MyRecover
What Does Location Not Available Mean on Windows 10 & iPhone?
What does Location Not Available mean on PC & iPhone? If you wonder why and how to fix it, this article will be helpful and worth reading.
By Lora / Updated on April 3, 2024
“Why my PC says the location is not available?”
During years of use, it is nearly impossible for digital machines and devices to completely escape from malfunction. Not only your digital cameras but also your Windows PC and your iPhone.
When meeting errors and glitches, the majority of users will be at loss and don’t know why errors happen and how to fix them. And one of the remarkable and intractable ones is the “Location (is) not available” issue.
You may encounter this error on both Windows PC & iPhone.
On a Windows PC, it is an error notice that says “Location is not available”. The specific explanation varies under different situations.
On an iPhone, this is frequently seen on the Find My Friends app. Many users are seeking methods to fix Find My Friends Location Not Available on iPhone.
To troubleshoot this issue, it will be better to figure out "what does Location not available mean" on Windows computers & iPhones first.
What does Location not available mean on Windows PC?
Broadly speaking, on PC, this notice implies that a device/drive/folder/file/location gets inaccessible due to some reasons:
- Loose connection between PC and external storage device.
- Corrupted file system/hard drive/directory/file.
- Insufficient permission.
- File deletion/missing.
- Virus attack.
“Location is unavailable” for C: folder.
I keep all my photos under a sub-folder on my Desktop folder and it's called “pictures”.
After a quick little upload problem on the website when I tried to post just a few pictures, suddenly I couldn't open my “pictures” folder, an error comes up called “Location is unavailable”.
- Question from Microsoft Community
Deletion sometimes can cause severe data loss and errors. Some users once deleted a partition and computer won’t boot. But don’t worry, this article can help.
What does Location Not Available mean on iPhone?
For iPhone, “Location Not Available” refers to the location-sharing feature malfunctions in the Find My app, making users unable to track another device. It also results from multiple reasons:
- Poor WiFi/Cellular connection.
- The location-sharing feature is set off on another device.
- The Date & Time isn’t set correctly.
For instance, you may meet a similar situation:
Location not available in Find My for iPhone
My son’s phone says Location Not Available. Trying to add him on finding my friends. How do I make his location available?
- Question from Apple Community
In the next part, corresponding fixes will be introduced with detailed steps.
>> Quick Navigation
Fixing “Location is not available” on Windows PC
Fixing “Location Not Available” on iPhone
How to fix the Location is not available on Windows 10?
Now, with the question “What does Location not available mean?” figured out, you could try these solutions and fix them.
But it is noteworthy that if the notice warns you that your file/directory is corrupted, it will be tough for ordinary users to fix it by common and normal means. Please send the hard drive to an in-lad data recovery service if it deserves.
Fix 1. Reconnect the external hard drive
If you were attempting to access an external hard drive but were unable, check to see if there is a loose connection between the device and your PC, and then make sure it is correctly and properly connected.
>> Plug in the external storage device after correctly unplugging it. If it doesn't work, try another cable/port.
Fix 2. Use the CHKDSK command to fix possible disk issue
How to fix location is not available on Windows 10 when it prompts that the volume does not contain a recognized file system? At this time, it is obvious that the hard drive/file system was corrupted.
To fix this, users could try using the CHKDSK command. With parameters like /f, /r, /x, etc., used, this command could check and also fix the errors on the disk.
But, as is known to all, the Command Prompt app is not designed for ordinary users, which is really difficult and sometimes dangerous. Therefore, users might as well choose an easier and more efficient tool – AOMEI Partition Assistant.
It is a partition management tool that offers an easy user interface, facilitating all users even without any expertise and knowledge. Also, it is a multifunctional tool that is equipped with various features.
- Check and fix possible partition errors simply and safely.
- Create/merge/resize/format partitions in a breeze.
- Restore deleted partition and get the data back.
- Compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP.
Step 1. Download and launch this app > locate and right-click the affected hard drive > Advanced > Check Partition.
Step 2. Choose Check partition and fix errors in this partition by using chkdsk.exe > OK.
It also helps recover accidentally deleted partition.
Fix 3. Uninstall suspicious programs and use antivirus software
As mentioned before, viruses also lead to errors. They might delete/move/modify/encrypt your files/folders/hard drives maliciously, making them inaccessible.
>> If you have installed programs recently, please uninstall fishy apps, and then use antivirus software to scan and protect your computer.
Fix 4. Regain full control of the inaccessible folder
How to fix location is not available on Windows 10 if your account has insufficient permissions? If you failed to open a specific folder, it might result from this. Try to change the permissions.
Step 1. Locate the exact folder > right-click this folder > Properties > Security > Edit.
Step 2. Toggle on the Full control option under Allow > click Apply.
Fix 5. Recover deleted files using an efficient Windows data recovery tool
If you keep receiving the “Location is not available” notice even after trying these fixes, it is very likely that your wanted files have been deleted already.
The notice also reminds you “If the location still can’t be found, it might have been moved or deleted.”
Thus, you need to recover the deleted files or folders. In general, users will look into the Recycle Bin, but most of the time they will find deleted files not in the Recycle Bin, which indicates that the data was permanently deleted.
At this time, using a professional and useful Windows data recovery tool will be the correct choice. With the help of a tool, data can be recovered in a short time, meanwhile leaving no further damage to it.
MyRecover is one of the eligible tools. It is specially designed for Windows users, assisting them to recover deleted and lost data using advanced techs and features.
MyRecover - Make data recovery easier
- Recover deleted and missing files from internal/external HDD/SSD/USB/SD card.
- Select files to restore quickly during the scanning.
- 200+ types of recoverable data, including photos, videos, office files, compressed files, etc.
- Support deleted data recovery with the original filename/format/directory intact.
- Compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7/Server.
Step 1. Run the program > Hover the mouse over the drive saved deleted files before, and click Scan.
Step 2. It supports file sorting and searching using extensions, filenames, and filters.
Step 3. Choose Deleted files > go to the original file location > select what your need > click Recover x files.
Not only deleted data, but this app also helps recover data from formatted hard drive.
How to fix Location is not available on iPhone?
In the first section of this article, we have discussed “what does Location Not Available mean on iPhone”. And now, you could follow the guide to fix this.
Fix 1. Restart your iPhone
Restarting iPhone can be a feasible and useful option when errors occur. Try rebooting it and all the working apps will be ceased. Then retry and see if the “Location Not Available” error has been fixed.
>> Press and hold the Assistive Touch > tap Restart.
Or, press the on/off button > slide to power off > power it on by pressing and holding the on/off button.
Fix 2. Upgrade the iOS software
Sometimes apps go wrong due to old software. Every year Apple releases a new version of the iOS software to fix some known errors and bugs, as well as add new features.
>> Try upgrading your iOS software. Go to iPhone Settings > General > Software Update > Download and install.
Fix 3. Ensure the Date & Time is correct
The Date & Time settings cause location-sharing issues as well. Try to correct it to fix this error.
>> Go to iPhone Settings > General > Date & Time > Set Automatically. Thus you don’t need to set the time manually.
Wrapping up
You could learn “what does Location not available mean?” in this article. Also, the causes of this issue and the corresponding solutions are given with detailed info and explanations.
To solve the problem “Location is not available” on the Windows 10 PC, several means are feasible: reconnecting the external devices, using the CHKDSK command, taking full control, and also recovering deleted specific files.
IPhone users could try rebooting their iPhones, updating the iOS, and also fixing the Date & Time settings.
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