How to change location on iPhone
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Learn moreChanging location on an iPhone can help bypass geo-restrictions and access blocked content, avoid targeted advertising, as well as keep your connection private and secure.
This article will showcase a few methods for changing location on an iPhone. The best approach to change iPhone location is using a VPN, but you can also try adjusting Location Settings, altering your Apple ID, or using other GPS-spoofing apps. Whichever method you prefer, we’ll provide detailed guides for changing iPhone location easily.
How to change location on iPhone with a VPN
- Choose a reputable VPN with an iOS app. We recommend NordVPN - SAVE 74%
- Install the VPN app and complete the sign-up process
- Connect to a server in another location
- Your virtual location has now been changed – you can double-check your IP on whatismyip.com
Why is it worth changing location on iPhone?
Even though iPhones have some built-in security features, an Apple iPhone VPN is an essential cybersecurity tool for any Apple device. Here are the main benefits of changing your iPhone location with a VPN:
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Keep your location private – iPhone location spoofing will prevent you from being tracked or attacked with malware and targeted ads.
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Encrypt online traffic from hackers, government bodies, or advertisers, especially on public Wi-Fi.
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Access streaming services all around the world – like BBC iPlayer from outside the UK or Max from outside the US.
- Change your IP address on apps like location-based games such as Pokemon Go, along with dating and social media apps, such as Tinder, Snapchat, or My Friends.
- Access better deals, like cheaper flights and hotels in different countries. Changing your IP address will help you access different prices in other parts of the world.
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Work remotely – stay connected to your work systems securely without threat actors taking a peek.
- Prevent ISP throttling – hide your real IP so ISPs can’t throttle your connection and slow down your speeds.
How to change location on iPhone with a VPN
Changing your location on your iPhone is easy. And you don’t even need to download a jailbreaking app on your device. Just follow our step-by-step instructions:
- Download a reliable VPN app from the App Store, we recommend NordVPN
- Create an account and sign in
- In the VPN app, select a location where you want to connect to and click on it
- Tap Allow if the app asks your permission to add VPN configurations
- Now the location on the iPhone has changed and you’re ready to surf the web anonymously
Can’t change location on your iPhone with a VPN?
If you’ve downloaded a VPN from the Apple App Store and still can’t change location, it might be that your VPN isn’t working well or that you’re connected to a server in the wrong region.
If you’ve ruled these things out, you might be experiencing one of the following issues:
- You have an older iPhone, iPad, or iPod that’s no longer compatible with your VPN.
- Your true IP address could be leaking.
- Cookies on your iPhone could be showing your true location.
- Your VPN can’t bypass the region restrictions for the site or service you want to access.
- The GPS location on your iPhone doesn’t match the IP address on your VPN.
To solve these problems, try the following options:
- Make sure you have IP leak protection settings enabled on your VPN.
- Use a different browser.
- Clear your cache and cookies.
- Connect to a different server.
- Contact your VPN’s customer service team.
If all this fails, it might be time to upgrade your VPN. We recommend starting with NordVPN, the #1 option for iPhones and iPads.
Do we recommend a free VPN for changing iPhone location?
No, we don’t recommend using free VPNs to change location on iPhone. Firstly, you can change iOS region for free without a VPN and achieve similar results. Secondly, free VPNs for iPhone have various drawbacks that make them a poor choice for this task.
For example, free VPNs have tiny server fleets that grant their customers few country options. Moreover, they aren’t effective at bypassing geographical restrictions because so many users use them. Finally, you’ll have to contend with severely slow connection speeds.
Therefore, we suggest using paid VPNs to change iPhone’s location effectively. Most offer free trials and money-back guarantees for risk-free testing. We particularly recommend NordVPN and Surfshark VPN as they showed the best location-changing results during our testing.
- Surfshark offers a 7-day free trial on the Apple App store and a 30-day money-back guarantee. To enjoy the offer, all you need to do is download the Surfshark app and create a new account.
- NordVPN 7-day trial is only available on the Google Play Store, making it less ideal for iPhone users. On the other hand, you can still use the 30-day money-back guarantee.
