Quick answer
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and toggle it off, wait 10 seconds, then toggle it back on. If that doesn't hold, restart your iPhone or reset location settings under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy.
I've seen this exact issue more times than I can count—clients come in with their maps app refusing to locate them, or their weather app showing the wrong city. Usually it's not a hardware fault; it's a software glitch that's been around since iOS 13 and still pops up in iOS 17 and 18. The frustrating part is that the toggle flips itself back off, sometimes after a few minutes, sometimes after a reboot. It's not your imagination, and you're not doing anything wrong. Let's get it fixed.
Why does Location Services turn off by itself?
There's no single cause, but the usual suspects are:
- Software bugs—especially after a big iOS update, some background daemons get stuck.
- Low Power Mode—it can limit background services, but it shouldn't disable Location Services entirely, though it can mess with the toggle display.
- Screen Time restrictions—if you or a family member set a content & privacy restriction, it can force Location Services off.
- Corrupt settings files—after restoring from a backup, sometimes the location settings get corrupted.
I had a client last month where her iPhone 13 Pro would turn off Location Services every time she plugged it in to charge. That one turned out to be a bad backup restore. So let's work through the fixes.
The 7 fixes
1. Toggle Location Services off and on
The quick test. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Turn the main switch off, wait 10 seconds, turn it back on. Then open Maps and see if it works. If it stays on, you're done. If not, move on.
2. Restart your iPhone
Sounds too simple, but I've fixed this bug on a dozen devices with a plain restart. For iPhone X and newer, press and hold the side button plus either volume button until the power off slider appears. Slide to power off, wait 30 seconds, then hold the side button to power back on. Check Location Services. Often, that's all it takes.
3. Check Screen Time restrictions
If you have Screen Time enabled (or your kid does), go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. Make sure the toggle for Content & Privacy Restrictions is off, or if it's on, tap Privacy > Location Services and set it to Allow. I've seen families where a restriction got flipped accidentally, and it took forever to figure out because the main toggle in Settings looked like it was on, but the restriction was silently overriding it.
4. Reset Location & Privacy
This is my go-to fix for stubborn cases. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy. This clears all your per-app location permissions, but you'll have to re-allow them as apps ask again. It's a pain, but it wipes out any corrupt settings data. After the reset, Location Services will be on by default, and it'll stay that way.
5. Update iOS
If you're running an older iOS version, there might be a known bug that's been patched. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install any available update. I've seen this fixed in iOS 17.4.1 specifically—there was a bug where Location Services would randomly disable for some users. Apple didn't advertise it, but the update fixed it for most of my clients.
6. Reset All Settings
This is a bigger hammer. It doesn't erase your data, but it resets all system settings, including Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper, and notification preferences. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings. Back up your data first, but you won't lose photos or apps. I use this when the simpler resets don't work. It's saved me on two occasions where the location toggle was stuck in a weird state.
7. Restore from an earlier backup or erase and set up as new
If nothing else works, the last resort is to erase your iPhone and set it up as new, or restore from a backup that you know was working. Before you do that, make sure you have a current backup. Then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. If you restore from that same backup that might have the corrupt setting, you'll bring the bug back. So try setting up as new first, then log into your Apple ID and re-download apps. It's a day of work, but I've seen it fix the issue permanently.
What if the toggle is grayed out?
If the Location Services toggle is grayed out (you can't tap it), that's a different story. It usually means a restriction is active—go back to Screen Time and check the Content & Privacy Restrictions. If that's clean, it could be a General Management profile from work or school. Check Settings > General > VPN & Device Management and remove any MDM profiles you don't recognize. That's a common trick for company phones.
Alternative: Use a shortcut to force it
If you're in a pinch and just need Location Services on for one app, you can use a Shortcut automation to re-enable it. Create a new shortcut with the action Set Location Services and set it to On. Then run it from the Shortcuts app or home screen. It's a workaround, not a fix, but it can get you through a day until you can do a proper reset.
Prevention tips
- Don't restore from an old backup repeatedly—if you have the bug, restoring from a backup made before the bug appeared is fine, but don't keep restoring from the same corrupt backup.
- Disable Low Power Mode when you need location reliable—it's not the cause, but it can mask the toggle state.
- Keep iOS updated—Apple patches these little bugs quietly, and you'll never know what you missed.
- Check Screen Time often—kids fiddle with settings, and a restriction can appear out of nowhere.
One last thing: I've had clients panic and think it's a hardware issue. It almost never is. The location chips don't just break on their own. If none of these fixes work, call Apple support—but I'd bet money that one of the resets will do it for you.