Explainer
How long does a changed location last on iPhone?
Updated · By the Geovo team
Until something ends it. A simulated location lasts as long as the tool that set it keeps its connection to the iPhone, and ends when you tap Return to Real Location, restart the iPhone, or a timer you set runs out. Geovo's iPhone app is built to hold it all day; the app itself needs renewing every 7 days.
| Situation | How long it lasts |
|---|---|
| Geovo on a computer, by cable | While the cable is in and the computer is awake |
| Geovo on a computer, over Wi-Fi | While the iPhone and the computer stay on the same Wi-Fi |
| Geovo's iPhone app | All day: it reconnects within seconds after a drop and puts the location back if iOS closes it |
| You restart the iPhone | It ends at once, whatever tool set it |
| Auto-stop (computer) or Killswitch (iPhone) | Exactly the time you set |
| Geovo's free trial | 15 minutes in total, once per person |
| Geovo Pro with no internet | Keeps working offline for up to 7 days |
| The iPhone app's install | 7 days (Apple's rule for a free Apple ID), then Renew |
| Xcode | While Xcode runs your app's debugging session |
Does a changed location stay after a restart?
No. Restarting the iPhone always clears a simulated location, whichever tool set it, and real GPS comes back. That's why a restart is the universal "undo". With Geovo's iPhone app, open Geovo after the restart and start again; with a computer, plug in (or use Wi-Fi) and teleport again.
Does it stay when the iPhone is locked or in my pocket?
With Geovo's iPhone app, yes, if you leave Geovo in the background (don't swipe it away), allow its location access Always and keep LocalDevVPN on. It reconnects by itself after a drop, and its Connection Log shows what happened. From a computer, it lasts while the computer can reach the iPhone. Fixes for drops: location keeps resetting.
What happens if the app holding it closes?
It depends on how it ended. A simulated location lives in iOS, so after a force-quit or a pulled cable iOS can keep reporting the last simulated point until a tool tells it to stop or the iPhone restarts. Open Geovo and tap Return to Real Location, or restart. More: location stuck? Get it back.
How long does Geovo's free trial last?
15 minutes of simulation, once per person (account, device and email), with a free account and no card. It's counted online, so the trial needs the internet; when it runs out, Geovo returns the iPhone to its real location by itself. Pro is unlimited from $6.99 a week and keeps working offline for up to 7 days.
Why does the iPhone app need renewing every 7 days?
Apple signs apps installed with a free Apple ID for 7 days. When that runs out the app won't open, so it can't hold a location. Renew from the computer in about a minute, by cable or over Wi-Fi, or turn on Renew automatically. Geovo reminds you 2 days and 12 hours before. More: why renew every 7 days.
Can I make it end by itself?
Yes. Set Auto-stop on the computer or Killswitch in the iPhone app before you start, and Geovo returns the iPhone to its real location after that time. A schedule can also end a session at a set time.
Try it
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. Download Geovo or 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
- How long does a fake location stay on iPhone?
- Until you stop it, restart the iPhone, or the tool holding it loses its connection. Geovo's iPhone app can hold it all day; a timer (Auto-stop or Killswitch) can end it after a set time.
- Does a simulated location survive a restart?
- No. Restarting the iPhone always brings back the real location, whatever tool set it.
- Will it stay when my iPhone is locked?
- With Geovo's iPhone app, yes: leave it in the background, allow location Always and keep LocalDevVPN on. It reconnects by itself and restores the location if iOS closes it.
- How long is the free trial?
- 15 minutes of simulation, once per person, with a free account (no card). After that, Pro is unlimited from $6.99 a week.
- Does the iPhone app expire?
- The install does, after 7 days, because Apple signs apps installed with a free Apple ID for 7 days. Renew it from the computer in about a minute, or turn on automatic renewal.
- Can I set the location to end automatically?
- Yes. Auto-stop on the computer and Killswitch on the iPhone return it to the real location after the time you choose; schedules can end it at a set time.
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