blue GPS bubble is turning on while im on different apps

For about a year my location on my IPhone is turned on simultaneously.. for example, i'm scrolling down on my instagram and suddenly i see the blue bubble appearing on my time which indicates the gps is on, when i click on it- the waze app is opening.

i want to state that it happens while im on apps which means i dont even have the option to click on the app by mistake.

i changed phones and its still happening, i tried everything, deleted the app and downloaded again, reset my settings. when i got tired i deleted the waze app completely and then its started with my "lime" app which also use a precise location.

so this weird activity happened with 2 different iphones and 2 different apps. what i noticed is that my background app refresh is "on" but does it give the apps permission to use my gps even when im not using them? and the location is enabled to "while using".

im worried im getting monitored and someone is turning on my apps to gain access to my location. is it possible? and some of you guys ever heard about this scenario?

thank you very much.

answers will be appreciated.

Posted on Jan 28, 2024 1:38 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Lawrence Finch

Community+ 2026

Level 10

230,736 points

Jan 28, 2024 2:39 PM in response to whitephang

If you use an app that requires location data if you leave the app running when you go to another app (such as starting navigation, then going to a music app for entertainment, but leaving the app that you started running) the blue oval will be displayed to show that you did not exit that app, but just switched to another app. Any app that makes use of background app refresh can use location data, so if you don’t want those apps to use it disable the apps in background app refresh. Very few apps used this, however.

But also be aware that apps that receive notifications will run to process the notification, regardless of the background app refresh setting; this is not considered “background”.

I know nothing about the Lime application, but if it receives a notification and needs to know your location to process the notification then it will be able to do so.

What is the setting in Location Services for that application? Always? When in use? Never? Ask?

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Answer 2

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,857 points

Jan 29, 2024 1:27 AM in response to whitephang

The easiest thing for you to do would be to change the Location Services preferences for those apps to "Never" and see if the issue goes away; the emboldening below is mine:

* While Using the App: Allows access to Location Services only when the app or one of its features is visible on screen. If an app is set to While Using the App, you might see your status bar turn blue with a message that an app is actively using your location.

Turn Location Services and GPS on or off on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,857 points

Jan 29, 2024 2:22 AM in response to whitephang

If "Never" works to make it go away, that's one data point.

You could also try disabling background refresh and/or running in Low Power Mode to see if that makes it go away - yet another data point.

Use Low Power Mode to save battery life on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

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Answer 4

Jan 28, 2024 1:51 PM in response to whitephang

Apps can be enabled to view your location. The settings are Never, While using, Ask Next Time and Always. You can check the settings for each app by going to Settings/Privacy & Security/Location Services.

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Answer 5

Jan 28, 2024 2:32 PM in response to whitephang

whitephang wrote:

and the main question- is it possible that someone is turning on my gps feature or open my apps from a different device to gain access to my location?

No, that is impossible.

Your GPS feature is on all the time, in the sense that your phone always knows your location; it’s necessary for Find My to work.

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Answer 6

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,857 points

Jan 29, 2024 3:06 AM in response to whitephang

whitephang wrote:

Is it possible that someone is triggering those apps from a different device to gain access to my location?

and if so does he have access to other apps like photos and camera as well?

No, no one is tracking you.

If you're concerned, follow these instructions:

If you think your Apple ID has been compromised - Apple Support

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Answer 7

Jan 28, 2024 4:52 PM in response to whitephang

Lime may have been on also, but it only displays one app.

No one can track you unless you authorized them to in Find My. What is “lime”, however?

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Answer 8

Dogcow-Moof

Level 8

36,857 points

Jan 29, 2024 1:14 AM in response to whitephang

Applications like Lime will use your location, if allowed, to keep the list of scooters available in your area up to date when you open their app and for geofencing purposes.

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Answer 9

whitephang Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 28, 2024 1:58 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

The question is not if apps can be enabled to use my location. The question is why I suddenly see a blue bubble that means that my gps is in use even when I didn’t click the app and also don’t have the option to click on it because I’m on a different app. It’s just appearing out of the blue. Can the background refresh can cause the app to use my gps? Please read again everything I wrote and tell me if you heard about this kind of incidents.

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Answer 10

Jan 28, 2024 2:54 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

One thing I neglected to mention: If you have authorized anyone to track you using Find My your phone will report your location to them if they open the Find My app. This will not alert you in any way, unless they ask to be notified when you leave a location. But it will not display the blue oval.

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Answer 11

whitephang Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 28, 2024 3:30 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

First Of all thank you very much for dedicating your time for my issue.

Yes I know a bit about iPhones and I know that when I leave a navigation app the blue oval stays because it’s working in the background.

what happening to me is weird because its appearing out of no where without the app working in the background before. And the location services is “while using”.

imagine you’re scrolling on safari reading the news and suddenly the blue oval is popping up and when you click it the navigation app is opening. Like something is triggering the app to open and use my location.

it used to happen only with “waze” and when I deleted the app it started with “lime”. Maybe it’s because the app is refreshing in the background and need my location for some reason? But if yes then why the lime started only when I deleted Waze?

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Answer 12

whitephang Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 29, 2024 1:03 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

"Lime" is an app to rent a scooter - similar to "Bird" if you heard about it.

You heard about incidents that the apps using your GPS because of background refresh and activating the blue oval? Because i didnt find anything about it. and if you do know about it can you refer me to a document of some kind that will give an explanation?

Your time is much appriciated.

thank you :)

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Answer 13

whitephang Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 29, 2024 1:22 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Hey, can you please read the first comment in the convo? i stated everything there.

"waze" and "lime" are authorized to use my location only "while using" yet they are turning on my location also while not using and im not speaking about entering the app and then leave it so its working on the background. its happening when its completely off.

there is 2 option -

1.less likely - someone have access to those apps or to my operating system and triggering them to get my location.

2.background refresh cause the blue oval to turn on and when i click on it the app that is refreshing is opening, which is weird because from what i know its not working like that.

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Answer 14

whitephang Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 29, 2024 2:06 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Thank you. turning off the location is just ignoring the problem, i want to understand the cause.

The blue oval is turning on when the features or the app is not visible on screen and the location settings i on "while using".

so the app need to be on in order to use my location. it means that something or someone is turning on the app.

maybe the background refresh? is it possible?

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Answer 15

whitephang Author

Level 1

5 points

Jan 29, 2024 2:45 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

Ok, thank you.

Is it possible that someone is triggering those apps from a different device to gain access to my location?

and if so does he have access to other apps like photos and camera as well?

I know i'm taking it a little too far and its probably something i dont need to be concern about. its just that i didnt found anything about that issue online and its happening to me for a while already. got me scared.

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Blue GPS bubble is turning on while im on different apps

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