iPhone Photos - Activate / deactivate save location as recording location

For photos and videos, the Apple iPhone's camera app can save the current location as the recording location in the file. But what does this information bring and how can you deactivate location while using the camera in iOS? Or: why should you activate it? Here you will not only find answers to these questions, but also the appropriate instructions. Because the option to switch the location of photo and video recordings on and off is not that easy to find ...

You want to save the location where a photo / video was taken directly via the camera app so that the photos app can sort it accordingly? You can find the instructions here.

iPhone settings: (de) activate location for camera app

To switch the storage of a location for photos and videos on or off, you have to use the settings on the iPhone again. In this step-by-step guide, I'll show you exactly how to do it:

1. Opens the Settings on the Apple smartphone
2. Tap on the menu item Privacy Policy
3. Now you choose the one at the top Location services from
4. Select the in the app overview Camera from
5. Tick ​​the box When using the app 

Of course, the instructions show how to activate the location function. To deactivate, check the box next to it No. You can also activate it Ask next time choose. But then it may be that every time you use the iPhone's camera app, you will be asked whether your location can be used. This can be annoying in the long run and delay the quick snapshot. By the way, you can use a controller to determine whether the exact or only the approximate location should be used.

Screenshot instructions: (de) activate location for iPhone photos and videos

Here I have recorded the procedure shown in individual steps again in the form of screenshots. So if you can't cope with the list above, you can use the screenshots as a guide.

Why activate the location service for the camera app?

If you have privacy concerns and want to keep your smartphone use as anonymous as possible, then you may have clicked on this post to disable tracking when taking photos and videos. However, if you want the smart display of your recordings in the Photos app under iOS or after transferring the files under macOS on your Mac, then you might be here to activate it. The automatic sorting of recordings in albums named after locations only works if the location service is active. Only then can you display the albums or individual photos on a map (as soon as photos / videos with location have been made).

This is what it can look like when the photos app on the iPhone sorts the photos by location, among other things, and arranges them in corresponding albums. Source: Apple.com

Further instructions for photos and videos on the Apple iPhone

As you've probably already noticed, I've been eating a fool of iOS's photos and camera apps lately. I only came across the location service setting because I was surprised that my photos weren't shown sorted by location. I had the checkmark next to "Never". Now I know and you know what you have to change to get the locations albums displayed.

You can also find the following current advice, tricks and instructions here in the blog:

• iOS trick: hide photos and hide "hidden" folder
• iPhone Photos: Folders, Albums, and How to Edit Them
• iPhone instructions: set the resolution and fps of videos
• Record iPhone videos at 25 fps: Here's how!
• Tip for better iPhone photos: Activate the camera grid

Johannes Domke

After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.