Where Google gets your location and how to change it

Google determines your location in three ways: GPS on your phone, your IP address, and location history you've saved. To change what Google thinks your location is, you need to know which method it's using. On a phone, GPS is most accurate. On a computer, Google uses your IP address, which shows your internet provider's location rather than where you actually are. You can't change your IP address directly, but you can change the location Google displays in Maps and Search results.

The fastest way to change your location is to enter a different address into Google Maps or Search manually. When you type a city name or address into the search box, Google shows results for that location instead of your current one. This change lasts only for that search session — the next time you open Maps or Search, it reverts to your actual location.

If you want a more permanent change, you can turn off location services on your phone, disable location history, or adjust your Google Account settings. Each method works differently depending on whether you're using an Android phone, iPhone, or computer.

Key Takeaways

  • Typing a city or address into Google Maps or Search shows results for that location without changing your actual location data.
  • On Android, you can turn off location services entirely in Settings, or disable "Google Location Accuracy" to stop Google from pinpointing your position.
  • On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and toggle off location access for Google Maps or Google Search.
  • Your Google Account stores a location history — you can view and delete specific locations from your Google Account dashboard.
  • Changing your location on one device does not change it on other devices signed into the same Google Account.

How to change location in Google Maps on Android

Open Google Maps and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Tap "Settings," then scroll down to "Location" and tap it. You'll see three options: "Location On," "Location Off," and "Improve Location Accuracy." Tap "Location Off" to stop Google Maps from using your GPS position. The app will still work, but it won't show your blue dot on the map or use your location for directions.

If you want to keep location on but stop Google from using GPS specifically, tap "Improve Location Accuracy" and toggle off "Google Location Accuracy." This tells Google not to use GPS, Bluetooth, and nearby Wi-Fi networks to pinpoint you — it will rely only on your IP address, which is less precise. You can still search for a specific address or city in Maps, and results will show for that location instead.

To delete your location history on Android, open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, and tap "Location settings." Tap "Location history" and then "Manage all Location History." You'll see a timeline of places you've been. Tap the trash icon next to any date or location to delete it, or select a date range and delete everything from that period.

How to change location in Google Maps on iPhone

Open the Settings app and scroll down to find Google Maps. Tap it, then tap "Location." You'll see four options: "Never," "Ask Next Time," "While Using the App," and "Always." Select "Never" to turn off location access for Google Maps entirely. The app will still open and work, but it won't know where you are.

If you want to keep Maps partly functional, select "While Using the App" instead. This lets Maps use your location only when the app is open, and stops it from tracking your location in the background. When you close the app, Google stops recording your position.

To manage your location history on iPhone, open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, go to "Settings," and tap "Location settings." Tap "Location history" and then "Manage all Location History." You can delete locations by date or select specific places from the timeline and tap the trash icon.

How to change location on Google Search and Google.com

On any device, you can change what location Google Search uses by typing a city name or address into the search box. Type "weather in Denver" or "restaurants near Boston" and Google shows results for that city, not your current location. This works on phones, tablets, and computers.

To make this change permanent in Google Search, open Google.com on a computer and click your profile picture in the top right. Click "Settings," then click "Search settings." Scroll down to "Location" and select "Change location." Type the city or region you want, then click "Save." From then on, Google Search will show results for that location by default, even if your actual location is different.

On a phone, you can't set a permanent location in Google Search settings the same way. Instead, each search defaults to your current location. To search for a different location, type the city name into the search box before your search term — for example, "Seattle coffee shops" instead of just "coffee shops."

Understanding Google Location History and how to turn it off

Google Location History is a separate feature from your current location. It's a timeline of everywhere you've been that Google stores in your Google Account. Location History is off by default on new Android phones, but it may be on if you've used Google Maps or other Google services for a while. On iPhone, Google doesn't store location history the same way — it only keeps your location while you're actively using an app.

To turn off Location History on Android, open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, go to Settings, and tap "Location settings." Tap "Location history" and toggle it off. You'll see a message asking if you want to delete your existing history — you can choose to keep it or delete it. Once you turn it off, Google stops recording where you go.

To view what Google has recorded, go to myactivity.google.com on any device. Click "Location" on the left side to see a map and timeline of places Google has tracked. You can delete individual locations, entire days, or all your location history from this page. Deleting from here does not turn off Location History — you still need to toggle it off in Maps settings.

Why Google might not show your correct location

If Google Maps shows you in the wrong place, the most common reason is that your phone's GPS isn't getting a strong signal. GPS works best outdoors with a clear view of the sky. If you're indoors or in a city with tall buildings, GPS can be off by several blocks. Restarting your phone or closing and reopening Google Maps often fixes this.

Another reason is that your phone's location services are turned off. Check your phone's Settings app — on Android, go to Location and make sure it's on; on iPhone, go to Privacy > Location Services and make sure it's on. If location services are off, Google can only guess your location based on your IP address, which may be inaccurate.

If you're using a VPN or proxy service, Google will show your location as wherever that service says you are, not where you actually are. Turning off your VPN usually fixes this. Some people use VPNs intentionally to change their location — if that's your goal, this is how it works, but be aware that some websites and services may not work properly when your location appears to be somewhere else.

Changing location on Google services beyond Maps

Google Search, Google News, and Google Shopping all use your location to show relevant results. You can change your location in Google Search settings as described above. For Google News, open the Google News app, tap your profile picture, go to "Settings," and tap "Edition and language." Select a different country or region. Google News will then show news from that location.

For Google Shopping, the location change is less direct. Google Shopping uses your current location or the location you set in Google Search. If you want to see prices and products available in a different region, change your location in Google Search settings first, then search on Google Shopping.

Keep in mind that changing your location in one Google service doesn't automatically change it in others. If you change your location in Google Search but not in Google Maps, Maps will still use your actual location. You may need to adjust settings in each app or service separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Google think I'm in a different country?

Yes, by changing your location in Google Search settings on a computer. Go to Google.com, click your profile picture, click Settings, click Search settings, scroll to Location, and select a different country. Google Search will then show results for that country. However, this doesn't change your location in Google Maps or other services — you need to adjust each one separately.

Does turning off location services stop Google from tracking me?

Turning off location services stops Google from using your GPS position, but Google can still see your IP address and may store information about your activity. To fully stop Google from tracking, you would also need to turn off Location History in your Google Account settings and limit what data Google collects. Turning off location services is the most effective step for Maps and Search specifically.

Will changing my location on my phone affect my location on my computer?

No. Each device has its own location settings. If you turn off location on your Android phone, Google Maps on your computer will still use your IP address to show your location. You need to change location settings on each device separately. However, if you change your location in Google Search settings on a computer, that setting applies to Google Search on all your devices signed into that Google Account.

What happens if I delete my location history?

Deleting your location history removes the timeline of places Google has recorded in your Google Account. This doesn't affect your current location — Google will still know where you are right now based on GPS or IP address. Deleting history only removes the past record. If you want to stop Google from recording future locations, you need to turn off Location History in your settings.

Can I change my location without turning off location services?

Yes. You can keep location services on and simply type a different address or city into Google Maps or Search. This shows results for that location without changing your actual location data. Your phone still knows where you are, but Google displays information for the place you typed in. This is temporary — the next search defaults back to your actual location.