Travel planning
Preview a city on your iPhone before you travel
Updated · By the Geovo team
Most travel apps let you search a city, but "near me" features only work where you are. Setting your iPhone's location to your destination lets you see those apps as if you'd arrived: what's nearby, local weather, and how an app behaves there. Geovo does this from a Mac or PC or on the iPhone itself, and one tap brings your real location back. It changes GPS only, so anything based on your IP address, account country or App Store region stays the same.
What you can preview
- "Near me" results. Restaurants, pharmacies, cash machines and other places that apps list by distance from you.
- Local weather and time-sensitive info in apps that use your location rather than a city you typed.
- Walking and transit around your hotel. Teleport to the hotel and see what's within a short walk in your maps and city apps.
- How an app behaves in that city, for apps you plan to rely on there (city passes, local transport, venue apps), before you're standing on the street.
Step by step
- Download Geovo for Mac or Windows, plug in your iPhone, tap Trust and turn on Developer Mode.
- Search for your hotel or neighbourhood and click Teleport.
- Open the apps you want to check on the iPhone. Save useful spots as favorites in Geovo to jump between them.
- To get a feel for distances, use Drive here or a walking route between two places.
- Tap Return to Real Location when you're done. Restarting the iPhone also always restores it.
| Changes with Geovo | Why | |
|---|---|---|
| Apps' "near me" and map position | Yes | They read GPS from Location Services |
| Location-based weather | Yes, in apps that use your location | Same source |
| Websites that locate you by IP | No | Geovo never changes your IP address |
| App Store country and streaming catalogues | No | They follow your account and network region |
| Time zone and carrier | No | Set by the iPhone's settings and SIM |
Good habits
- Return before you rely on location. Turn simulation off before navigating for real, sharing your location with family, or calling for help.
- Expect some apps to notice. Apps can tell when a location is simulated, and some may refuse to work or ask you to turn it off. Respect that.
- Your plans stay private. The places you pick never leave your devices; Geovo's server only knows your email, plan and minutes used.
Price
A quick look at a city usually fits in the free 30 minutes a day, after a 10-minute try without an account. For longer planning sessions, Pro is $5.99/week or $11.99/month. 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 see what's near my hotel before I travel?
- Yes. Set your iPhone's location to the hotel with Geovo, then open your maps and city apps: their nearby results follow the simulated location.
- Will it change my App Store country or streaming catalogue?
- No. Those follow your account and network region. Geovo changes the GPS position only.
- Does it change my IP address?
- No. Websites that locate you by IP still see where you really are.
- How do I go back to my real location?
- Tap Return to Real Location in Geovo, or restart the iPhone. Either brings your real GPS back.
Try Geovo free
30 minutes every day, every feature. Mac and Windows.