How to change iPhone location without a VPN
Using a VPN is arguably the best way to change iPhone location, especially online. Thankfully, there are ways to do so without a VPN if you want to explore other options. Here are a few ways how to change your iPhone location without a VPN:
- Turn off Location Services. Turning off Location Services in iPhone’s settings will disable all locating methods, including GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi hotspots, and cellular tower triangulation. Your iPhone’s location will no longer be tracked. You can find this setting by going to Settings -> Privacy -> Location services -> toggle location services off.
- Turn off location settings for specific apps. If you still need system-wide location settings for navigation or other purposes, but don’t want particular apps to know where you are, you can turn off Location Services for these specific apps. You can do so by going to Settings -> Privacy -> Location services. Select any app from the list and pick one of the options: Never, Ask Next Time Or When I Share, While Using the App, or Always
- Change GPS location. You can use third-party tools like iTools or 3uTools to spoof your GPS location on iPhone. However, this approach is not ideal because you may need to jailbreak your device and use unreliable software to alter your settings. Only try this if you know what you’re doing.
How to change iPhone location online without a VPN
You can also change iPhone location online if the device isn’t nearby. Simply follow the steps below:
- Visit appleid.apple.com and log in with your account
- Click Personal Information
- Select Country/Region and pick your desired region
- Add a valid payment method
It’s vital to note that changing Apple App Store location doesn’t alter your GPS location. That means this method won’t bypass geo-blocking on other apps.
Choosing the best method of changing location on iPhone: with a VPN or without a VPN?
Below, you can compare the differences between changing location on iPhone with a VPN, directly on iPhone’s Location Services, and using third-party apps. Each method has its pros and cons, affecting things like security, unblocking capabilities, tracking, and more.
Using a VPN | Turning off the Location Services | Using 3rd party GPS-spoofing tools | |
Hides your activity from ISP | Yes | No | No |
Hides your location on Find My iPhone | No | Yes | Unlikely |
Changes your Apple App Store region | Yes | No | No |
Prevents iPhone location tracking | No | Yes | Unikely |
Helps avoid safety risks | Yes | Some | Some |
Grants access to region-specific content | Yes | No | Some |
Provides the ability to choose a specific location | Yes | No | Yes |
Considerations | Cost | Only turns off the location | Might require jailbreak; can be unreliable |
Conclusion
While iPhones and iPads are pretty safe by default, they’re not 100% secure against various cyber threats and privacy issues. As such, a top-shelf VPN will be extremely useful beyond just changing iPhone location.
A VPN service like NordVPN will completely mask your whereabouts by rerouting your connection through a remote server and encrypting your web traffic. This provider also effectively bypasses geo-blocking, allowing you to access various content exclusive to other regions. Plus, with NordVPN, you gain Threat Protection, which ensures malware doesn’t enter your device.
You also have other options to change iPhone location if buying a VPN sounds unreasonable. However, these alternative methods aren’t as effective and have specific drawbacks. Therefore, we suggest using a trial VPN if unsure about its efficacy.
FAQs
How do I make Find My iPhone show a different location?
The only way to make Find My iPhone show a different location is by turning off the Location Services on your iPhone’s settings. More precisely, you can’t really change it, but you can completely hide it.
What's the best VPN to change location on iPhone?
NordVPN is the best VPN for changing location on iPhone. It offers an extensive server fleet of 6800+ servers worldwide. It also uses top-notch security measures, like AES-256 encryption and the proprietary tunneling protocol.
Can you fake your location on iPhone?
Yes, you can fake your location on iPhone by using a VPN that will allow you to connect to a server in a different country so that your iPhone is issued with an IP address from that region. This will make it appear as though you’re in that country, allowing you to bypass region restrictions and spoof your iPhone’s location.
How do you know if your VPN is working on your iPhone?
If you’ve used a VPN to connect to a server in another country but you still can’t unblock the content you want, check your iPhone’s IP address. You can do this by searching What’s my IP address on Google and checking that it matches the IP address on your VPN.
Can I manually change my location on my iPhone?
You can change location on iPhone’s settings and in App Store settings. However, to access content or download apps from that location, you'll have to create a new Apple ID account. Luckily, it’s remarkably straightforward to change your IP address. Just download a reliable VPN, connect to a server in your preferred location, and it will bypass those restrictions.
Is it legal to change location on your iPhone?
Yes, it’s perfectly legal to change location on your iPhone. That is, if you're using a VPN. However, it’s important to remember that you can’t make purchases on the Apple App Store without a valid payment method and address from that region.
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