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VishalSanap08
Level 1.5: Cupcake
January 29, 2026
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ChromeOS 144 Regression Third Party Apps Unable to Access Location

  • January 29, 2026
  • 1 reply
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Hello, we have observed a regression in location tracking for third party applications after updating ChromeOS on HP Chromebook G1m 11 inch. Device details are ChromeOS version 144.0.7559.108 with previous working version 131.x on the stable channel. After upgrading from version 131 to 144.0.7559.108, third party applications are no longer able to detect or receive location data while Google Maps continues to report the correct location. This behavior was working as expected prior to the OS update, which indicates a possible regression or policy change introduced in ChromeOS 144 affecting third party application access to location services. Thanks Vishal

Best answer by Lynda

Hi @VishalSanap08 thanks for reaching out,

 

It appears that the update to ChromeOS 144 introduced several security and privacy enhancements that may be impacting how third-party applications interact with system-level permissions like location services.

 

According to the Chrome Enterprise release notes for version 144, there are two specific changes that might be relevant to this regression:

 

  1. Preference Protection and Encryption: Chrome 144 now includes more aggressive measures to protect "sensitive preferences." If the system detects that a preference has been modified by unauthorized means, it may automatically reset it to the default value. It is possible that third-party app permissions are being flagged or reset under this new security logic.
  2. Privacy Sandbox API Deprecation: This version begins the deprecation of several Privacy Sandbox APIs (such as Topics and Protected Audience). If these third-party applications rely on these specific APIs for data retrieval, it could explain the loss of functionality while Google-native apps like Maps remain unaffected.

Suggested Resolution Steps:

 

  • Verify Policy Settings: Check if the or specific policies have been affected or need to be explicitly defined for these third-party origins in the Admin Console.
  • Reset App Permissions: Manually toggle the location permissions for one of the affected apps within the ChromeOS settings to see if re-authorizing them bypasses the new protection reset.
  • Check for Isolated Web App (IWA) Updates: If these are web-based applications, ensure they are compatible with the new requirements introduced in this version.

For a full breakdown of the architectural changes, please review the Chrome Enterprise Release Notes (Version 144).

1 reply

Lynda
LyndaAnswer
Community Manager
January 30, 2026

Hi @VishalSanap08 thanks for reaching out,

 

It appears that the update to ChromeOS 144 introduced several security and privacy enhancements that may be impacting how third-party applications interact with system-level permissions like location services.

 

According to the Chrome Enterprise release notes for version 144, there are two specific changes that might be relevant to this regression:

 

  1. Preference Protection and Encryption: Chrome 144 now includes more aggressive measures to protect "sensitive preferences." If the system detects that a preference has been modified by unauthorized means, it may automatically reset it to the default value. It is possible that third-party app permissions are being flagged or reset under this new security logic.
  2. Privacy Sandbox API Deprecation: This version begins the deprecation of several Privacy Sandbox APIs (such as Topics and Protected Audience). If these third-party applications rely on these specific APIs for data retrieval, it could explain the loss of functionality while Google-native apps like Maps remain unaffected.

Suggested Resolution Steps:

 

  • Verify Policy Settings: Check if the or specific policies have been affected or need to be explicitly defined for these third-party origins in the Admin Console.
  • Reset App Permissions: Manually toggle the location permissions for one of the affected apps within the ChromeOS settings to see if re-authorizing them bypasses the new protection reset.
  • Check for Isolated Web App (IWA) Updates: If these are web-based applications, ensure they are compatible with the new requirements introduced in this version.

For a full breakdown of the architectural changes, please review the Chrome Enterprise Release Notes (Version 144).

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