iPhone settings
Can you change your location in iPhone Settings?
Updated · By the Geovo team
No. iOS has no setting that moves your iPhone's GPS position. Settings can turn Location Services off, make it approximate for an app, change your region format, your App Store country, or (with iCloud Private Relay) how precisely websites can place your IP address, but apps that use GPS still see where you really are. Moving GPS takes Apple's developer location service, through Xcode or a tool like Geovo.
Which iPhone settings sound like "location", and what do they really change?
Several settings mention region or location, but none of them moves the GPS position apps receive. The table shows where each one is and what it does. Menu names are from iOS 18 and later; on older versions, app settings sit directly in Settings instead of under Apps.
| Setting | Where | What it changes | Moves GPS? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Settings › General › Language & Region | Date, number and currency formats, and some regional defaults | No |
| App Store country | Settings › your name › Media & Purchases | Which App Store and media catalogue your account uses. Needs a payment method from that country and may require cancelling subscriptions first | No |
| Location Services | Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services | Whether each app may use your location at all (Never, Ask, While Using, Always) | No, it only stops sharing |
| Precise Location | Location Services › an app | That app gets an approximate area instead of your exact spot | No, it blurs it |
| Time Zone | Settings › General › Date & Time | The clock | No |
| iCloud Private Relay | Settings › your name › iCloud › Private Relay | Hides your IP address in Safari; "IP Address Location" keeps a general location or only country and time zone (iCloud+) | No, IP only |
| Safari location | Settings › Apps › Safari › Location | Whether websites may ask for your location | No |
Why doesn't the iPhone have a fake-location switch?
Android has a "Select mock location app" option in its Developer options. iOS doesn't, by design: Apple keeps location simulation inside its developer tools, behind Developer Mode, so it can't be switched on by accident or by an ordinary app. That's also why no App Store app can change the location other apps see. More: how location simulation works.
So how do you change the GPS location?
Use a tool that talks to Apple's developer location service. Developers can use Xcode on a Mac. For a map, search and routes on Mac or Windows, here's Geovo:
- Download Geovo for Mac or Windows 10/11. On Windows, install iTunes from apple.com first for Apple's iPhone driver.
- Plug in the iPhone, unlock it and tap Trust.
- Turn on Developer Mode: Settings › Privacy & Security › Developer Mode, then restart and tap Turn On. (Missing switch?)
- Search for an address or tap the map, then click Teleport. Every app on the iPhone now sees that place.
- Click Return to Real Location when you're done, or restart the iPhone.
To do it on the iPhone with nothing plugged in, install Geovo's iPhone app once from the computer: change location without a computer.
Can you change the location for just one app?
No. A simulated location applies to the whole iPhone while it's on. For a single app, the settings above are the tools: set the app to Never, or turn off Precise Location so it only gets your general area. Many apps also let you pick a city by hand, such as adding a city in Weather or searching an address in Maps, which is often all you need.
Does changing Region or App Store country change what apps show near me?
Not for apps that use GPS. "Near me" results, maps and local weather come from Location Services, so they follow your real position (or a simulated one). Region changes formats; App Store country changes the store and its catalogue. Websites that locate you by IP follow your network, not either setting. More: VPN vs location changer.
Price
Try Geovo free for 15 minutes with a free account (email code, no password, no card). Pro is unlimited: $6.99/week, $12.99/month, $29.99 for 3 months, $79.99/year ($6.67/month) or $129.99 once for lifetime, on 2 computers and 2 iPhones. 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.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I change my location in iPhone Settings?
- No. No setting moves the GPS position apps receive. Settings can stop or blur location sharing per app, change your Region format or App Store country, but changing GPS needs Apple's developer location service, through Xcode or a tool like Geovo.
- Does changing Region on iPhone change my location?
- No. Region (Settings › General › Language & Region) changes date, number and currency formats and some defaults. Apps that use GPS still see where you are.
- Does changing my App Store country change my GPS location?
- No. It changes which App Store and media catalogue your Apple Account uses. It needs a payment method from that country and doesn't move your GPS.
- Can I change my iPhone's location without installing anything?
- Not the GPS position. You can limit or turn off location sharing in Settings, or pick a city by hand inside apps, but moving GPS takes Xcode or a location tool and Developer Mode.
- Can I change the location for only one app?
- No. A simulated location applies to the whole iPhone. For one app, set its location access to Never or turn off Precise Location in Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services.
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