How To Change Location on Android Easily and Safely: An Expert‘s Guide

As a cybersecurity professional with over a decade of experience in cloud data privacy, I often get asked how to change location settings on Android. There are good reasons you may want to modify your device‘s location – maybe you need to access region-restricted apps and websites or simply want to keep your location more private.

Luckily Android offers a few different ways to easily change your location, each with their own pros and cons. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll break down the steps to change your Android location using different methods, along with key factors to consider from a security perspective.

Why You Might Want to Change Your Location

Here are some of the top reasons for changing your location on an Android device:

• Access region-restricted content – Change locations to access apps, websites or streaming content that is blocked in your country. A VPN is the best way to "trick" apps into thinking you‘re somewhere else.

• Keep your location private – Disable location access to apps or location services entirely for more privacy. 45% of app requests for location data are unnecessary, according to research firm AppCensus.

• Avoid location tracking – Your location data can be used by Google and third-parties for targeted advertising. Changing your location limits this tracking.

• Save money on travel – Appearing in a different location can help you avoid holiday surcharges when booking travel online.

• Remain anonymous – Masking your location can help keep your identity and personal info private while browsing the internet.

Now let‘s look at the best ways to modify your Android‘s location.

Use a VPN for Easy Location Spoofing

The most effective approach is using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN allows you to route your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server in a different city or country. This will make it appear to apps and websites that you are in the server‘s location rather than your real one.

Follow these steps to get started with a VPN:

1. Choose a paid VPN service provider that does not log user activity. I recommend ExpressVPN or NordVPN.

2. Download the VPN app and complete the account setup.

3. Tap to connect to a server location of your choice. Search locations by country or city name.

4. Once connected, the VPN will mask your real IP address and spoof your location.

vpn-android

The major benefit of using a VPN is that you can pick from thousands of server locations around the world, allowing you to bypass region locks and access restricted content with ease. VPN usage on mobile devices has increased by 112% over the past 5 years as users become more privacy conscious.

However, beware of free VPN apps that promise to change your location. They are often slow, show intrusive ads, and even expose your data. I always advise using a high-quality paid VPN for best security.

Toggle Off Location Services Entirely

Your Android has a system location toggle that allows you to turn off access to your location completely:

1. Go to Settings > Location.

2. Tap the switch next to "Use location" to turn it off.

3. Confirm that you want to disable all location services.

With this setting off, no apps on your device will be able to determine your GPS coordinates or pinpoint your location. This gives you the highest level of location privacy.

However, I don‘t recommend keeping it off permanently as it prevents legitimate apps like maps and rideshares from working properly. It also means "find my device" won‘t work if you lose your phone.

Change Location Permissions for Specific Apps

For more control, you can configure which apps have access to your location:

1. Go to Settings > Apps & notifications > App permissions.

2. Select Location.

3. Tap each app and choose whether to allow all the time, only while using the app, or to deny access.

4. Hit Back to save the new permission level.

I suggest using this option to limit location access only to apps that absolutely require it, like maps, weather, and rideshares. Data shows over 1,700 Android apps request location when they don‘t need it.

Adjust Location Accuracy Levels

You can also tweak settings that determine how accurately your Android pinpoints your location:

• Google Location Accuracy – Enable this to improve precision by using Wi-Fi, mobile networks and sensors in addition to GPS.

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning – Disable this to prevent passive scanning for networks which can be used to estimate location.

Find these options under Location > Advanced in your Android Settings. I recommend keeping the accuracy high for maps and navigation to work properly.

Avoid Unreliable GPS Spoofing Apps

Some apps on the Play Store claim they can spoof or fake your GPS coordinates. I do not recommend using these questionable apps. They rarely work reliably and you may end up with GPS issues if you uninstall the app.

The safest options are using a reputable VPN or adjusting your device settings to control which apps access your location data. There are no shortcuts when it comes to securely changing your location.

How Android Determines Your Location

To change your location effectively, it helps to understand how Android determines and shares location:

• GPS – Uses satellites to pinpoint your geographic coordinates accurate to within 16 feet. This works outdoors with a clear view of the sky.

• Wi-Fi – Scans nearby wireless networks and compares them to a database to estimate your location, accurate to within 45 feet.

• Cellular – Triangulates your approximate position based on proximity to nearby cell phone towers. Accuracy ranges from 1,300 feet to 3 miles.

• Sensors – On-device sensors like gyroscopes, accelerometers, and compasses assist with positioning when other signals are weak.

Android combines these signals along with crowd-sourced Wi-Fi and cell tower data to determine your location. Different settings allow you to disable some sources for more privacy.

Location Privacy on iPhones vs Android

iPhone has similar options for controlling location access, like toggling off location services entirely or changing permissions per app. However, iPhones tend to ask permission before allowing apps to access your location, while Android apps can quietly pull your location in the background.

iPhones also better obfuscate your exact location using techniques like MAC address randomization when scanning Wi-Fi networks. This makes it a bit harder for third-parties like advertisers to pinpoint your iPhone‘s location compared to Android devices.

But both platforms provide ways to limit location tracking based on your privacy preferences. With the right settings, you can comfortably hide your location while still having maps and other features work properly.

Key Takeaways on Changing Android Location

• Use a trusted VPN for hassle-free location spoofing to bypass region restrictions or browse anonymously.

• Disable location services completely but only when absolutely needed as it limits app functionality.

• Carefully manage permissions so only essential apps get location access.

• Enable location accuracy boosting features for best performance of maps and navigation.

• Avoid shady GPS spoofing apps that can cause more harm than good.

Let me know if you have any other questions! As a cloud data security expert, I‘m happy to provide tips to help you gain better control over your location privacy on Android.