Apple plans to release a new privacy feature with iOS 26.3 that will allow iPhone and iPad users to hide their exact location from carriers. The feature, discovered in the latest beta build of iOS 26.3, limits access to location disks and gives users more control over how their location is shared.
According to a support page detailing the “Limit Exact Location” setting (via MacRumors), carriers can currently determine your location using a street address based on the cell towers your phone is connected to. The new setting “reduces the precision of location data available to mobile networks” and limits how accurately network providers can determine your device’s location.
Apple says that with the setting enabled, carriers may only be able to identify the general neighborhood where your device is located, rather than the exact street address. The company adds that the setting does not impact signal quality or overall user experience and does not limit the location data shared with emergency responders during emergency calls. It also doesn’t affect location information shared with apps.
Device and carrier restrictions
The support page also reveals that the setting will not be available on all iPhone and iPad models. Apple says it only works on the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e and the cellular version of the M5 iPad Pro, all of which use the company’s own C1 or C1X modems. It also requires iOS 26.3 or iPadOS 26.3 and is limited to select network providers.
In the US, Boost Mobile will be the only carrier to support this option at launch. Internationally, Apple says the feature is also supported by Telekom in Germany, EE and BT in the UK, and AIS and True in Thailand.
Once iOS 26.3 rolls out, users will be able to turn on the setting by navigating to the Cellular menu in the Settings app, selecting Cellular Data Options, and turning on Limit Precise Location. Users may be asked to restart their device for the change to take effect.
