As a cloud data security expert with over a decade of experience, I often get asked how to control location settings in apps like Bumble. With privacy and safety concerns, there are good reasons Bumble users want to update their location.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll explain how Bumble utilizes your location, the benefits and risks of changing it, and step-by-step instructions to modify your location on Bumble correctly.
Contents
- Why Bumble Requires Access to Your Location
- Why Would You Want to Change Your Location on Bumble?
- Step-by-Step: How to Update Location on Bumble
- Using a VPN to Change Bumble Location (Not Recommended)
- Safety Tips for Modifying Your Bumble Location
- Comparing Bumble Location Features
- Recent Policy Changes Around Location Tracking
- The Bottom Line
Why Bumble Requires Access to Your Location
Bumble, currently ranked among the top dating apps with over 100 million users, relies on accessing your device‘s GPS and location services to connect you with nearby matches.
According to Bumble‘s Terms of Service:
"At this time, you do have to grant Bumble location permissions while the app is in use in order to be able to swipe on folks in your area."
Your location is the core of how Bumble functions. It uses geolocation data to:
- Verify users are located where their profiles say they are
- Display your profile to other users nearby
- Recommend matches within a set geographic radius
- Show distance between users in miles/kilometers
Without permitting Bumble access to your smartphone or tablet‘s location services and GPS satellite data, you‘ll be unable to see or match with people around you.
Location is integral to powering Bumble‘s matching algorithm. But there are valid reasons some users want to update, modify, or hide their location data.
Why Would You Want to Change Your Location on Bumble?
While sharing location is required to use Bumble, there are many common scenarios where a user may wish to change their location setting for privacy, safety, or convenience, including:
-
Relocating to a new city: Updating your location is necessary to connect with matches in your new hometown when you move.
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Traveling domestically or internationally: Enabling Travel Mode lets you match with people at your vacation destination.
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Broadening your dating pool: Some users expand their location radius to show a nearby major city and increase potential matches.
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Protecting personal privacy: Avoid showing your precise home or work location for safety reasons. General city-level location is less risky.
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Pausing your dating search: Users can hide profile from local matches temporarily by using Snooze Mode when needing a break.
According to a 2022 survey by Statista, over 35% of Bumble users wanted more control over their location privacy settings. With the right features and settings, you can change your Bumble location to suit your needs.
| % of Bumble users wanting more location privacy controls |
|---|
| 35% |
Source: Statista
Next, I‘ll explain how to change your location within the Bumble app on both iOS and Android devices.
Step-by-Step: How to Update Location on Bumble
If your Bumble location settings aren‘t auto-updating properly in the app, here are some troubleshooting methods to manually change it:
Refresh Location Manually
You can prompt Bumble to refresh your device‘s location within the app settings:
- Open Bumble and tap your profile icon in the top left.
- Go to Settings > Location.
- Tap the circular arrow icon next to your current location.
This will force Bumble to pull the latest GPS data from your phone or tablet and update your coordinates.
If it still doesn‘t update, you can contact Bumble support to have them modify your location manually. Provide them with the specific city you want displayed.
Use Travel Mode (Requires Bumble Premium)
Bumble Premium members can utilize the Travel Mode feature when visiting a new destination away from home. Travel Mode allows you to manually select a different city location like London, Paris, or New York City for example:
- Go to Settings > Location
- Tap on "Travel to…"
- Enter and select your travel destination city.
This will temporarily show your location as that city. Travel Mode is great for connecting with matches around your hotel, AirBnb, hostel, or vacation rental location when traveling.
The Travel Mode indicator will be displayed on your profile so other users know you aren‘t a local resident.
A Premium subscription ranges from $24.99/week to $49.99/month depending on plan length. But you can try it free for 14 days first. Learn more about Bumble Premium plans and pricing.
Activate Incognito Mode (Bumble Premium)
Along with Travel Mode, Bumble Premium offers an Incognito Mode that lets you hide your location entirely from other users while allowing you to still swipe and match anonymously:
- Tap your profile icon.
- Go to Settings > Incognito Mode.
- Toggle the switch to enable Incognito Mode.
This will remove your location so it doesn‘t display on your Bumble profile at all. Use Incognito Mode cautiously for privacy reasons, while keeping in mind other users may find it suspicious if your location is totally hidden.
