Apple is about to add an extra layer of privacy to iPhone with iOS 26.3 thanks to an option called Limit Precise Location that reduces the level of location detail your mobile carrier can see. In short, your carrier would no longer be able to pinpoint your exact location, but rather your approximate location (like a neighborhood or area).

What is Limit Precise Location and why does it matter?

The idea behind Limit Precise Location is simple: your location can be inferred from the cell towers your iPhone connects to, and Apple wants to restrict the location information available to carriers.

According to information we've gathered from an Apple support document, this would mean the carrier would obtain more vague data (for example, a neighborhood) instead of an exact address or point.

This is important because, although many people associate "location" only with GPS and apps, the reality is that the cellular network also tells a story, as it allows them to know where you move, which areas you spend the most time in, and even patterns that can be sensitive when combined with other data. With this setting, Apple isn't "turning off" the network (obviously), but it is trying to make the carrier less accurate in estimating your location.

A key detail to understand the true scope is that this feature doesn't change the location you share with apps. In other words, if an app has "Precise Location" permission, it will still be able to access that data until you adjust it separately in iOS (in the Location Services section).

How to activate it in iOS 26.3 (and how to make the most of it)

When iOS 26.3 is available, activation will be quite simple. Apple indicates that you should go to Settings and follow this path: Mobile Services > Mobile Data Options, and there activate the Limit Precise Location switch. There's an important catch: your device requires a restart every time you activate or deactivate this option.

Now,The interesting thing isn't just flipping the switch,but taking practical advantage of it. Some ideas include:

Another reassuring point is that Apple also mentions that this doesn't prevent emergency services from seeing your exact location during an emergency. In other words, privacy is enhanced, but not at the expense of breaking critical functions.

Compatibility, carriers, and when the update arrives

Here's the fine print: for now, the rollout is limited. Apple requires specific hardware: iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, or an iPad Pro with an M5 chip and Wi-Fi + cellular connectivity.

In addition, you need a compatible network; the list includes Telekom (Germany), EE and BT (UK), Boost Mobile (USA), and AIS and True (Thailand). And, of course, you must have iOS 26.3 (or iPadOS 26.3), an update that hasn't been released yet, but is expected "within the next week or so," according to the publication. The underlying message is that Apple is introducing "carrier-level" privacy, but starting with a small set of devices and carriers. Even so, as more devices adopt the C1 and C1X modems (mentioned as part of the compatibility context), these kinds of tools could become more common in the ecosystem.