Google has rolled out a new privacy feature on its Chrome browser for Android, allowing users to share their approximate location with websites instead of their precise coordinates.

The update is part of the tech giant’s broader effort to enhance user control over location data and strengthen online privacy.

According to Archit Agarwal, Product Manager at Chrome, location-based services remain important for many web experiences, but not all require pinpoint accuracy.

“We know that location-based web functionality is useful and some use cases require precise location — if, for example, you’re placing a delivery order or trying to find the closest ATM to your office. However, other use cases may only need your approximate location — like getting access to local weather and news,” Agarwal said.

With the new feature, users can decide when to provide detailed location data and when to limit access to a general area. Precise location sharing will still be available for services such as navigation, ride-hailing, food delivery, and other applications that depend on exact coordinates.

Google also disclosed plans to extend the approximate location feature to desktop versions of Chrome in the coming months.

In addition, the company said it will introduce new application programming interfaces (APIs) for web developers. These APIs will enable developers to request approximate location data or clearly specify when precise location access is essential for a website’s functionality.

Google urged developers to assess their platforms and request precise location data only when it is genuinely required, as part of efforts to improve transparency and user trust in web services.