Windows.Devices.Geolocation Namespace
Important
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Provides APIs for getting the current location or tracking the device's location over time. Location information comes from GNSS, Wi-Fi, cellular networks, IP address, or user-configured default location.
Classes
| CivicAddress |
Unsupported API. |
| GeoboundingBox |
Represents a rectangle that defines a geographic area. |
| Geocircle |
Describes a geographic circle with a center point and a radius. |
| Geocoordinate |
Contains the information for identifying a geographic location. |
| GeocoordinateSatelliteData |
Provides additional information about a Geocoordinate. This information is only applicable to position estimates obtained using satellite signals. |
| Geolocator |
Provides access to the current geographic location. |
| Geopath |
Represents an ordered series of geographic points. |
| Geopoint |
Describes a geographic point. |
| Geoposition |
Represents a location that may contain latitude and longitude data or venue data. |
| Geovisit |
Represents a Visit-related state change. See Guidelines for using Visits tracking for information on how to use this feature. |
| GeovisitMonitor |
Handles the monitoring of a user's visits when the app is in use (not in the background). |
| GeovisitStateChangedEventArgs |
Contains information about a VisitStateChanged event. |
| GeovisitTriggerDetails |
Manages the details of a trigger for a Visits-related background task. |
| PositionChangedEventArgs |
Provides data for the PositionChanged event. |
| StatusChangedEventArgs |
Provides data for the StatusChanged event. |
| VenueData |
Represents the venue associated with a geographic location. |
Structs
| BasicGeoposition |
The basic information to describe a geographic position. |
Interfaces
| IGeoshape |
Interface to define a geographic shape. |
Enums
| AltitudeReferenceSystem |
Indicates the altitude reference system to be used in defining a geographic shape. |
| GeolocationAccessStatus |
Indicates if your app has permission to access location data. |
| GeoshapeType |
Indicates the shape of a geographic region. |
| PositionAccuracy |
Indicates the requested accuracy level for the location data that the application uses. |
| PositionSource |
Indicates the source used to obtain a Geocoordinate. |
| PositionStatus |
Indicates the ability of the Geolocator object to provide location data. |
| VisitMonitoringScope |
Contains values that describe the intended scope of location monitoring for use with the Visits feature. |
| VisitStateChange |
Contains values that describe a Visit-related state change. |
Examples
Sample applications that use classes from this namespace include the Geolocation sample and the Geotag sample.
Remarks
The Windows.Devices.Geolocation namespace provides comprehensive location services for Windows applications. This namespace contains classes and interfaces for obtaining location data with various levels of accuracy and tracking location changes over time.
Accuracy expectations
The accuracy of the location information depends on the source. The latitude and longitude may vary within the following ranges:
- GNSS: within approximately 10 meters
- Wi-Fi: between approximately 30 meters and 500 meters
- Cell towers: between approximately 300 meters and 3,000 meters
- IP address: between approximately 300 meters and 10,000 meters
In addition to latitude and longitude, GNSS also provides information about heading, speed, and altitude. This additional information is optional when the location information comes from other sources.
Note
The system automatically selects the most appropriate location source based on availability, accuracy requirements, and power consumption considerations.
Permission requirements
Important
Location access requires explicit user permission. Always call Geolocator.RequestAccessAsync before attempting to access location data.
Key classes
- Geolocator: Provides the primary APIs for accessing location services.
- Geoposition: Represents a geographic position with coordinate and venue data.
- Geocoordinate: Contains precise geographic coordinates and accuracy information.
- GeovisitMonitor: Monitors user visits to significant locations.
Privacy and accuracy
Location services balance accuracy with battery consumption and user privacy. Consider your app's actual needs when choosing accuracy settings:
- Use PositionAccuracy.Default for most scenarios.
- Use PositionAccuracy.High only when precise location is required.
- Respect user privacy preferences and handle denied permissions gracefully.