Virtual private networks, or VPNs, can be great for privacy -- provided you pick a trustworthy VPN. They hide your public IP address and encrypt your internet traffic to prevent snoopers from tracking your location and online activities. But they're not foolproof. 

Some apps and websites can use a combination of both IP-based and Global Positioning System location data to determine your location, which can reveal where you actually are, even with a VPN enabled. This is especially common with streaming services such as YouTube TV, where a VPN alone might not be enough to unblock content from other regions.

That's where GPS spoofing comes in. Instead of just masking your IP address, GPS spoofing lets you override your device's physical location, helping you get around GPS-based geoblocks when a VPN alone isn't enough.

It's worth noting that only a handful of VPN providers currently offer built-in GPS spoofing, and the feature is limited to Android devices due to platform restrictions. Let's take a closer look at what GPS spoofing is, how it works and when it might be useful.

What is GPS spoofing?

In simple terms, GPS spoofing tricks your device into reporting a fake GPS location. It tells apps the and services that rely on your phone's GPS data that your device is physically present somewhere it is not.

However, there's a difference between GPS spoofing and using a VPN to change your public IP address. Both methods can make apps and services believe you're in a different region, but they follow entirely different methods to achieve this goal. 

IP location spoofing via a VPN routes your internet traffic through a different server, away from your internet provider's, disguising your actual location. This, in combination with the VPN's encryption, improves your digital privacy by making it harder for snoopers to track your online activities. 

However, a traditional VPN connection does not change your device's actual GPS location. GPS spoofing, on the other hand, works locally on your device by altering the location data your device shares with apps.

How does GPS spoofing work?

GPS infrastructure consists of two key components: GPS satellites in space and GPS receivers on Earth. Virtually every modern smartphone is a GPS receiver, as it has built-in GPS hardware. GPS works when satellites send signals to these receivers (your smartphone), which then calculate your exact position -- even while you're moving -- by measuring the time it takes for the signals to reach the device.

What enables GPS spoofing on smartphones isn't the manipulation of these satellite signals, but control over how location data is reported at the software level. On Android devices, apps can use developer settings to override the location your phone shares with other apps. A GPS spoofer -- whether it's a VPN with a built-in spoofing feature or a dedicated third-party app -- works by feeding your device's operating system a set of fake coordinates. 

We also reached out to Surfshark to confirm this. "By integrating with the Android 'Mock Location' framework, the [Surfshark] app communicates directly with the operating system's location provider APIs to supply proxy coordinates that align with the user's selected VPN server," said Justas Pukys, senior product manager at Surfshark.

The OS then passes this mocked location data to apps, making them believe your device is somewhere else entirely. "Consequently, when third-party apps request location data, the OS delivers these virtualized coordinates instead of the user's actual physical position … without any hardware-level signal manipulation," Pukys added. 

All in all, your phone isn't actually receiving fake satellite signals -- it's simply reporting a different location to the apps that request it.

Why do you need GPS spoofing?

There are several reasons why you may want to change your phone's GPS location. One of the main reasons for GPS spoofing is improved privacy. GPS data is used by a host of apps and services, even those that don't really need it -- we recommend keeping your phone safe by avoiding invasive app permissions.

If you allow those permissions, all that data can be used to create a detailed profile of your life, from where you live and work to where you go for shopping, movies and even where your friends and relatives are. Why would someone need all of that data? Online advertisers and data brokers are data-hungry entities that can sell your location data to third parties or use it to target you with more personalized ads. GPS spoofing and limiting app permissions can help you reclaim your digital privacy.

GPS spoofing can also give you seamless access to geo-restricted content from around the world. Sure, the best streaming VPNs can unlock content from most streaming platforms and websites that may be geo-blocked in your region. However, there are instances where a VPN alone may not be enough. For example, services like YouTube TV, which is available only in the US, use multiple methods, including accessing your device's GPS data, to determine your location.

