How to change your iPhone's location without jailbreaking
Not long ago, changing the location your iPhone reports meant jailbreaking it: removing Apple's protections, installing unofficial tweaks, and hoping the next iOS update didn't break everything. You don't need to do that anymore. This guide explains what is possible on a normal, un-jailbroken iPhone, and how BlurMap does it.
Why people used to jailbreak for this
Every app that wants to know where you are asks iOS, and iOS answers from GPS, nearby Wi-Fi networks and cell towers. There is no setting in iOS to tell it “pretend I'm somewhere else.” Jailbreaking got around that by letting tweaks sit between iOS and the apps. It also voided safety guarantees, blocked some banking apps, and made updating risky.
What you can do without a jailbreak
iOS has developer features that let a developer's computer set a test location, so app makers can check their apps without flying around the world. BlurMap uses that route. Your iPhone stays on stock iOS, and there is nothing to un-install when you're done: tap reset in the app, or restart your iPhone, and your real location is back right away.
Here is what that gets you:
- Teleport: search an address or tap the map, then tap Teleport here. Your iPhone reports the new spot within seconds.
- Routes: add stops and pick walk, bike or drive. BlurMap travels along real roads at that pace and waits at each stop as long as you set.
- Saved places: keep the spots you use often so you can jump back to them.
Because it changes what the iPhone itself reports, every app that asks for your location gets the same answer: Find My, Life360, Snapchat, Instagram, Apple Maps and others.
What you need
- An iPhone on iOS 17 or newer.
- The iPhone's cable and a Mac or Windows PC, for the one-time setup only.
- An Apple ID. A free one works; you don't need a paid developer account.
- A BlurMap plan. Every plan starts with a 2-day free trial.
Steps
- Pick a plan on the pricing section and sign in, then download BlurMap Setup for Mac or Windows from the download page.
- Open BlurMap Setup, sign in with your BlurMap account and your Apple ID, then plug in your iPhone, unlock it and tap Trust.
- Turn on Developer Mode on the iPhone (Settings, Privacy & Security, Developer Mode). Your iPhone restarts once. Apple doesn't let any tool switch this on for you.
- Click Install BlurMap in Setup. It signs the app with your Apple ID and puts it on your iPhone.
- On the iPhone, trust your Apple ID under Settings, General, VPN & Device Management. Then install LocalDevVPN from the App Store, open it and turn it on. It's free, and it's how BlurMap reaches your iPhone without a cable.
- Open BlurMap, search a place and tap Teleport here. You can unplug the cable and turn the computer off.
The whole thing takes about five minutes, and the download page has a two-minute video if you'd like to follow along.
What to expect afterwards
BlurMap isn't in the App Store, because Apple doesn't allow location apps like it, so it's installed with your own Apple ID. Apps installed that way expire after 7 days, so about once a week you open BlurMap and tap Renew. It takes one tap, with LocalDevVPN on, and doesn't need a computer.
BlurMap connects over Wi-Fi. If you're away from Wi-Fi, turn on Airplane Mode, open BlurMap, and turn Airplane Mode off again as soon as it connects. Cellular data then works for as long as the app stays open.
If you'd rather use a bigger screen, the Web App lets you control your iPhone from a browser on any computer. It's included with the Monthly and Yearly plans.
Use it responsibly
Changing your location is fine for privacy, planning a trip, or trying an app as if you were in another city. It isn't fine for stalking, scamming, dodging legal supervision, or cheating in ways that break another service's rules, and our Terms say so. Other apps may notice a changed location and limit your account, so think about what you're using it for. If you want to share less with a particular app, see how to pause or change your location on Find My and Life360.