Arc uses your location to show you things nearby — local events, shops, jobs, services and people in your community. This guide explains how it works and how to stay in control of it.
What this feature is
Arc has two kinds of location:
- Your current location — worked out automatically from your internet connection when you use Arc. It's used to show you what's nearby right now. It is never saved to your account; it only lives in your browser for the session.
- Your home location — the city and country you set yourself in Settings. This is the "Based in" that appears on your profile, and it's used as a fallback when your current location can't be detected.
You'll see a small 📍 location button at the top of the screen showing the city you're in.
How to set it up
- Go to Settings → Location.
- Type your home city (for example, "Southall") and your home country (a two-letter code like
GB).
- Decide whether to show your current location to others — this is off by default. When on, your profile can show the city you're currently in.
- Tap Save location settings.
That's it. Your current location is detected automatically — you don't need to turn anything on.
Using it day to day
- Tap the 📍 button at the top to see your current city and your home city.
- Events, Shops, Jobs, Hire and the Nearby page will show things close to you first.
- Your profile shows "Based in [your home city]" so people know where you're from.
- If you've turned on "show current location", people also see "Currently in [city]" when you travel.
Common questions
Does Arc track my exact GPS location?
No. Arc only works out your approximate city from your internet connection, and it is never stored on your account. Precise GPS is never used or saved.
Why does it say I'm using a VPN?
If you connect through a VPN or proxy, Arc can't tell where you really are, so it shows a 🔒 VPN badge instead of a city and uses your home location for local content. This keeps things working and is shown on your profile so others know.
The city shown is wrong — how do I fix it?
Open the 📍 button and type a city into "Override content location", or set it in Settings → Location → Content location override. Arc will use that city for local content instead.
Can I hide my location completely?
Yes. Leave "Show my current location to others" off (it's off by default). Only your chosen home city appears on your profile, and you can leave that blank too.
Troubleshooting
- The location button says "Set location" — Arc couldn't detect your city (common on some networks). Set a home city in Settings, or use the override box.
- My current city isn't updating — the detected location is cached for a few hours per session. Sign out and back in, or set an override to change it immediately.
- I'm on a VPN and want my real city — turn the VPN off, then reopen Arc, or set your city using the override box.
- My profile shows the wrong "Based in" — update your home city in Settings → Location.