Why location permission disappears in private browsing

A website asks for your location again every time you open a private window, even though you already allowed it in a regular window. Or the location prompt appears to vanish and the site cannot find you. This often happens because private browsing keeps site data and permissions separate from your regular session, then clears them when you close private windows.

You can compare what the browser reports in each mode, then check the browser and device settings that control location. The Browser Info tool can show the permission information your browser makes available, but it cannot override a browser or operating system privacy rule.

Check location permission in both windows

Open Browser Info in a regular window. Look for the permissions section and note what it reports for location.
Open the same page in a private window in the same browser profile. Compare the location permission information. The browser may show a different state, or may not expose the permission there.
Visit the site that needs location in both windows. Use the same address and make sure it is the actual website, not a different subdomain or an embedded page.
If a location prompt appears, choose Allow only if you trust the site and want it to access your location. If there is no prompt, check the site controls beside the address bar for a blocked location setting.
Close all private windows, open a new private window, and test again. This shows whether permission lasts only for the current private session.

Location access can be based on a device location service, nearby networks, or an approximate network location. A permission check tells you whether the browser says the site may request location. It does not prove that the device can calculate an accurate position.

What the result means

Location is allowed in a regular window but not in private browsing

This is commonly expected. Browsers may keep private-window permissions separate from regular site settings, or let a permission last only until the private session ends. Allowing the site in a regular window does not necessarily carry that choice into a private one. If the browser prompts again in each new private session, that may be its privacy design rather than a fault.

The site is blocked in both windows

The site may have a saved block setting, the browser may be set to deny location, or your device may be preventing the browser from using location services. Check the site-specific permission first. A browser-level or operating system restriction can prevent a prompt from appearing at all.

The browser reports a prompt or asks again

The site has not received a lasting approval in the current context. Choose whether to allow access when the prompt appears. In private browsing, the choice may be temporary and disappear after you close the private windows. Also check that the address is identical: permission for one domain does not automatically cover a different domain.

The site says location is unavailable after permission is allowed

Permission and location detection are separate. The browser may be allowed to ask but unable to get a position because device location is off, the signal is poor, or the browser or device blocks the location service. Try a regular window and check the device's location setting before changing the site's permission again.

How to restore location access

Check the site's permission. In the affected window, select the site controls icon beside the address bar and find its location permission. Set it to allow, if that option is available, then reload the page. Do not change permissions for a different domain by mistake.
Check browser location settings. In Chrome or Edge, open Settings › Privacy and security › Site settings › Location and make sure sites are allowed to ask. In Firefox, open Settings › Privacy & Security › Permissions › Location and review the location controls. In Safari on Mac, use Safari › Settings › Websites › Location to review the site's choice.
Turn on device location services. On Windows 11, open Settings › Privacy & security › Location and turn on location services and access for desktop apps if those controls are available. On macOS, open System Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services and allow your browser if it appears in the list.
Check your phone's app permission. On Android, open Settings › Location › App location permissions, choose your browser, and allow location while using it if you want websites to be able to request it. On iPhone, open Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services and check the browser if it is listed. Website permission and the phone's app permission may both need to allow access.
Remove an accidental block. If the site is listed as blocked in the browser's location settings, change that site's entry or clear its site permission, then visit it again and respond to the prompt. Clearing site data may sign you out or remove saved preferences, so use it only if changing the permission does not work.
Restart the browser and test again. Close every private window, quit the browser, reopen it, and try a fresh private session. If location works in a regular window but not there, the private-session rule is likely the reason.

Why private browsing asks again

Private browsing mainly limits what the browser saves after the session. It does not make you anonymous, and it does not automatically grant websites more access. Depending on the browser, permissions may be isolated from the regular profile, kept only while private windows remain open, or restricted by privacy settings. The exact behavior differs between browsers and versions.

Browser Info can report permission details that the browser exposes to a page. It cannot tell you why a particular browser chose a privacy restriction, and it cannot check your physical location. If the site works in a regular window and asks again only in private browsing, allow access for that session when needed, or use a regular window if you want the permission to persist.