Whether you want to hide your real location from some apps that track it or just want to gain access to a service using a different location, it’s possible to fake your GPS location on your phone. This is called GPS spoofing and works on both Android and iPhone mobile devices. The idea is to replace data obtained through GPS satellites with custom location information. It’s also important to manage this operation without the phone detecting the spoofing.
How to fake a GPS location on Android
1. Download a specialized app
If you’re using an Android mobile device, the easiest way to manage GPS spoofing is by downloading a fake location app. There are lots of options available in the Play Store, some more reliable than others. We recommend trying out Fake GPS Location which is better rated than its competitors. However, go ahead and search for a different one if this one doesn’t work for you. There are lots of free GPS spoofing apps to consider.
2. Enable developer options
Developer options should be unlocked to ensure proper functionality for your fake GPS app. Go to Settings on your phone and scroll down to System > About. You will find a bunch of info regarding your Android phone. Tap on Build number where developer options can be enabled. After a security check, you can access the new Develop options item.
3. Select mock location app
When you’re into the Developer options menu, find the GPS spoofing app and make sure it’s picked as an option. You should now be ready to open the app and start faking your location data.
4. Spoof your GPS location
Go to the Fake GPS location app that you use and set the desired location. You can either do this by placing a pin wherever you prefer or more precisely by entering a specific address. Tap the “Go” button to start spoofing the location. Now you should be ready to try the fake GPS location to see whether it works for your intended use. Keep in mind that some apps will still detect mock GPS data.
How to fake a GPS location on iPhone
While Android users can just quickly download an app and start spoofing their location, the same cannot be said for iPhone devices. There’s no reliable fake GPS location app to try but you can get a set of tools in the form of a desktop application that includes a feature called VirtualLocation for creating a mock GPS location on an iPhone.
1. Download 3uTools for Windows systems while the iPhone is connected to the PC
2. Find the Toolbox section and select VirtualLocation
3. Choose your desired spoofed location on the map
4. Click “Modify virtual location”
Your GPS location is now spoofed but you can restart the device to go back to real location data if you wish to stop the spoofing. 3uTools is a great software for this purpose but other solutions exist as well. iTools is another recommended option that achieves a similar purpose. However, it has some limitations and only works for a little while on a free trial.