Where Google gets your location and how to change it
Google uses your location in three separate ways, and you change each one differently. Your device location (from GPS or WiFi) feeds into Google Maps and weather apps. Your Google Account location is what you set in your profile — this controls ads and some search results. Your home and work addresses are optional shortcuts you add to Google Maps. Most people need to change only one or two of these, depending on what feels wrong.
If you want Google Maps to show a different route or weather to show a different forecast, you are changing device location. If you want Google to stop showing you ads for local businesses near your old address, you are changing account location. If you just want Maps to stop suggesting your old commute, you are changing your saved places.
Key Takeaways
- Device location comes from your phone's GPS or WiFi and controls what Maps shows you right now — change it by turning location services on or off, or by letting Google use WiFi instead of GPS.
- Your Google Account location is a separate setting in your profile that controls ads and search results, and you change it in Account Settings, not in Maps.
- Saved home and work addresses in Google Maps are optional and only affect route suggestions — you can edit or delete them without changing anything else.
- If you use Google on a computer, location changes work differently than on a phone because computers do not have GPS.
Changing your device location on Android or iPhone
Your phone's location services send GPS or WiFi data to Google Maps, weather, and other apps. To change what location Google sees right now, you have three options: turn location services off entirely, let Google use WiFi location instead of GPS, or manually set a fake location (which requires developer mode on Android).
On iPhone: Open Settings, tap Privacy, then Location Services. Toggle it off to stop sharing location with all apps, or tap the individual app (like Google Maps) and choose "Never", "Ask Next Time", or "Always". If you choose "While Using", Maps will only see your location when the app is open. To use WiFi location instead of GPS, keep Location Services on but turn off Precise Location for that app — go to Settings, Privacy, Location Services, tap the app, and toggle off Precise Location.
On Android: Open Settings, tap Location (or Location Services), and toggle it off to stop all location sharing. To use WiFi instead of GPS, keep Location on but tap Location Services or Mode and choose "Battery Saver" or "WiFi Only" instead of "High Accuracy". To set a fake location, you need Developer Mode: go to Settings, About Phone, tap Build Number seven times, go back to Settings, tap Developer Options, scroll to Debugging, and tap "Select Mock Location App", then choose a spoofing app like Fake GPS Location. This is the only way to make Google think you are somewhere you are not.
Changing your Google Account location
Your Google Account has a location setting separate from your device. This is where Google stores what city or region you have told it you live in, and it affects which ads you see and sometimes which search results appear first. You change this in your Google Account settings, not in Maps or on your phone.
Go to myaccount.google.com on any device. Click "Personal info" on the left, then scroll to "Where you live" and click it. You will see a text box with your current location — type in a new city, state, or country and click Save. Google will not ask you to prove you actually live there. This change takes effect when ready and applies to all your Google services on all devices.
If you do not see a "Where you live" field, click "Add other info" and look for it there. Some older accounts do not have this field filled in yet.
Changing your home and work addresses in Google Maps
Google Maps lets you save a home address and a work address as shortcuts. These only affect what Maps suggests when you start navigation — they do not change your actual location or your account settings. You can edit or delete them anytime.
Open Google Maps on your phone or computer. Tap or click the menu (three horizontal lines), then tap or click "Your places". Tap or click "Labeled" at the top. You will see "Home" and "Work" if you have saved them. Tap or click the one you want to change, then tap or click the pencil icon to edit the address. Type the new address and tap Save. To delete it entirely, tap or click the three dots next to the address and choose Delete.
On a computer, you can also click the address bar in Maps, type a new address, and when the suggestion appears, right-click it and choose "Set as home" or "Set as work".
Changing location on Google Chrome or a computer browser
Computers do not have GPS, so Google uses your IP address to guess your location. You cannot change this without a VPN or proxy, and even then, Google may not believe it. Your account location setting (from myaccount.google.com) still applies, but your device location will be whatever your internet provider's servers say it is.
If you use a VPN on your computer, Google will see the location of the VPN server, not your real location. This affects Maps, weather, and local search results. If you do not use a VPN, Google sees your ISP's location, which is often accurate to your city but sometimes off by miles.
You cannot set a fake location in Chrome the way you can on Android. Your only options are to use a VPN (which changes your IP address) or to change your account location in myaccount.google.com, which affects ads and some search results but not Maps or weather.
Why Google might not show your new location right away
Google caches location data, which means it sometimes keeps using your old location for a few minutes or hours after you change it. If you turned off location services but Maps still shows your old spot, try closing the app completely and reopening it. If you changed your account location but ads still target your old city, wait a few hours — Google updates this slowly.
On Android, if you set a fake location using a spoofing app, make sure the app is still running and has permission to provide mock locations. If you close the app or revoke permission, your real location comes back when ready.
If you use Google Maps offline, it will not update your location until you go back online. read the offline map again after changing your location if you want the new location to stick.
What changes and what stays the same when you move your location
Changing your device location affects Maps, weather, and local search results in real time. Changing your account location affects ads, some search results, and Google's understanding of where you live — but it does not change your saved home and work addresses. Changing your saved addresses in Maps does not affect ads or account settings.
If you move to a new city and want everything to update, you should do all three: turn on location services on your phone so Maps knows where you are, change your account location in myaccount.google.com, and update your home address in Maps if you want the new commute to be the default. If you just want to hide your real location from ads, change only your account location. If you just want Maps to stop suggesting your old work address, change only your saved places.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Google think I am in a different country?
Yes, but it depends what you are trying to do. Change your account location in myaccount.google.com to affect ads and some search results. Use a VPN on your computer to change your IP address and fool Maps and weather. On Android, use a fake location app. Google will not verify where you actually are, but some services (like Google Play) may block content based on your payment method's country, not your location setting.
Will changing my location affect my Google password or security?
No. Changing your location does not change your password, two-factor authentication, or any security settings. Google may flag unusual location changes as a security check and ask you to verify your identity, but this is rare and only happens if you change your account location drastically or suddenly.
Does turning off location services stop Google from tracking me?
Turning off location services stops your phone from sending GPS data to Google Maps and weather apps. It does not stop Google from using your IP address, your account history, or your search behavior to infer where you are. If you want to limit tracking more broadly, you can turn off Web & App Activity in myaccount.google.com under Data & Privacy, but this affects search history and other features.
What if I share my Google account with family — will changing my location affect them?
Changing your account location in myaccount.google.com affects only your account, not anyone else's. If you share a device with family, changing the device location affects everyone using that device. Saved home and work addresses in Maps are account-specific, so each person can have their own.
Can I set different locations for different Google services?
Not really. Your account location applies to all Google services. Your device location applies to all apps on that device. You can turn location off for individual apps (like Maps) while leaving it on for others (like weather), but you cannot tell Google that you live in one place for ads and another place for search results.