Additionally, many streaming platforms actively fight VPN usage by detecting and blocking known VPN IP addresses. In such cases, combining GPS spoofing with a VPN -- so that both your GPS and IP location match the region you want to access -- can be a more effective way to bypass geo-restrictions.

Another important use case for GPS spoofing is for developers and testers, who can change GPS locations to build, test, troubleshoot and debug location-based applications more efficiently. Also, since GPS spoofing with a VPN is only available on Android phones, it can be a convenient way for Android users to get newly launched software updates, even if they haven't arrived in their specific region yet.

How to use a VPN to spoof your GPS location

Only a handful of VPNs currently come with a built-in option to spoof your device's GPS location. These include Surfshark, which was the first of our recommended VPNs to introduce it, along with PrivadoVPN and Windscribe. Also, GPS spoofing with a VPN is currently only available on Android devices, as iPhones do not provide users access to the necessary developer controls required to enable GPS spoofing.

We've used Surfshark on an Android 15.0 device to explain how you can enable GPS spoofing on your Android device. While the exact steps may vary slightly depending on your VPN and Android version, the overall process generally looks like this:

1. Go to the Surfshark app's Settings > VPN settings.

2. Head over to Advanced settings, find the Override GPS location option and toggle it on. 

3. Next, you'll have to manually tweak your phone's settings to grant the mobile VPN app permission to override your GPS location. Open your phone's Settings > About phone. 

4. Find the Build number (usually under Device identifiers) and tap it seven times to enable Developer options. You may be asked to re-enter your phone's password or PIN to confirm your identity.

5. Once Developer options are enabled, go to the Developer options and find Select mock location app. 

6. Choose Surfshark. 

That's it! You can now head back to the Surfshark app, select any server you want and your Android device's GPS location will match that server.

Just remember, you can toggle this feature off anytime if you don't want your GPS location to mirror your VPN connection. This can be important when using apps like Google Maps, Uber, DoorDash or Snapchat, which rely on your real-time location to function properly.

How to spoof your GPS location without a VPN

If you've already subscribed to an Android VPN other than Surfshark, PrivadoVPN or Windscribe, you'll need to use a third-party app to spoof your GPS location. 

There are plenty of GPS spoofing apps to choose from, both free and paid, but regardless of your choice, we recommend downloading an app that's well-reviewed and available on the Google Play Store. That's because low-quality or sideloaded apps can come with risks, including excessive ads, data collection or even malware. 

Also, some apps on your smartphone -- like games, dating and banking apps -- actively detect location spoofing. If they flag you, you could face feature restrictions or even temporary account banks. To stay on the safer side, choose reputable apps and only enable mock location settings when you actually need them.

Next, simply follow the instructions provided by your chosen GPS spoofing app to change your device's location. In most cases, a large part of the process will be similar to what we outlined above, since you'll need to dive into your phone's settings and enable Developer options to allow mock location access. 

We also recommend matching the locations of your VPN and GPS spoofing app so that you have a consistent online experience.

Is GPS spoofing legal?

The legality of GPS spoofing depends on how it's done and how the technology is used, though most people don't have much to worry about. Using GPS spoofing for purposes such as improving privacy, testing apps or accessing region-specific features is generally low-risk. You're unlikely to face legal consequences as long as you aren't using it to deceive, exploit or harm others.

The method used by consumer tools, including VPNs with built-in GPS spoofing, don't interfere with real satellite signals. Instead, they simply override the location your device reports to apps at the software level. This is the same mechanism Android provides for developers to test location-based features.

By contrast, transmitting fake GPS signals to manipulate actual satellite communications is illegal and typically associated with high-level spoofing attacks, not everyday consumer use.

It's also worth noting that VPNs themselves are legal in most countries, and using them to protect your privacy is well within your rights. However, that doesn't make all activities conducted behind a VPN legal. If you use a VPN or GPS spoofing to engage in illegal activities, those actions are still punishable under the law.

For more VPN guides, check out how to install a VPN on your router and how to make your VPN auto-connect on public Wi-Fi.