How to change the location on your iPad

Change your iPad's location from a Mac or PC

iPadOS has no built-in "fake location" setting. It does have the same developer location service as the iPhone, and Geovo uses it.

1. Download Geovo for Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel) or Windows 10/11. On Windows, install iTunes from apple.com first: it includes Apple's device driver.
2. Plug in the iPad with a cable that carries data, unlock it and tap Trust.
3. Turn on Developer Mode on the iPad: Settings › Privacy & Security › Developer Mode. The iPad restarts once; unlock it and confirm. If the switch is missing, see how to turn on Developer Mode.
4. In Geovo, search for an address or click the map, then click Teleport. Apps on the iPad now read the new position.
5. To move instead of jump, use Drive here, draw a route, steer with the joystick, or import a GPX or KML file.
6. Click Return to Real Location (or Stop) when you're done.

On the iPad itself, with nothing plugged in

Geovo can install its app on the iPad, signed with your own Apple ID, and the app runs natively on iPad (since Geovo 0.2.0), with the bigger screen used for the map. With the free LocalDevVPN helper from the App Store, it changes location on the iPad on its own. As with any app installed with a free Apple ID, you renew it from the computer every 7 days, by cable or over Wi-Fi. The full walkthrough is in changing location without a computer.

Wi-Fi-only iPads

Wi-Fi-only iPads don't have a GPS chip; they estimate their position from nearby Wi-Fi networks. A simulated location doesn't depend on that hardware: iPadOS reports the place you choose to apps through Location Services either way, so Geovo works on Wi-Fi-only and cellular iPads alike.

Requirements

• An iPad on iPadOS 17.4 or later with Developer Mode on.
• A Mac on macOS 13 or later (Apple Silicon or Intel), or a Windows 10/11 PC with iTunes from apple.com.
• Your Apple ID only if you want the app on the iPad; it goes straight to Apple, and the password is never stored.

Full details are on the compatibility page.

What it changes, and what it doesn't

Geovo changes the GPS position that apps on the iPad get from Location Services. It doesn't change the iPad's IP address, time zone or App Store country, so websites and services that locate you by IP still see where you are. Some apps can tell a location is simulated; we explain how in fake GPS on iPhone: what works. Restarting the iPad always brings the real location back.

Price

One Geovo plan covers your computers, iPhones and iPads (Pro works on 2 computers and 2 iPhones or iPads). Free for 30 minutes every day with every feature, after a 10-minute try without an account. Pro is unlimited: $5.99/week, $11.99/month, $24.99 for 3 months, $69.99/year ($5.83/month) or $99.99 once for lifetime. See pricing.

Use it responsibly

Geovo is for lawful use only: testing apps and websites, keeping your exact position private from an app that doesn't need it, demos, travel planning and teaching how location services work. Don't use any location tool to mislead people who rely on your location, or to break the terms of an app or service you've agreed to. Stop simulating whenever your real location matters, for example in an emergency.