When you use YouTube, your current location is used to show you more relevant content. For example, if you search for coffee shops, you might be searching for coffee shops near you. Your location helps to show you nearby results, even if you didn't include a location in your search. Your location is also used to tailor your recommendations across YouTube, including on your Home feed, in Shorts, or in YouTube Music.
How YouTube determines your location
When you use YouTube your current location is estimated from several sources, depending on their availability. These sources may include your IP address, your saved home or work address, or your device location.
Important: Most of these sources of location can be controlled using either your device's permissions or your account preferences. You can learn more below about how YouTube uses location information and how the sources listed below work.
Sources for determining location
You can find details about how your location is currently being estimated by clicking Settings
The IP address of your Internet connection
IP addresses are roughly based on geography. This means that any app you use, including YouTube, may get some information about your general area.
Important: The Internet doesn't work without IP addresses. This means that apps you use, including YouTube, can usually infer some information about your location.
Your home or work address, from your Google Account
Your device location
Manage your device location settings
Check that your device sends location to YouTube. If your device location is not enabled, follow the steps below to grant YouTube permission to use your device location in settings.
Manage your device location settings
iPhones and iPads can send location information to apps if Location Services is turned on, and your app and browser permissions allow it. You can control whether location is available to any app, including YouTube, by managing Location Services in Settings.
Your iPhone or iPad might use precise or approximate location with apps. If you don't turn on precise location permissions then YouTube will still show local results, but they might be further away from where you are.
Important: Before you manage your app permissions, check that Location Services is turned on for your iPhone or iPad. Learn how to turn Location Services on or off on your iPhone or iPad.
Manage app permissions
If you search on the YouTube app, you can control whether the app uses location using your iPhone or iPad’s Location Services settings.
Turn location on for the app you’re using if you want to get better nearby search results.
- On your iPhone or iPad, click Settings
- Click the YouTube app
.
- Choose location access for the app:
- Always
- While Using the App
- Ask Next Time
- Never
Location controls and your privacy
When you use YouTube, YouTube will always estimate the general area that you’re in. Estimating the general area that you’re in means that YouTube can give you relevant results, and keep your account safe by detecting unusual activity, such as signing in from a new city.
A general area is larger than 3 sq km, and has at least 1000 users so that the general area of your search does not identify you, helping to protect your privacy. This means that a general area is typically much larger than 3 sq km outside of cities. The estimated general area comes from the location sources described in this article.
If you grant location permissions to the YouTube app on your device, your device location will be used by YouTube to provide you with a more relevant experience. iOS and Android devices allow you to choose whether to share your approximate or precise location. On iOS and Android, approximate location is usually a 3km2 area or larger, but the exact area is determined by your device and you should consult your device’s documentation for details. Precise location means exactly where you are, such as a particular address.
If you set your home or work addresses in your Google Account, and we estimate that you’re at home or work, then the address will be used.