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Android 17 Beta 3 Adds ‘Location Button’ and New Location Privacy Controls

Google is steering apps to session-only access to cut long-term tracking.

Overview

  • The new tools are live for testing in Android 17 Beta 3, with broader release to follow after developer feedback.
  • A system ‘location button’ lets users grant precise location for a single session, which ends when the app closes.
  • Google ships the button as a Jetpack library that eases adoption and falls back to the standard prompt on older Android versions.
  • A persistent on-screen indicator now shows when an app reads location and opens a Recent app use panel for quick permission changes.
  • Approximate location now scales to local population density instead of a fixed 2 km grid, which protects users better in rural areas.