Google Chrome for Android Could Soon Let You Share Your Approximate Location With Websites

Google is reportedly testing a new location feature on its Chrome browser for Android smartphones. The tech giant seems to be working on an approximate location toggle, allowing websites to access a less accurate location instead of their exact GPS coordinates. This new feature is expected to give users more control over what location data each website can access. The approximate location option may give users the flexibility to share their precise location with specific websites.

Chrome Is Testing a New Location Feature

Android Authority spotted a new option in Chrome for Android version 142.0.7444.171 that lets users share their approximate location with websites. Google appears to be A/B testing this updated location-permission dialogue, which means that you might have to wait for the feature to appear on your smartphone. This change is expected to enhance privacy controls, letting users limit websites that can track their location.

The new setting lets Chrome keep precise location access at the app level, while giving users the option to share only an approximate location with specific websites. With this update, sites that only need a general idea of where they are won't get GPS-level detail, but sites that require precise location, like navigation, can still request it.

The feature can reportedly be enabled early by tapping the Chrome address bar and typing chrome://flags, and scrolling through Chrome's experimental settings until the Approximate Geolocation Permission option is visible. After selecting the Enable - Prompt arm: Horizontal with Icon + Description option, choosing 'Approximate location' limits websites to only seeing your general area instead of exact positions.

Meanwhile, the browser is receiving a visual refresh starting with version 141. The server-side update is now reportedly available on more devices, with UI changes based on Google's Material 3 Expressive design language. It includes updates to the three-dot menu and a redesigned Bookmark icon.