How Accurate Is Browser Geolocation, Really?

By MyLocation.place · Updated July 2026

A practical explainer on what shapes the accuracy of the location your browser reports.

When a website asks "allow this site to know your location" and you tap allow, what you get back is rarely a single fixed number of meters — accuracy depends on a combination of hardware, environment, and how recently your device has had a clear signal.

What the browser is actually doing

The browser's Geolocation API doesn't just read a GPS chip. It combines whatever signals are available: GPS satellites, nearby Wi-Fi networks (matched against a crowdsourced database of known access point locations), cell tower triangulation, and IP address as a last resort. The browser picks the best available estimate and reports back both a coordinate and an accuracy radius in meters.

Why outdoor readings are usually best

With a clear view of the sky, a modern phone can typically get GPS accuracy within 3 to 10 meters. Buildings, tunnels, and dense urban canyons block or reflect satellite signals, which is when the browser leans more heavily on Wi-Fi and cell data — still useful, but usually only accurate to tens or hundreds of meters.

Why indoor accuracy drops

Indoors, GPS signals are often too weak to use at all, so your device relies on Wi-Fi positioning. This works well in areas with dense, well-mapped Wi-Fi networks (like most city centers) but can be far less accurate in rural areas or buildings with few nearby networks.

Getting the best reading

• Give the location permission prompt a few seconds — the first reading is often less accurate than a follow-up one taken moments later.
• If possible, move near a window or outdoors before checking your location.
• Make sure Wi-Fi is turned on, even if you're not connected to a network — it's used for positioning even without an active connection.