PositionSource Enum

Definition

Namespace:

Windows.Devices.Geolocation

Indicates the source used to obtain a Geocoordinate.

public enum class PositionSource

/// [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract, 65536)]
enum class PositionSource

[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.ContractVersion(typeof(Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract), 65536)]
public enum PositionSource

var value = Windows.Devices.Geolocation.PositionSource.cellular

Public Enum PositionSource

Inheritance

Enum

PositionSource

Attributes

ContractVersionAttribute

Windows requirements

Requirements	Description
Device family	Windows 10 (introduced in 10.0.10240.0)
API contract	Windows.Foundation.UniversalApiContract (introduced in v1.0)
App capabilities	location

Fields

Name	Value	Description
Cellular	0	The position was obtained from cellular network data.
Satellite	1	The position was obtained from satellite data.
WiFi	2	The position was obtained from Wi-Fi network data.
IPAddress	3	The position was obtained from an IP address.
Unknown	4	The position was obtained from an unknown source.
Default	5	The position was obtained from the user's manually-set location.
Obfuscated	6	The position was obtained via the coarse location feature and was therefore intentionally made inaccurate to a degree.

Remarks

The PositionSource value helps applications understand the characteristics and reliability of location data. Different sources have different accuracy profiles and power consumption implications.

Note

The position source reflects the provider currently delivering location data. The system selects a single provider based on availability, cost, accuracy, and reliability, and may switch to a different source if conditions change.

Source characteristics

Different location sources have varying characteristics for accuracy, acquisition time, and power consumption. For detailed accuracy expectations, see the Windows.Devices.Geolocation namespace overview.

• Satellite: Provides the highest accuracy outdoors but requires a clear sky view. Initial acquisition may take 30+ seconds for a cold start, but it provides the most precise positioning once established.
• WiFi: Provides good accuracy in urban areas with dense WiFi networks. It delivers fast acquisition times and works well indoors where WiFi access point databases are comprehensive.
• Cellular: Offers moderate accuracy depending on cell tower density. It is generally available wherever cellular service exists.
• IPAddress: Offers broad area accuracy at the city or region level. It provides instant acquisition but limited precision, so apps often use it as a fallback or for initial rough positioning.
• Default: Represents the user's manually configured location. Accuracy depends entirely on user input and may not reflect the current physical location.
• Obfuscated: Provides intentionally reduced accuracy to protect privacy. The system uses it when applications request coarse location to preserve user privacy while still providing general area information.

Performance and power considerations

• Satellite positioning provides the highest accuracy but consumes more power and requires more time for initial positioning.
• Network-based positioning (WiFi, Cellular, IPAddress) typically offers faster acquisition with lower power consumption but variable accuracy.
• The platform chooses one provider at a time and falls back to alternate sources if the current provider can't deliver a fix or degrades unexpectedly.

Version history

Windows version	SDK version	Value added
8.1	9600	IPAddress
8.1	9600	Unknown
1607	14393	Default
1607	14393	Obfuscated

See also

• Geocoordinate
• Geolocator