Pokémon GO was created in 2016 in collaboration with Nintendo to revive the Pokémon franchise among nostalgic and new users alike. The game still boasts many users and awards after its initial boom in 2016.
Pokémon Go is a mobile game that uses GPS tracking software on your mobile device to create an augmented reality where you can catch Pokémon based on your geographical coordinates.
In Pókemon Go, the Pokémon available to you depend on your GPS coordinates, as do the Pokéstops. The game encourages you to get outside and walk around in order to catch the Pokémon and spin Pokéstops.
However, there are some simple ways to manually alter your GPS coordinates so that you can catch Pokémon from the comfort of your home. Also known as GPS spoofing, this allows you to pick and choose where you hunt your Pokémon and gives you VIP access to geographically specific events, gyms, and rare Pokémon.
In this guide we take a look at some of the different ways that you can change your location in Pokémon Go and explain some of the benefits and issues behind this hack.
What To Expect When You Change Your Location In Pokémon Go
Let’s be clear here, changing your location on Pokémon Go is obviously regarded as cheating. The game relies on you moving around, and relies on your GPS coordinates to spawn Pokémon in your area. So, changing your location on Pokémon Go means that you technically have an unfair advantage on those who play the game normally.
Here is Nianatic’s statement on policing GPS spoofing:
For the purposes of this policy, we define cheating as behaviors that violate the Pokémon GO Terms of Service and Trainer Guidelines, such as falsifying location (GPS location spoofing) and accessing Pokémon GO clients or backends in an unauthorized manner, including through the use of third-party software or add-ons.
If your account is caught you could potentially lose all the valuable Pokémon you have just collected. It’s important to be aware of this before following these steps. However, these steps should provide you with a fool-proof guide to change your location and also bypass potential policing.
Niantic’s team have grown wise to the quite common GPS spoofing now on their app, to avoid getting banned it’s important to be aware of the required modules that you need to install in order to avoid being banned.
To spoof your GPS location on any device you should invest in a few things first: a GPS spoofing app and a VPN for your mobile, at the very least. This means you can change your location while still avoiding a ban from Niantic’s policing team.
Why Would Someone Want To Change Their Location In Pokémon Go?
Certain countries have actually banned Pokémon Go altogether. In Indonesia they banned all police, military personnel, and civil servants from playing the game as they were worried officers could get addicted and that the technology of the game could be extended to espionage.
Other countries such as Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, and many more, have also banned the game for differing reasons. So if you are from one of these black listed countries, you may still want to play the game but your GPS location is unsupported.
While your GPS might not be banned, you may live in a more rural area where Pokémon don’t spawn as often and there isn’t a thriving community of gyms and Pokéstops.
In this case it is hard to play the game unless you want to travel far and wide, rather than frequenting the same route to catch Pokémon. Changing your location in this case could mean that you can enjoy the game without the need for unnecessary travel.
Certain rare Pokémon are only available in certain time periods and specific GPS locations, in the event of this you can change your GPS location to the relevant coordinates and catch Pokémon that you wouldn’t have the chance to catch in normal circumstances.
This does change the unique and special quality of these events, but allows others the chance to enjoy the full features of the game who wouldn’t be able to otherwise.
If you want to battle your friend in a gym, you both have to be in the same vicinity of said gym in order to connect and play together.
If you can change your GPS location this enables more freedom when playing online with friends. Changing your GPS location allows you to play online with friends from all over the world rather than simply those who are local to you.
Pokémon Eggs, which carry rewards and sometimes rare Pokémon inside them, require a distance to be travelled in order to hatch the egg and receive the reward. Certain GPS spoofing apps can actually simulate this movement so that you can hatch eggs while still being sat at home.
How To Spoof Your GPS On Android
Changing your location on Pokémon Go on an Android device can be easy if you are prepared to install the apps and modules required to change location safely – follow these steps to change your location on an Android device.
You need to turn on your developer settings in order to alter your GPS on Android devices. These steps might change depending on your device’s model. To turn on developer settings you need to:
- Open ‘Settings’.
- Go to ‘About Phone’.
- Navigate to ‘Build number’ and tap it 7 times consecutively.
- Go back into ‘Settings’ and select the now visible ‘Developer Options’.
- Now click the option that reads ‘Mock Locations App’ or ‘Allow Mock Locations’.
This is the point where if you try to change your GPS location on Pokémon Go, Niantic will be aware and you will likely get banned very quickly.
Some apps, such as Pokémon won’t let you open the app if this setting is turned on, so in order to prevent apps detecting this, you need to install a module called ‘Mock Mock Locations’ available here.
