Starlink Limits Access to GPS Data: What Will Change for Users Starting May 20

Starlink will disable the feature for determining the precise GPS location of a satellite antenna via the local gRPC API interface starting May 20, 2026.

The company announced this in a newsletter to its customers, reports ISPreview, citing PC Mag, Reddit, and software developers.

Previously, access to this data required a special program built into the terminal, which the user had to activate manually.

Access is now being restricted for security reasons, as the technology allowed third-party devices to read coordinates by bypassing system permissions.

This made it possible to automatically track the movement of equipment on vehicles or ships without the need to install additional sensors.

This move by SpaceX will protect the privacy of corporate and military clients. Until now, any device connected to the network could discreetly obtain the exact location of the antenna owner.

As a reminder, Russian troops in Ukraine continue to use the internet thanks to Starlink, despite the blocking of terminals. It turns out that advertisements from sellers of such devices are actively circulating on Telegram channels.