How To Change My Location Settings

Apply a VPN
GPS-Changing App
Why Change
Location Settings

We've all had those days when nosotros wanted to teleport to the middle of nowhere. While science hasn't advanced that much (yet), we do take the technology to teleport our virtual selves.

We often rely on our phones' GPS software to give united states accurate weather forecasts, directions to the nearest java shop, or the number of miles we've walked. Only sometimes, there are benefits to changing our GPS location on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps, Snapchat, and more. In this article, we'll explain how you can change your GPS location on your Android device.

How To Alter Your Android Location

Changing a GPS location isn't as piece of cake equally irresolute a Netflix region using general VPN software. That'south because VPN software hides our IP address, which contains some data about our geographical locations. But VPN software doesn't hide our GPS location. If we want to alter our Android's GPS location, we have to purchase and download a VPN with location-changing capabilities. Right now, the just VPN we know of with that capability is Surfshark.1 Read our Surfshark review for more than information about the VPN.

Option 1: Use a VPN.

Surfshark is a safe and unproblematic way to change your phone'due south GPS location. Nosotros like that Surfshark not only masks our locations past hiding our IP addresses, but changes our GPS locations likewise. As far as nosotros know, it'southward the only VPN that offers both services. Here's how to tweak your location on your Android using Surfshark:

How to Change GPS Location With Surfshark

Buy a Surfshark VPN subscription.
Download the Surfshark app from Google Play.
Open the Surfshark app from your Android device.
Open up your Settings menu inside the app.
Toggle on the "Override GPS Location" option.
Select "Allow'due south Get" in the pop-upwards menu.
Select "Open up Settings" in the pop-upwardly menu.
In your Android'southward Settings menu, find and open "Virtually Phone."
Find your Android's build number.
Tap on the build number seven times. You lot will then see a message indicating you lot are in Developer Way.
Reopen the Surfshark app.
Tap the arrow.
Select "Open Settings" again.
Tap on "Select Mock Location App."
Select Surfshark.
Go back to the Surfshark app.
Brand sure the setup is complete past changing your location inside the app.

Option 2: Download a GPS-Irresolute App.

An alternative to Surfshark is to download a mock GPS location app (although we adopt Surfshark because it offers us more comprehensive security on top of its GPS-irresolute software). Hither'south how to change your GPS location if you're downloading an app:

Download a mock GPS location app such as Mock Locationsii or GPS Emulator. Most of the apps in Google Play offer an interactive map that lets you set your own location.
Plough on your phone'south Developer option. The steps you'll demand to take to plow on your telephone'south Developer selection depend on the type of Android you own.iii

Here'south how to turn on Developer Mode for Androids:

Go to Settings.
Tap "About Phone."
If you lot take an Android 8.0.0 or 8.1.0, tap "System."
Find the build number.
Tap the build number seven times. In one case yous accept enabled your Programmer options, you should see a message that says, "You are now a developer."
Go back to Settings.
Tap "Programmer Options."
Tap "Select Mock Location App."
Select your GPS-changing app.
Open your location-changing app and teleport yourself to a dissimilar destination.

REMINDER: Your Android's Programmer mode is difficult to turn on for a reason. We don't recommend downloading a GPS-irresolute app or software unless yous're confident it will protect you. Messing around with your phone in Programmer Mode can irksome downward its programs.

Why Y'all Might Want To Change Your Location

There are enough of benefits and everyday conveniences to keeping our Android'south GPS location accurate, such as checking the conditions or retrieving a lost or stolen phone. Still, people may want to change their Android locations for various other reasons.

Privacy: VPNs hibernate some information about your location by encrypting your IP addresses, simply they don't encrypt or change your GPS locations. That's just not how VPNs work.
Safe: You might want to tweak your location for prophylactic in some extreme cases, such every bit if you're fleeing a domestic violence state of affairs.
Snapchat: You might desire to change your Snapchat location and so you can access location-based filters non available to you in, say, Brooklyn.
Pranks or surprises: If you want to surprise a loved one with a visit habitation, GPS-irresolute is the best mode to do information technology. It's also a neat way to prank your friends into thinking you've crossed oceans for the weekend.
Pokemon Go: This location-based game requires you to explore new places outdoors. Just if the conditions is nasty or you lot want to catch rewards in Phoenix while yous're all the way in New York, y'all technically tin alter your GPS location to play a trick on Pokemon Go into thinking yous're somewhere else. Nevertheless, this is against Pokemon Become'due south policies and puts your account at risk of existence banned. To change your Pokemon Become location without leaving a trace, y'all'll need a VPN service. Learn more in our VPN guide.

