Disabling Instagram's Real-Time Location Feature: A Step-by-Step Guide
In the digital age, maintaining privacy is crucial, especially when it comes to social media platforms like Instagram. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to manage your location privacy on Instagram.
Firstly, let's talk about Instagram Map, a feature that shows your location to your followers. This feature is part of Instagram's latest update and can be found in your Direct Messages (DM) inbox by tapping the speech bubble icon at the upper-right corner of your Instagram feed. To open Instagram Map, tap the Map icon, and to access its settings, tap the gear icon at the top-right corner.
If you share your location in an Instagram reel, story, or post, it will appear on the map. To prevent your location from being visible when posting on Instagram, avoid adding your location. To disable the Instagram Map feature on both Android and iPhone devices, you need to manage location sharing inside the Instagram app and adjust your device's location permissions.
Within the Instagram app:
- Open Instagram and tap the Direct Messages (DM) icon in the top-right corner.
- Tap the Map icon to open Instagram Map.
- Tap the Location Settings gear icon at the top right.
- Select "Who can see your location" and choose "No One" to completely turn off location sharing on Instagram Map.
- Tap Done to apply the changes.
On your device:
- For iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Instagram > Location.
- Choose Never or Ask Next Time to stop Instagram from accessing your location.
- For Android:
- Open Settings > Apps > Instagram > Permissions > Location.
- Select Deny to completely block location access or choose Allow only while using the app to limit access.
Additionally, disabling Precise Location on iPhone lets Instagram access only your general area, not exact GPS coordinates. Turning off location permissions at the device level ensures Instagram cannot access your location even if overlooked in the app settings.
To avoid appearing on Instagram Map altogether, avoid tagging locations in posts or stories and consider switching your account to private, since the Map mostly shows public posts. You can also remove location tags from past posts if desired.
Remember, it's possible to accidentally enable Instagram Map, so it's recommended to check and ensure it's turned off. Tapping "Done" or "Update" saves the changes and disables Instagram Map. Instagram Map is not enabled by default, so if you haven't turned it on, your location is not being shared.
Lastly, if you wish to stop sharing your location with Instagram altogether, adjust your device settings to "Never" for location services. In the settings, select "No one" when asked "Who can see your location."
By following these steps, you have full control over your Instagram Map presence and related privacy. Happy posting!
[1] Wikipedia: Instagram Map [2] Instagram Help Center: Manage your location settings [3] TechRadar: How to turn off Instagram Map [4] How-To Geek: How to turn off Instagram location sharing
Here's a guide on how to manage both Instagram Map and its related technology settings for privacy. Firstly, within the Instagram app, adjust location settings to "No One" to prevent your location from being visible. Additionally, you can deny location permissions for Instagram at the device level to ensure that the app cannot access your location.
Moreover, consider disabling other technology features such as Precise Location on iPhone to restrict Instagram's access to your exact GPS coordinates, and to avoid tagging locations in posts or stories, which could potentially reveal your whereabouts on Instagram Map.
