Some websites can give you more accurate results when you share your location with them. Your location data can be either precise or imprecise. For example, if you share your precise location, mapping services can provide accurate driving directions. Websites can also use your imprecise location to provide results relevant to your general location, such as coffee shops nearby.
By default, the new Microsoft Edge will always ask your permission when a site wants to know your precise location. When a site requests your precise location, you’ll see a prompt like this:
To allow the site to access your precise location, select Allow. Before sharing your precise location with a website, always review the site’s privacy policy.
Some websites may estimate your imprecise location using information like your IP address without Microsoft Edge asking your permission.
Control if websites can access your location in Microsoft Edge
To block Microsoft Edge from sharing your location with websites:
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In Microsoft Edge, select Settings > Cookies and site permission > Location
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Turn off Ask before accessing (recommended). Microsoft Edge won’t share your precise location with any website.
To allow Microsoft Edge to share your location with websites:
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In Microsoft Edge, select Settings > Cookies and site permission > Location
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Turn on Ask before accessing (recommended). Microsoft Edge will prompt you whenever a website wants to access your precise location.
Control specific websites from accessing your location
You can also allow or block specific sites from accessing your location:
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Visit a website in Microsoft Edge.
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In the corner of the address bar, select the Lock , Info , or Dangerous icon and select Site permissions.
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Next to Location, choose Ask (default), Allow, or Block from the list.
How Microsoft Edge interacts with operating system permissions when sharing your location with a website
Windows can use information such as your IP address, nearby Wi-Fi access points, and GPS data, if available, to estimate your precise or imprecise location coordinates and pass this info to Microsoft Edge. This information is then shared with the site requesting your location.
Windows 11 and Windows 10
If you turn on Allow access to location on this device and Allow apps to access your location in Location settings in Windows, Microsoft Edge can provide sites with a more precise location. This information will only be shared with sites you’ve allowed to see your location.
Note that websites can use other methods such as looking up your IP address to estimate your location if Location settings in Windows are turned off.
To learn more about Windows location and privacy settings, see Windows 11 location service and privacy
Other operating systems
For operating systems other than Windows 11 and 10, Microsoft Edge will use the permissions in Settings and more > Cookies and site permissions > Location to determine whether to share your location with a website.
Microsoft Edge can use information such as your IP address and nearby Wi-Fi access points to estimate your location. This information is then shared with the site requesting your location.
Protecting your privacy while sharing your precise location
You should review a website’s privacy policy carefully before allowing it access to your precise location.
Microsoft respects your privacy, and Microsoft Edge includes several built-in checks to ensure that we access your precise location only when we have your permission and do so in a manner that protects your privacy:
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Microsoft Edge does not collect and store location information with your Microsoft account.
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Microsoft Edge always respects the site permissions of the signed-in profile to control access to your location:
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If you’re using InPrivate browsing, Microsoft Edge will use the location permission setting of the profile from which the InPrivate session was launched.
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If you’re using Guest mode, Microsoft Edge will always ask for your permission before granting the site your location.
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