The quickest way to change your location
On most phones, you can change what location apps see by turning off location services entirely, using a fake location app, or adjusting permissions for individual apps. The simplest method is to go to your phone's settings, find Location (on Android) or Privacy > Location Services (on iPhone), and either turn it off completely or change which apps can access your real location.
If you want apps to work but hide your actual location, you have two main paths: use your phone's built-in privacy settings to block location access, or install a fake location app that spoofs your GPS coordinates. The first method is safer because it keeps control within your phone's operating system. The second method works but introduces a third-party app into your location data chain.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and toggle off the switch, or turn off location for specific apps by scrolling down the list.
- On Android, go to Settings > Location and toggle the Location switch off, or tap App Permissions to control which apps see your location.
- Turning off location services entirely stops GPS, maps, and weather from working accurately, so most people instead block location for specific apps they don't trust.
- Fake location apps can spoof your GPS to show you somewhere you're not, but they require you to install a third-party tool and may violate terms of service for some apps.
- Some apps will still estimate your location using your IP address or cell tower data even if you deny GPS access, though this is much less precise.
Turning off location services on iPhone
Open Settings and tap Privacy. Then tap Location Services. You'll see a toggle at the top — turn it off to disable location for all apps at once. This stops your iPhone from using GPS, cell towers, or Wi-Fi networks to pinpoint where you are.
If you want to keep location on for maps or weather but block it for other apps, leave the toggle on and scroll down the list. You'll see every app that has ever asked for location. Tap each one and choose "Never" or "Don't Allow" to block it. You can also choose "Allow Once" if you want an app to know your location just one time, or "While Using" if you only want it to work when the app is open on your screen.
iPhone also has a privacy indicator — a small arrow appears in the status bar whenever an app is actively using your location. Watch for this to see which apps are checking where you are.
Turning off location services on Android
Open Settings and tap Location. You'll see a toggle at the top — turn it off to disable location for all apps. This works the same way as iPhone: it stops your phone from using GPS and network data to figure out where you are.
To block location for some apps but not others, leave the toggle on and tap App Permissions or App-level Permissions (the exact name varies by phone maker). You'll see a list of apps. Tap each one and choose "Don't allow" to block location access. Some Android phones also let you choose "Allow only while using the app," which means the app can see your location only when it's open and running.
On some Android phones, you can also tap Location Services and choose between "High accuracy" (uses GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell towers), "Battery saving" (uses Wi-Fi and cell towers only), and "Device only" (GPS only). Switching to Battery Saving or Device Only can reduce how much location data your phone shares with apps and networks.
What happens when you block location for an app
When you deny an app access to your location, it can no longer see your GPS coordinates. However, some apps will still try to guess where you are using your IP address (the number your internet provider assigns to your connection) or by checking which cell tower your phone is connected to. These methods are much less accurate — they might pinpoint you to a city or neighborhood but not a street address.
Some apps will also ask you to enter your location manually. A weather app, for example, might ask you to type in your zip code instead of reading it from GPS. This is actually a sign that the app respects your privacy choice — it's asking permission rather than finding another way to track you.
A few apps will refuse to work if you deny location access. This is rare, but it happens with some navigation apps or location-based games. If an app won't function without location, you have to decide whether you trust it enough to turn location on for it.
Using a fake location app to spoof your GPS
A fake location app (sometimes called a GPS spoofer) tricks your phone into reporting a different location than where you actually are. Apps like Fake GPS Location (Android) or similar tools let you pick a spot on a map and make your phone claim to be there instead.
To use one on Android, download the app from the Google Play Store, open it, select a fake location on the map, and tap Start. Then go back to Settings > Location and make sure Location is on. The fake location app will now feed false coordinates to other apps.
On iPhone, fake location apps are much harder to use because Apple restricts how much control third-party apps have over GPS. You would need to use a computer and specialized tools like Xcode to spoof your location, which is beyond what most people want to do.
Be aware that using a fake location app may violate the terms of service for some apps — particularly banking apps, ride-sharing services, or games that depend on knowing your real location. Some services actively detect spoofing and may lock your account or ban you.
Why you might want to hide your location
The most common reason is privacy. Apps collect location data to build profiles of where you go, what stores you visit, and what your habits are. This data is often sold to advertisers or data brokers. Blocking location access means fewer companies know your movements.
Another reason is battery life. GPS drains your phone's battery faster than almost any other feature. Turning off location services or switching to Battery Saving mode on Android can extend how long your phone lasts between charges.
Some people block location for specific apps because they don't trust them. A flashlight app, for example, has no legitimate reason to know where you are, yet many ask for location permission anyway. Denying it costs you nothing.
Location data and your IP address
Even if you turn off location services completely, websites and apps can still see your approximate location through your IP address. Your internet service provider assigns this number to your connection, and it's tied to a geographic region — usually accurate to a city or zip code.
Blocking GPS location does not hide your IP address. If you want to hide that too, you would need to use a VPN (virtual private network), which routes your internet traffic through a server in a different location and masks your IP. This is a separate step from turning off GPS location.
Your phone's cell tower connection can also reveal your location to your mobile carrier and to apps that have permission to read your phone's cell signal. Turning off location services does not prevent this — only turning off cellular data or airplane mode would.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off location break my maps or weather app?
Yes. Maps needs GPS to show you where you are and give you directions. Weather apps need location to show you the forecast for your area. If you turn off location entirely, you'll have to enter your location manually in these apps, or they won't work properly. Most people instead block location for apps they don't trust while leaving it on for maps and weather.
Can my phone company see my location even if I turn off GPS?
Yes. Your mobile carrier knows which cell tower your phone is connected to, which reveals your approximate location. Turning off GPS location services does not hide this. Only turning off cellular service or using airplane mode would prevent your carrier from knowing where you are.
Do fake location apps work with all apps?
No. Banking apps, ride-sharing services, and some games actively detect fake locations and may refuse to work or lock your account. Fake location apps work best with apps that don't have strong anti-spoofing protections, but using them may violate terms of service.
If I block location for an app, can it still track me another way?
It can try. Apps can estimate your location using your IP address or cell tower data, but both are much less accurate than GPS. Some apps will also ask you to enter your location manually. Blocking GPS location significantly reduces tracking, but it doesn't eliminate all ways an app could guess where you are.
Does location services use a lot of battery?
GPS uses significant battery power, especially if multiple apps are using it at once. On Android, switching to Battery Saving mode instead of High Accuracy reduces battery drain by using Wi-Fi and cell towers instead of GPS. On iPhone, you can't change the accuracy mode, but turning off location for apps you don't need it for will help battery life.