Now your device enables mock locations, the next step is to install a GPS spoofing app, this is the software that allows you to change your GPS location. Here’s how to use a GPS spoofing app.
- Download and install your chosen GPS spoof app from the Google Play Store. Some popular apps are GPS Emulator RosTeam, Mock Locations, and Mock GPS with Joystick – these should all be available in the Google Play Store.
- Turn the app ‘On’.
- Choose your desired region to catch Pokémon within.
The next step is to download a VPN. With a VPN enabled, you can change your GPS coordinates but now Niantic cannot track your IP address either which means you can play without fear of a ban. Follow these steps to install a VPN on your mobile device:
- Select your chosen VPN service, premium paid services can often be the best but free services can also work. Some well-known VPNs are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and SurfShark
- Download and install your VPN from the Google Play Store.
- Connect to a server in your desired location, ideally in the same location that your GPS spoofer app is as this best protects against detection.
Now, through Niantic’s eyes, your GPS location and IP address should be in the same location meaning that you can freely roam this area without fear that Niantic will ban you. Now you are free to catch ‘em all!
How To Change Your Location On Pokémon Go On iOS
Changing your location on Pokémon Go on an iOS device can be much harder than on Android, this is because certain GPS spoofing apps on iOS require your iPhone to be ‘jailbroken’.
‘Jailbreaking’ an iPhone requires some meddling with the operating system and other practices that are heavily discouraged by Apple and can be hard to do, and potentially dangerous to your phone, if you don’t know what you’re doing. Providing someone else with your phone who you don’t trust can be equally dangerous.
In any case, jailbreaking your iPhone completely voids your iPhone’s warranty, which is something to be aware of. Yet, there are third party apps on the App Store that don’t require you to jailbreak your iPhone but these apps might cost you a few dollars. Here’s how to spoof your GPS location on an iPhone that isn’t jailbroken:
- Download and install your chosen GPS spoof app from the App Store. Some popular paid services that don’t require jailbreaking are apps are Tenorshare iAnyGo and ThinkSky’s iTools.
- Turn the app ‘On’.
- Choose your desired region to catch Pokémon.
Once you have changed your GPS location, it’s important to download a VPN in order to avoid detection by Niantic and a subsequent ban. A VPN also helps protect your data privacy and security generally online.
It’s also a lot easier to install a VPN on an iOS system than a GPS spoofer, as VPN apps don’t require your iPhone to be jailbroken. Here’s how:
- Select your chosen VPN service, premium paid services can often be the best but free services can also work.
- Download and install your VPN from the App Store.
- Connect to a server in your desired location, ideally in the same location that your GPS spoofer app is, as this best protects against detection.
Now you can successfully play Pokémon Go from anywhere without the boundaries of GPS, and safe from fear of banning. Now you can be the very best and catch ‘em all!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Now Play Pokémon Go Without Moving?
Through using GPS spoofing Apps you can now play Pokemon Go without moving. These apps are created to simulate movement, so this will mean you can also open Pokémon Eggs quicker as well as catching Pokémon from the comfort of your home.
Some users do still get banned from changing their location frequently, you are obviously using a GPS spoofer if you move from Belgium to Russia in a matter of mere seconds, so it’s important to use this hack with logic and rationale.
What Is A VPN And How Does It Change Your Location?
A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that operates by changing your IP address, with paid and free services this changes from bouncing your IP address to a random location to the user having the choice to decide where their IP address is bounced to.
Pokémon Go determines your location by checking the IP address of your device. If you are just using a GPS spoofing app without a VPN, then your IP address and GPS coordinates will obviously be very different and indicate that you are spoofing your GPS location which is considered illegal in the game by Niantic.
By using a VPN you can make your IP address and your GPS address match so that your use of GPS spoofing apps is undetectable by Niantic.
Final Thoughts
Playing Pokémon Go can be a really fun experience, it’s great to catch Pokémon and play with your friends while you get outside, exercise and have fun all at the same time. This was Niantic’s mission with the game at least, to bring online gaming outdoors.
While we can all get behind this sort of message, sometimes our geographical locations mean that you miss out on the cultural event of Pokémon Go, which can be disheartening and troublesome if you live in the rural areas where Pokémon Go isn’t so active.
If you want to just sit down and play Pokémon then buying a Nintendo Switch or retro consoles which support past Pokéon games might be a better choice for you.
While Niantic does see GPS spoofing as a blatant rejection of their terms of service, sometimes GPS spoofing can actually level the playing field between the city-goers and the rural dwellers.
Oftentimes, people just want to catch rare Pokémon and use this easy life hack to catch rare Pokémon and attend the special events that are geographically specific. Sometimes it’s not a matter of cheating, it’s simply a matter of wanting to relive our youth.
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