Privacy
How to keep your exact location private from apps on iPhone
Updated · By the Geovo team
Start with Apple's own controls: in Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services, set each app to Never or While Using, and turn off Precise Location for apps that only need your area. If an app insists on location to work but has no reason to know your home address, a location tool like Geovo lets you give it a nearby place you choose instead. It changes GPS only, and it's for privacy from apps, not for misleading people.
Step 1: Apple's built-in controls
These come with every iPhone, cost nothing and should be your first stop. Apple explains them in Control the location information you share.
- Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services. Review every app. Most only need While Using; many need Never.
- Precise Location off for apps that only need your town or area: weather, news, many shopping apps. They get an approximate area instead of your exact position.
- Photos: when you share a photo, tap Options on the share sheet and turn off Location to remove it from that photo.
- System Services (at the bottom of Location Services): review what iOS itself uses location for.
| Option | What the app gets | Good for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Never | No location | Apps that don't need it | Location features in that app stop |
| While Using | Location only while open | Most apps | The app still sees your exact spot when open |
| Precise Location off | An approximate area | Weather, news, local content | Turn-by-turn and "nearest" features get less accurate |
| A location you choose (Geovo) | The place you set, for every app | An app that demands location but doesn't need your exact address | Applies to the whole iPhone while on; needs a computer for setup; GPS only |
Step 2: when a location you choose helps
Some apps won't work at all without location, even for features that don't need your exact position. Rather than hand over the spot where you live, you can set the iPhone to a nearby public place, such as your local library or a park, use the app, and then return.
With Geovo:
- Download Geovo for Mac or Windows, plug in the iPhone, tap Trust and turn on Developer Mode.
- Search for a nearby public place and click Teleport. Save it as a favorite for next time.
- Use the app.
- Tap Return to Real Location. Or set Auto-stop before you start, so the real location comes back by itself.
To do this on the go without a computer, install Geovo's iPhone app: change location without a computer.
What it does and doesn't hide
- It changes the GPS position every app reads from Location Services, while it's on.
- It doesn't change your IP address, so websites and services can still estimate your area from your network.
- Apps can tell a location is simulated (iOS 15 and later). Some will refuse to work or ask you to turn it off; respect that.
- Photos taken while simulating may be tagged with the simulated place; turn location off for the Camera if that matters.
Not for misleading people
A location you choose is for privacy from apps, not for deceiving people who rely on knowing where you are, such as family or an employer you've agreed to share location with. If you don't want to share your location with someone, stop sharing it openly in Find My or the app you use. And stop simulating in an emergency, so your phone can report where you really are.
Geovo's own privacy
The places you pick never leave your devices. Geovo's server knows your account email, plan, devices and the minutes you've used, nothing about where you simulate. Details are in our privacy policy.
Price
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.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I stop apps from knowing my exact location on iPhone?
- In Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services, set apps to Never or While Using, and turn off Precise Location for apps that only need your area.
- What does turning off Precise Location do?
- The app gets an approximate area instead of your exact position. Apple recommends it for apps that don't need to know exactly where you are.
- Can I give an app a different location instead of mine?
- Yes, with a tool like Geovo that sets the iPhone's GPS to a place you choose, for every app, until you return to your real location.
- Does changing my GPS location hide my IP address?
- No. Geovo changes GPS only. Your IP address, and anything based on it, stays the same.
- Does Geovo see where I simulate?
- No. Locations never leave your devices. The server only knows your email, plan, devices and minutes used.
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30 minutes every day, every feature. Mac and Windows.