MORE INFO: Read our article on the best VPN in 2022 for our recommendations of convenient software that will protect your data and privacy.

How Android Tracks Your Location

While your Android is already equipped with a GPS, which uses satellite signals to determine your location, in that location are a few other ways Android tin rail you (creepy, nosotros know). Here are the other ways your telephone tracks you.

Google Location Services

Google Location Services uses information from nearby Wi-Fi networks, mobile networks, and device sensors to determine your device'southward location on top of your GPS location. This is separate from your device's IP address, which can also contain information nearly your location.

To disable Google Location Services:

Swipe down from the top of the screen.
Bear on and agree the "Location" option.
Tap "Advanced."
Tap "Google Location Accuracy."
Toggle off the "Improve Location Accuracy" option.

Tracking Your IP Address

"IP" stands for "Cyberspace Protocol." Substantially, an IP accost is a device'due south identifying number associated with a specific computer or network of computers. Using your IP accost, computers can runway your approximate location and web action. If you want to remain private online, hiding your IP address is a must.

FYI: If you accept an Android and want to change your GPS location on your phone, nosotros recommend Surfshark, which is the just VPN for Androids (every bit far as nosotros know) with GPS-changing capabilities. Read our article to learn how to set up up a VPN on an Android.

Changing Your Location Settings

Your Android'due south settings control whether device sensors (like GPS) or network-based locations (like Google Location Services) track your whereabouts. Your settings too control which apps have access to that location data. However, your settings don't control how websites and apps estimate your location using your IP address. To control how your Android tracks your location, toggle your phone's location settings.

How To Plough Off Location on Android

Tap "Settings."
Tap "Location."
Toggle the Location switch off and Location Mode volition plough off, no longer using GPS signals.

How To Better Your Location Accuracy

Tap "Settings."
Tap "Location."
Toggle the Location switch on.
Tap "Mode" or "Locating Method."
Tap ane of the following:
- High Accurateness: This mode uses the most battery, estimating your location through GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks.
- Power Saving / Battery Saving: This setting uses Wi-Fi and mobile networks solely to estimate location, requiring the least battery life.
- GPS But / Device Only / Device Sensors: This option uses your GPS location simply. It falls between the High Accuracy and the Ability Saving options in the battery amount it uses.4

How To Plough Emergency Location Services On or Off

If your phone'southward Emergency Location Services (ELS) is turned on, information technology will use Google Location Services and other data to track your location later an emergency 911 call. When your phone scans for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth devices in the background, it'south collecting information about your location to use in an emergency. Hither'due south how to plough your Emergency Location Services on or off:

Tap "Settings."
Tap "Location."
Tap "Advanced."
Select "Emergency Location Service."
Toggle the Emergency Location Service option on or off.

TIP: Nosotros recommend leaving your phone's Emergency Location Services on. Your phone only uses ELS when yous phone call or text an emergency number. Your Android sends your location to emergency partners straight, not to Google, in the example of an emergency.

Recap

If you're interested in changing your GPS location, you have options. You can modify your location settings on your Android, modify your location settings within certain apps, or download software that lets you change your location. Whether you lot desire to surprise a loved i, take hold of 'em all in Pokemon Go, or protect your privacy, you tin modify your Android'due south GPS location in a few simple steps.

FAQs

There's a lot to learn when information technology comes to location tracking on your Android. Here are some ofttimes asked questions.

How practise I undo my mock location settings on an Android?
You can undo your mock location settings if you've downloaded a GPS-irresolute app for your Android. Hither'southward how:
1. Open Settings.
2. Tap "Developer Options."
3. Toggle off the "Let Mock Locations" selection.
Is it prophylactic to turn on Developer Style on my Android?
It is safe to plow on Programmer Mode on your Android. However, Android hides this setting for a reason. If you toggle the incorrect tool within the Developer carte, you could impact your phone'due south performance. In sum, don't play around with the Developer tools unless you know exactly what you are doing.
Is it illegal to alter my GPS location?
It is not illegal to change your GPS location using a VPN in the U.S. unless y'all are using the tweaked location to accomplish a offense.
Tin can VPN software change my GPS location?
Some VPN software tin modify your GPS location. The only VPN we've tested that can change your GPS location is Surfshark, and information technology only works on Android phones. Other VPNs can change your location using IP addresses, but not GPS addresses; Surfshark tin can do both.