Significant Locations
Definition
An iOS feature that records frequently visited places using a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell data. Stored in an encrypted SQLite database in the com.apple.routined directory. Requires a full file-system acquisition and the device passcode or a hardware decryption bypass to access.
- Platform
- iOS
- Data sources combined
- GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell data
- Storage
- Encrypted SQLite database in the com.apple.routined directory
- Access requirement
- Full file-system acquisition plus device passcode or hardware decryption bypass
Common questions
Why can't Significant Locations data be pulled from a standard logical or backup-level extraction?+
The database lives in a protected part of the file system that a logical extraction or an iTunes/Finder-style encrypted backup does not expose, so recovering it requires either a full file-system extraction using a jailbreak or exploit-based tool, or a hardware-level bypass that grants access to the underlying encrypted storage.
What does Significant Locations data show that ordinary GPS location logs from apps might not?+
It aggregates frequently visited places system-wide across all the location signals iOS collects, building patterns of routine movement such as home, work, and regularly revisited addresses, rather than reflecting the location activity of any single app, which makes it useful for establishing a device holder's habitual movement pattern.
Related terms
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- GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)
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- Tower Dump
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- Wi-Fi Probe Request
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