My iMac won't update its location. The symptoms are the clock still showing the time at the old location (in a different time zone), and in Maps, "Go to current location" doesn't work. I have turned on all Location Services in the Privacy and Security section of the System Settings including System Services. I have restarted the computer a few times. Help is appreciated.
iMac 24″, macOS 13.2
Do you have Wifi turned on? Even if you connect using Ethernet, your mac needs to have Wifi turned on in order to ascertain its location. Macs do not have GPS, so they rely on the knowledge about nearby Wifi networks.
Do you have Wifi turned on? Even if you connect using Ethernet, your mac needs to have Wifi turned on in order to ascertain its location. Macs do not have GPS, so they rely on the knowledge about nearby Wifi networks.
The 3 dots I was referring to the Network Setting at > System Settings > Network are here:
When you click on the three dots, go to Locations and click "Edit Locations". Click the "+" and give it a name. This is just to see if it will reset the location and time. If no change, just delete the location and return to the one you had before ("Automatic" by default).
Just trying to see if there is a way to update its location and time, don't know of a preference file that could be deleted. More info from Apple here:
yes, I've done that, but it doesn't solve the Maps problem, or probably a dozen other issues associated with location services not working (Find My Mac, etc.)
Thanks for your reply:
"Your iPhone will not give its location information to your Mac using Personal Hotspot" But this iphone has given location information with an older MacOS in the past.
You said "Network > ... > Locations" but I kind of need that intermediary step as I don't see "Locations" anywhere under Network or Network>Wifi. By the way, the VPN is inactive.
Yes, the date and time set to automatically update based on location not updating are a clear symptom of the location issue that I having.
Thanks for your reply.
At one point it became clear to me that the problem is not with the iMac but with the iphone that just wasn't sending location data. So I restarted the iphone (I don't think I had done that in a while) and Maps started to figure out where I am. Also, I noticed that in System Settings>General>Date and Time, the "closest city" box actually allows you to type in another city: I had thought that you were limited to the options in the scroll down menu. Perhaps that wasn't necessary since the iphone started to send location data, but if it's true that the sending of location data is inconsistent, at least the time will be accurate. Just a note that the iphone never had any difficulty figuring out where I was, but, apparently, only with transmitting that data.
I would be curious if those that have wifi only iPads connected to a Personal Hotspot for internet get their Location updated. There is a lot of discussion about the iPads not being able to get the location. Some say Personal Hotspot won't transfer location, others say it works intermittently.
I think those cases are running into the same problem you are. Hopefully others will jump in here and provide more feedback. I believe that the Personal Hotspot will not give the location like a router does when connected to a wifi network. Devices can determine location with wifi on and with other networks in its range. Here is a Apple Support article explaining a little more on that: Updating WiFi router location in Apple's … - Apple Community.
It might be a case where you have to connect your Mac to a router based wifi network or a Mobile Hotspot. The Mobile Hotspots and those provided by Cellular companies for internet access apparently don't have the same drawbacks (or privacy concerns) as Personal Hotspot.
Keep us posted on what you find out.
Given what has already been said about the connection to the iPhone, I'd suggest turning off "Set time zone automatically using your current location", since your mac is clearly not getting the location, and setting it manually.
One suggestion is to remove the network from your router and re-add with a different name. Restart Router. Then connect Mac to that network and see if the location is updated.
Since the Mac does not have GPS, it gets the location from the IP address or if iPhone is on Network, it can cache a more accurate location tied to that network.
Actually I am accessing the internet on the iMac by way of wifi thru Personal Hotspot from my iphone X. The interesting thing is that Maps and the time are correct on the iphone, but somehow that doesn't translate to the iMac.
Thanks for your ideas. Actually, I am accessing the internet on the iMac by way of Wifi thru Personal Hotspot on my iphone X The interesting thing is that Maps and the time are correct on the iphone, but somehow that doesn't translate over to the iMac. Do you think if I "forget this network" my iphone hotspot, renamed my iphone Hotspot network, and then reconnected it would really have much effect?
I believe it would work if it was a Wifi network connected to a router. Your iPhone will not give its location information to your Mac using Personal Hotspot, even though it is connected to it via WiFi.
There is the option under > System Settings > Network > ... > Locations. Is this set to "Automatic". If it is already Automatic, you can add a new location to use.
I assume you have the Date and Time to set to Automatically at > System Settings > General > Date & Time > Set Time and Date Automatically.
Thanks for explaining the "..." option. I had never noticed that. I created a new location and then switched to it instead of the default "automatic", but it didn't seem to change anything. Sorry for this weird and seemingly intractable problem. Any other suggestions?
location services not working
