Exact vs. approximate location: what is the difference?
A direct answer, followed by when each option actually makes sense.
Exact location shares your precise coordinates, accurate to a few meters. Approximate location shares only the general area you're in - enough for context, like knowing someone is near downtown, without exposing the specific building or address.
Both iOS and Android support an approximate-location system permission, and several location sharing apps layer their own version of this choice on top.
When exact makes sense
Meeting up in person, coordinating a pickup, or checking in during a hike all benefit from a precise pin - the whole point is knowing exactly where someone is.
When approximate makes sense
Sharing with a wider group, or in situations where general context is enough but your exact address isn’t anyone’s business, approximate location covers it without oversharing.
How this works in glancy
Precision is set per connection, not as one global switch - see approximate location for details. That’s different from apps like Life360, where approximate location (branded “Ghost Mode”) is a paid feature rather than a free, per-connection setting.