Explainer
What changes when you change your iPhone's location?
Updated · By the Geovo team
Everything that asks the iPhone's Location Services for a position sees the simulated place: Maps, Weather, location tags on new photos, Find My, the location you share with people, and websites in Safari. Things that don't come from the iPhone's GPS stay the same: your IP address, carrier, App Store country, and other devices with their own location.
Do all apps see the new location?
Yes, every app with location access. A no-jailbreak location changer sets the position that iOS's Location Services reports for the whole iPhone, and apps can only get their location from there. Apps you've set to Never still get nothing, and apps with Precise Location off get an approximate area, as usual (Apple's location controls).
| Feature | Sees the simulated place? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Maps and other map apps | Yes | The blue dot shows the simulated place |
| Weather (My Location) | Yes | Shows the forecast for the simulated place |
| Camera and Photos | New photos only | Photos taken while simulating are tagged with the simulated place, if Camera has location access |
| Find My (this iPhone) | Yes | AirPods and accessories it last saw nearby borrow the iPhone's location too |
| Location you share with people | Yes | Share My Location in Find My and locations shared in Messages |
| Apple Watch | Sometimes | When the Watch uses the iPhone's location rather than its own GPS |
| Websites in Safari | Yes, with permission | Sites that ask for your location (navigator.geolocation) |
| Websites that guess from your IP | No | Your IP address doesn't change |
| App Store and Apple Account country | No | Tied to your account and payment method |
| Carrier and network | No | Same SIM, same Wi-Fi |
| Your Mac, another iPhone or iPad | No | Only the connected iPhone or iPad changes |
| Steps and activity | No | They come from motion sensors |
Does it change the Weather app?
Yes. The Weather app's My Location card uses Location Services, so it shows the forecast for the simulated place. Cities you added by hand don't change. When you return to your real location, My Location updates the next time Weather refreshes.
Does it affect my photos?
Only photos you take while simulating. If Camera is allowed to use your location, new photos and videos are tagged with the simulated place, and they keep that tag afterwards. Photos you took before aren't touched. Before sharing photos taken during a simulation, check their location (swipe up on the photo), or turn off location for Camera while you test.
Do people you share your location with see it?
Yes. Find My shows the iPhone at the simulated place, and people you share your location with see it there too. Don't use a simulated location to mislead people who rely on knowing where you are. Stop simulating whenever your real location matters, especially before calling for help.
Does it change my IP address, App Store or time zone?
No for the IP address, carrier and App Store country: they don't come from GPS (VPN vs location changer, what Settings can and can't change). Geovo doesn't change your time zone setting. If Set Automatically is on in Date & Time, iOS chooses the time zone itself; we haven't verified whether it follows a simulated position on every iOS version, so check the clock if it matters to your test.
What happens when I stop?
Tap Return to Real Location (or restart the iPhone) and real GPS is back straight away. Apps update the next time they ask for a location. AirPods and other accessories update in Find My the next time an Apple device sees them, which can take a few minutes. Photos taken during the simulation keep the simulated place. More: location stuck? Get it back.
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
- Does changing my iPhone's location change the Weather app?
- Yes. Weather's My Location uses Location Services, so it shows the forecast for the simulated place until you return to your real location.
- Will photos I take be tagged with the fake location?
- Yes, if Camera has location access: photos and videos taken while simulating are tagged with the simulated place and keep it. Older photos aren't changed.
- Do people I share my location with see the simulated place?
- Yes. Find My, and people you share your location with, see the iPhone at the simulated place. Don't use it to mislead people who rely on your location.
- Does it change my IP address or App Store country?
- No. A location changer only changes GPS. Your IP address, carrier and App Store country stay the same.
- Does it change my other devices?
- No. Only the iPhone or iPad Geovo is connected to changes. A Mac, another iPhone or an iPad with its own location keep their real one; an Apple Watch follows only when it uses the iPhone's location.
- Can I change the location for just one app?
- No. iOS has one location for the whole iPhone. To limit a single app, use its Location setting: Never, Ask Next Time, or Precise Location off.
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