Subtle Android 16 QPR3 Privacy Feature Tells You Which App Is Using Your Location

Android 16 QPR3 will introduce a subtle feature that reveals which app is accessing a user's location at a given time. The update, which will roll out in March 2026 and is now available via beta, adds a blue dot to the status bar. The dot illuminates whenever an app uses location services, whether it's active on the screen or running in the background.

When the blue dot appears, users can swipe down to view the notification shade and tap the icon to view more details. This opens a newly titled "Microphone, Camera & Location" menu that lists the specific apps using or checking location data. The best part is that users can immediately close any app that is tracking them. If an app uses location data alongside the camera or microphone, the system combines these alerts into a single green icon, 9to5Google reports.

Apple users will find ...