It happens right when you’re in the middle of a text or scrolling through a feed. That little gray box pops up, asking if you want to allow an app to use your location "While Using the App" or "Always." You click a choice. You think it's over. Then, two days later, there it is again. It feels like a glitch. Honestly, it feels like your phone isn't listening to you. If your iPhone keeps asking for location permission, you aren't alone, and you definitely haven't lost your mind. Apple designed it this way, but they didn't exactly make it easy to live with.
The reality is that iOS is obsessed with privacy. Since the release of iOS 13 and more aggressively in subsequent updates like iOS 17 and 18, Apple has implemented something called "Location Reminders." These are deliberate "check-ins" from the operating system. They aren't usually coming from the app developer; they are coming from the iPhone itself. The software wants to make sure you actually know that Google Maps or some weather app has been tracking your movements in the background for the last three days. It's a nudge. A very annoying, persistent nudge.
Why iOS ignores your first answer
We need to talk about the "Always Allow" trap. When you select "Always Allow" for an app, you might think you've given it a lifetime pass. You haven't. Apple’s software architecture includes a secondary gatekeeper. After a period of time—usually a few days—the system will trigger a map pop-up showing exactly where that app has tracked you. It asks: "Continue to allow 'App Name' to use your location in the background?"
This is the core reason your iPhone keeps asking for location permission. If you keep hitting "Allow" and the prompt keeps coming back, it’s likely because the app is requesting a level of access that triggers Apple's mandatory transparency intervals.
There is also the "Precise Location" factor. Sometimes, an app doesn't just want to know you're in Chicago; it wants to know you're at the corner of Clark and Addison. If you've toggled Precise Location off, some apps—especially navigation or fitness trackers like Strava—will repeatedly nag you to turn it back on because their core functionality breaks without it.
The Bluetooth and Wi-Fi loophole
Most people don't realize that location isn't just about GPS satellites. It’s about the devices around you. If you have "Bluetooth Sharing" or "Local Network" permissions turned on for an app, it can often triangulate your position without ever touching the GPS chip. When iOS detects an app trying to bypass the standard location prompts using these side channels, it may throw a system-level alert.
I've seen this happen specifically with smart home apps. You open the app to turn on a light, and it asks for location. You say no. Next time, it asks again. Why? Because it needs to "see" your Wi-Fi SSID to know you're home. To Apple, seeing your Wi-Fi name is basically the same as having your GPS coordinates.
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Stopping the "iPhone Keeps Asking for Location Permission" Cycle
If you want the pop-ups to stop, you have to be more aggressive than the "Allow" button. You need to dive into the settings and hard-code your preferences so the system stops second-guessing you.
First, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
Don't just look at the list of apps. Scroll all the way to the bottom and tap System Services. This is where the real noise happens. Look for "Significant Locations." This feature tracks where you go most often to provide "useful" info in Maps or Photos. It’s also a major trigger for system-level location prompts. If you turn this off, a lot of the background "checking" stops.
Customizing the app-specific nag
For individual apps that are driving you crazy, you have to choose a side. If it's an app you only use occasionally, like Uber, set it to "Ask Next Time or When I Share." Yes, this sounds counter-intuitive. Why would you want it to ask more? Because by selecting this, you are taking control of the prompt. The app will only ask when you open it. This prevents the random background pop-ups that happen while you're doing something else.
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For apps you trust completely, like Apple Maps, ensure "Precise Location" is toggled ON. If it's off, the system might keep asking for permission to get a better lock on your coordinates every time the signal gets weak.
The Role of "Blue Bar" Notifications
You’ve probably seen that blue bubble or bar behind the time in the top left corner of your screen. That’s a "Location in Use" indicator. If an app is actively using your location, and it’s not the one you’re looking at, iOS puts that blue bar there. If you tap it, it takes you to the app.
Sometimes, your iPhone keeps asking for location permission because an app is stuck in an active tracking state. This happens a lot with hiking apps or parking spot finders. The app thinks it’s still "on a trip," so it keeps pinging the GPS. iOS sees this constant pinging and eventually gets suspicious, throwing a prompt to ask if you really want this to keep happening. Force-closing the app (swiping up from the bottom and flicking the app card away) usually kills this cycle.
When it's actually a bug
Is it ever just a broken phone? Occasionally, yeah.
In 2024, a specific version of iOS had a bug where the privacy database would "forget" user choices after a reboot. If you notice the prompts only happen after you turn your phone off and on, you’re looking at a software glitch.
The fix for this isn't fun, but it works: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy. Warning: this will wipe out every permission you’ve ever given. Every app will ask you for everything again—photos, microphone, location, camera. It’s a nuclear option. But it flushes the "stuck" database and lets you start fresh. Usually, after one round of answering the prompts, the phone settles down.
Understanding the "While Using" vs. "Always" Logic
Apple really hates "Always." They have made it increasingly difficult for developers to justify this permission. If you have an app set to "Always," the iPhone is legally (in the software sense) obligated to remind you about it.
If you switch that app to "While Using," the background prompts stop.
"But I need my weather app to update!"
Most modern apps use "Background App Refresh" and "Regional Monitoring" (Geofencing) which are more efficient and less "naggy" than a pure "Always Allow" GPS stream. Switch as many apps as possible to "While Using the App" and you’ll find that the frequency of these interruptions drops by about 80%.
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Actionable Steps to Fix the Prompting
If you're ready to end the pop-up fatigue, follow this sequence:
- Identify the Repeat Offenders: Note which app is actually appearing in the pop-up. It's rarely "the iPhone" itself; it's usually a specific third-party app triggering the system.
- Audit System Services: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services. Turn off "Product Improvement" toggles (iPhone Analytics, Popular Near Me). These trigger background location checks that you don't benefit from.
- Toggle the "Precise" Switch: For your most-used apps, ensure Precise Location is either firmly ON or firmly OFF. Flipping it back and forth can confuse the permission cache.
- The "While Using" Rule: Change every app that doesn't strictly need background tracking to "While Using." This is the single most effective way to stop the "Continue to allow?" reminders.
- Update Your Software: Check Settings > General > Software Update. Apple frequently tweaks the frequency of these privacy reminders in "point" releases (like 18.1 to 18.2) based on user complaints.
The persistent location prompts are a feature, not a bug—it’s Apple’s way of making sure no app is "ghosting" your movements. By manually defining those boundaries in the settings, you can finally make the notifications stop and get back to using your phone in peace. No more boxes. No more "Allow Once" cycles. Just a phone that stays quiet.