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Have you noticed that unusual arrow visible next to the time on your iPhone? If yes, what is it? And why do we see it in different colours? If such questions are also popping up in your mind for a long time, this guide will be advantageous.
Today, we are going to talk about the arrows next to the time on your iPhone and how you can remove it. Let us scroll further-
What does the arrow on your iPhone mean?
The arrow (visible at the upper right corner of your iPhone) next to the time denotes that an app of your device is using the location services. You will notice it often while using map-based or location-based applications such as find my app, uber, ola, etc. Since these applications are GPS based, your device is required to give access to your device’s GPS by enabling the location services.
Although by allowing the location services in your iPhone, you’re letting your device use more battery than usual, and it may start draining your device if you keep it enabled for a long. Your device may use your GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and even mobile networks in some cases to figure out the accurate location. Please know that there will be a variation of arrow icons visible with different colours, each with a distinct purpose.
They symbolise how differently your location is being accessed. To understand what these arrows mean, you can check your device’s settings and can also hide the arrow icon through it.
What do the different variations of an arrow mean?
As mentioned above, you will witness a variety of arrows visible next to the time on your iPhone, all of which denotes a unique and utterly distinct meaning from others. So if you’re confused with what this arrow indicates, here’s the proper explanation of it-
- Hollow arrow- It denotes that an app may be able to have access to your location under certain conditions.
- Purple arrow- It indicates that an app has recently accessed your location.
- Grey arrow-It implies that an app has already accessed your location in the last 24 hours.
How to turn on location services on your iPhone?
Now that you have a brief understanding of what this distinct colour arrow denotes, you must know how to turn on the location services of your iPhone if in case you wish to-.
- First, go to the settings of your device.
- Now scroll down to the menu and tap on Privacy.
- Go to location services.
- Now swipe the bar visible next to location services and turn it on.
How to change your location settings on your iPhone?
If you wish to change the location services on your iPhone, then this guide is going to aid you in several methods as you can turn off your location settings and give a boost to your battery life as it may drain your battery level.
- First, go to the home screen and search for settings.
- Now from the visible options, tap on Privacy.
- Go to location services.
- You can see the slide available on the right side of location services. Turn it off.
How to enable location services for individual apps?
You may wish to enable location for one app but not for another. In that case, what can be done? If you’re using an iOS device, then it is possible to change the location services settings and customise it for a few specific apps. Following are the step to be followed-
- First, tap on the settings app.
- Now select the Privacy option.
- Hover to Location services.
- Now you can see the list of apps that are downloaded in your device. Tap on those apps to whom you do not wish to give access to your location.
- You can see the options available. Tap on Never for such apps.
- Now you have successfully disabled location services for those apps.
Note- Although you have changed your settings to never for those few apps, you can change it anytime and give access to your location services.
How to show/hide the location services icon on your iPhone?
If you wish to change the settings from show to hide the location services icon or vice versa, the following are the steps one must follow-
- First, go to Settings.
- Now tap on Privacy.
- Go to location services.
- Now turn off the status bar icon available at the bottom of your screen.
- Now the location service icon will be hidden.
Note- By following these steps, you will only be able to hide the location services, but it still may be enabled if you’ve done it.
Other symbols on iPhone you should know
Just like this arrow next to the time, there are plenty of more symbols that you should know about. So before you start searching individually for those, let us know what all of those mean-
- 5G- If this 5G icon is available on your iPhone screen, it clearly means that the 5G network carrier is available for you; therefore, you can anytime connect to it and upgrade.
- Orange indicator- If you find an orange indicator on your status bar, it means that an application in your device is accessing your microphone.
- Green indicator- If you see a small green dot visible at the status bar, then it means that the microphone or camera is being used.
- Alarm icon- It means that the alarm is set on your device. You can remove it by disabling the alarm.
- Headphone icon- It means that either your iPhone is paired with earbuds, AirPods, or headsets.
- Navigation- If you see this blue upside arrow, it means that your iPhone is giving a turn-to-turn direction to some application. It generally appears while using any map or cab services application.
- Red circle- If you find a red circle available at the top of your screen, it means that your phone is live on-screen recording.
- Voice control- It means that your voice control is turned on. It will be blue in colour.
- SOS only- It means that the full services from your cellular provider are not available, and only emergency calls will be possible that can be done via any other carrier networks, if available. Please note that this might not be available in your country or region, and thus, it is a subject-to-availability feature.
Wrapping up,
This is how you can remove or change your location services icon on your iPhone. Be it removing it, disabling the services for a few apps or understanding the meaning of different colour arrows; we have shared the information above. Although we recommend you to keep it turned off unless you’re using an app that requires such information, you can change it to any settings as per your convenience using this guide. If you have any questions or queries with the same, please comment below and let us know.
FAQ’s
Should location services be turned off or on?
If you are using any application where location services are necessary, you should enable it. However, if you’re not, there’s no sense in keeping the location services turned on all the time.
Will keeping the location services turned on will damage your iPhone’s battery?
If you have enabled the location services on your iPhone, your battery will likely be drained earlier than usual. Therefore, it is recommended to keep the location services off to save your battery from being exhausted.
Is keeping my location services enabled on my iPhone lead to privacy invasion?
It entirely depends on which app is using your location services. If the app isn’t safe monitoring your location by enabling the GPS, it is recommended to turn off the GPS services for such apps.
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