When you use a mobile device to connect to Google Maps, it typically takes advantage of onboard GPS to collect precise location information. If you’re using a device that doesn’t have GPS functionality, like, say, a desktop or laptop, your location is much less accurate because the systems behind the scenes rely on myriad data to know where you are, including your IP address. Sometimes this data may be wrong or inaccurate, and this is actually the reason why Google Maps may show the wrong location on a PC.
When you connect to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider, you are given a dedicated IP address, which can be used to find your location, but it is also only an approximate location. That’s because IP data comes from third-party databases, which are full of inaccuracies, but it’s also how Google knows where you are, even with GPS turned off. IP address geolocation is not as precise as GPS and often stops at the city or zip code level.
For this reason, to provide a more accurate determination, browsers and services use multiple data points in the background, like Windows telemetry data, which uses a combination of Wi-Fi, GPS – if available – and other diagnostics. If you wish, you can manually enter more precise data for use, for example, in Google’s Chrome browser. But maybe it’s not a bad thing that data tracking tools can’t determine your exact location.
Why wouldn’t you want exact location details?
Digital fingerprints are used to accurately profile users and understand critical data points such as who you are, where you live, what you buy, and also to help strengthen advertising and marketing solutions. One of the main data points used across all devices is your location, including where you live, where you visit frequently, where you go on a trip, etc. If you want to limit this tracking as much as possible, it is generally beneficial to not track your exact movements and GPS locations.
Conversely, in situations where you need to navigate an area that is foreign to you, or when you need to find restaurants, businesses, and other places to visit, it is much more important to have an accurate location. This also allows you to view direct navigation instructions to your desired destination, whether you are driving or walking. On a PC, you may want this location data to be accurate so you can plan your trips in advance, possibly print those routes, or even plan a much larger trip.
This is also a situation where a handheld GPS may still be worth using over the phone, especially if you’re exploring the wilderness far from urban or suburban centers. It should be noted that GPS accuracy can also fluctuate, usually due to signal strength, even causing the location range or blue dot on Google Maps to change in size. This is why it may be beneficial to edit this information manually on the desktop.
Enable location tracking or set a custom destination in Chrome
On Windows, you can go to Settings > Privacy & Location > Location and make sure Location Services is turned on. This allows Windows applications to access and use location data collected through Windows telemetry. Individual apps can also request access to this data when the setting is enabled, giving you control over who can see your location. You can also manage this on Mac and iOS.
If you use Chrome, you can manually enter your current location for use in web apps and on websites (this also works in Chrome OS for Chromebooks and Macs). On Windows or Chrome OS, press Ctrl+Shift+I or use Option+Command+J on Mac to open the Developer Console. Tap the three-dot button at the bottom left of the window that appears and select Sensors. In the Geolocation box, choose a custom location. Here you can enter your exact location using latitude and longitude coordinates.
To get these coordinates, first search for your current location in Google Maps. Right-click on the area and in the pop-up window you will see the latitude and longitude displayed; simply click on it to copy the values to your digital clipboard. Add these coordinates to Chrome and your location will be updated. If you use Firefox, you can also set your location using the developer tools. This method is ideal for setting up a custom or fake location, or for setting a location if you have an active VPN reporting a remote address.
