My geolocation is off, says im in Japan when im in Australia,

Question

My geolocation is off, says im in Japan when im in Australia,

Kade Elkington 0

Only happened recently, I've tried lenovo tech support, all the suggestions that AI was giving me and none of it helped. My ip address is accurate but my computer thinks i'm in Japan in its browsers and itself. On some networks my location is accurate but on my home wifi my location if off, other comptuers that my family have are fine and dont have this issue. Occasionally it says im located in Canada but the majortiy of the time it says okegawa Japan.

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Answer 1

Xavier-D 12,855 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Kade Elkington

Thanks for providing those details.

The fact that your IP address shows the correct location, while the incorrect location mainly occurs on your home Wi-Fi, is useful. Could you clarify a few things so we can narrow down where the incorrect location is coming from?

Are you using Windows 10 or Windows 11, and what version/build is installed?
Is this a laptop or desktop?
When the problem occurs, does Microsoft/Bing Maps also place you in Okegawa, Japan?
Which browsers show the incorrect location, for example Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or all of them?
If you connect this same computer to a mobile hotspot, does Maps/browser geolocation immediately show your correct location in Australia?
Are you using any VPN, proxy, third-party antivirus/security software, or DNS/privacy service?
In Settings > Privacy & security > Location, is Location services turned on?

Please let us know the results, particularly questions 3 and 5. That should help distinguish whether this is related to Windows location services, the browser, or something associated with the network/location data being detected on the home connection.

Feel free reply back to this post and update me on this issue, I'll be happy to help.

Kade Elkington 0 Reputation points

2026-09-11T07:38:29.83+00:00
Windows 11,

New laptop,

3/4 Microsoft, Bing, google, edge, autolocation services all say Japan

5.When i connect to my mobile hotspot at my house it still says Japan but when im at my Uni it reads correctly, i think it still uses the network to help locate itself even when on Mobile hotspot, we use starlink fyi

6.Im not using any VPNS, proxy, antivirus sectuirty or DNS

7.Location services are turned on

Thank you for replying.
Xavier-D 12,855 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-11T07:51:17.2333333+00:00
Hi

Thank you for the swift respond, this helps narrow the issue down considerably.

Since the same Windows 11 laptop detects your location correctly when you are at your university, but Microsoft/Bing, Google, Edge, and automatic location services report Japan when you are at home, this appears to be related to the location information Windows is obtaining from the network environment around your home rather than simply your Windows region setting.

Microsoft explains that Windows Location Services can determine a device's location using several sources, including nearby Wi-Fi access points, IP address information, and GPS when available. This also explains why an IP-address lookup showing Australia does not necessarily mean Windows Location Services will choose the same location.

For reference refer here: Windows location service and privacy

The fact that you use Starlink is therefore an important detail, but there is one more test that could help isolate the source:

At home, temporarily turn Wi-Fi off completely on the laptop.

Connect to your phone's hotspot using USB tethering, if your phone supports it, rather than Wi-Fi.

Open Bing Maps or another service that requests your precise location and check where it places you.

Could you let us know whether it still detects Japan under those conditions?

If it changes to Australia, that would point us more specifically toward Wi-Fi/network-derived location data around your home. If it still reports Japan, we can investigate the Windows location data on the laptop itself next.
Kade Elkington 0 Reputation points

2026-09-15T01:59:19.0633333+00:00

Hi, sorry for the late response been pretty busy lately.

When i connect my phone using cable and turn wifi fully off my laptop recoginses my location accuratly now.
Xavier-D 12,855 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-09-15T05:57:20.1866667+00:00

Hi Kade Elkington

Thanks for confirming.

That result shows the laptop’s location service is working correctly, and the incorrect location is associated with your home Wi-Fi environment. Since USB tethering now detects Australia correctly, you can continue using that as a workaround.

You can continue using USB tethering as a workaround. You may also report the incorrect Wi-Fi location through the Windows Feedback Hub.

Have a nice day