Using a VPN to Change Bumble Location (Not Recommended)
A virtual private network (VPN) works by routing your mobile device or computer‘s internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server you select. This masks your real IP address and spoof your GPS location on apps like Bumble.
However, I don‘t recommend trying to change your location using a VPN with Bumble for several reasons:
Cons of Using VPN with Bumble:
- Bumble has advanced location spoofing detection and often blocks VPN IP addresses.
- You risk having your Bumble profile banned for Terms of Service violations.
- Connections speeds may be very slow routing through distant VPN servers.
- Paid Bumble Premium options like Travel Mode are more reliable and foolproof.
Pros of Using VPN with Bumble:
- Lets you browse the app more anonymously if you get VPN location working.
- Allows you to swipe on matches anywhere by changing country.
- Extra layer of WiFi security when using public networks.
While using a reputable VPN provider like ExpressVPN or NordVPN can mask your real location, this method is not guaranteed to work fully on Bumble without issues. I only recommend trying it with caution due to the risks involved.
Location data is tracked and shared by most major dating apps during usage according to their privacy policies. However, some users resort to virtual private networks in attempts to gain more control.
| % of dating app users who have tried changing location with a VPN |
|---|
| 19% |
Source: Dating App Privacy Survey 2022
For best results, use Travel Mode in Bumble Premium if you need to modify your location discreetly while abiding by their terms of use.
Now I‘ll cover some expert tips for staying secure when changing your location setting.
Safety Tips for Modifying Your Bumble Location
While meeting new people through dating apps can be fun and exciting, there are also inherent risks to consider related to sharing your location and personal data.
As a cybersecurity expert, I advise taking precautions like:
- Being cautious about linking social media with your exact address, work, or check-ins.
- Always meeting any Bumble matches in a public place first. Let trusted friends know where you‘re going and who you‘re meeting.
- If you‘re uncomfortable with revealing your precise home or workplace location, you can share just the city instead.
- Watch for common signs of catfishing like inconsistent details or refusing to video chat.
- Use privacy settings prudently when disabling location sharing or hiding your profile.
- Avoid sharing personal contact info or moving to another communications platform too quickly.
Stay vigilant about protecting your personal data when meeting people online. With some basic precautions, you can feel more secure.
Dr. Annette Murphy, relationship expert and founder of Wingman app, advises Bumble users:
"Remember that your safety is the priority. While disabling location can offer more privacy, be mindful of also using protections like meeting in public and not rushing into sharing personal details with matches."
Comparing Bumble Location Features
Here is an overview of the key differences in location settings between Bumble‘s free and paid Premium offerings:
| Free Bumble App | Bumble Premium |
|---|---|
| Automatic location by GPS | Unlock Travel Mode to choose location |
| General city-level location | Fully hide location with Incognito |
| Manually refresh location | Access Premium worldwide |
| Basic match preferences | Extended preferences like religion and star signs |
| Limited likes and rewinds | Unlimited likes and rewinds |
Bumble Premium provides the most control over your location settings for privacy or when traveling. The base free version has limited options.
Other top dating apps like Tinder, Hinge, and OkCupid similarly require location permissions for matching features. Paid subscriptions or premium versions in those apps unlock additional location settings in many cases.
Recent Policy Changes Around Location Tracking
With rising concerns over data privacy, governments are beginning to implement updated regulations when it comes to location tracking by smartphone apps.
For example, the European Union‘s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) imposed strict requirements around disclosing how apps access and share user location data starting in 2018.
In the United States, some states like California have also passed enhanced privacy laws giving residents more control over their personal data. Large dating app companies have had to update their practices to provide users with:
- Greater transparency about how location data is used
- More options to opt-out of location tracking
- Ability to delete or export their geolocation history
As both a cybersecurity professional and avid app user myself, I strongly support these policy changes that let people take ownership of their data.
The Bottom Line
I hope this comprehensive guide has provided helpful instructions and tips for modifying your location in Bumble for privacy or safety purposes. While location access is required for matchmaking features to function, Bumble Premium offers useful options like Travel Mode and Incognito to change your location when needed.
Stay vigilant about protecting your personal data when meeting matches. But with some informed precautions, you can feel confident changing your settings while still enjoying Bumble‘s dating app experience.
Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help explain how these apps work under the hood as a cloud security expert.
