Microsoft is retiring a lesser-known API that allows Windows 11 to maintain your location history. The API was only used by Cortana, and third-party apps never had access to it. While Cortana is gone for good, it seems that some related services, including the Location History API, are still there.
Microsoft has deprecated more than 20 features in the last two years, and it was high time that Location History was removed from PC. You cannot find Cortana in recent builds of Windows 11, but the Location History API is still a part of your PC.
If you granted access to Cortana to track your Location History, it would continue doing so 24/7 (only if you explicitly allowed permission).
Microsoft apps do not track your location unless you manually allow them. Only Cortana had access to the Location History API for some of its features.
The location history data was stored on the PC, but having a feature continuously track your location can be scary.
As spotted by Windows Latest, the announcement page briefly mentions the Location History API and assures that the related settings on the Privacy and Security page will be removed soon. It doesn’t share a timeline for when we can expect the API to be removed, but you can manually clear the Location History on your device.
Go to the Privacy & Security > Location section in Settings and find the Location History feature. Click on the Clear button next to the option to purge the saved data. We don’t allow apps to access the location, but if you do, it’s high time you checked which app’s doing that in the Settings app.
Windows 11 is losing tons of legacy features and APIs
Starting with 24H2, Cortana and WordPad weren’t a part of Windows 11.
While removing the Cortana app makes sense because the underlying tech has been retired, WordPad didn’t deserve the same treatment. We have a guide on bringing back WordPad in Windows 11 24H2, but that’s a false hope. The app will work but won’t be supported by Microsoft and will receive no updates.
Copilot is trying to become the next supercharged AI assistant, and the Redmond giant doesn’t want to waste time.
It already has a Copilot+ PC lineup with an exclusive Copilot feature and some ridiculous name rebrandings like Office 365 and the useless Copilot key. No other computer OS is so deeply invested in AI, so Microsoft is leading the pack this time.
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