Chrome for Android adds support for approximate location sharing

Google has introduced a new privacy-focused feature for Chrome on Android that lets users share their approximate location with websites rather than their exact location. The company announced the update this week, saying the change is designed to give users more control over their personal location data while still keeping most web features functional.

According to Google, there are situations where websites genuinely need precise location information, such as when users are ordering food delivery, requesting ride services, or searching for the nearest ATM. However, the company noted that many websites only require a general area to function properly, including services that provide local weather updates, nearby news, or region-based recommendations.

“By letting you share your approximate location, we’re giving you more control over your location data,” Google said in a blog post. “And you can still share your precise location when it’s needed — e.g., for navigation — so you won’t lose functionality.”

The feature is currently rolling out to Chrome users on Android devices. Google also confirmed that it plans to bring approximate location sharing support to the desktop version of Chrome in the coming months. However, the company did not provide a timeline for when — or if — the feature will become available on Chrome for iOS.

Alongside the update, Google is also introducing new APIs for web developers. These tools will allow websites to specifically request either approximate location data or precise location access, depending on the type of service being offered.

Google says it wants developers to rethink how they use location permissions and to ask for precise location access only when necessary for a website’s core functionality.

The move represents another small but meaningful privacy improvement for Android users, especially as concerns around online tracking and personal data collection continue to grow. By allowing users to limit the accuracy of the location information shared with websites, Chrome now gives users more flexibility over how much personal data they expose while browsing the web.