Are you grappling with the complexities of mock locations on your Android device? Maybe you’ve tried to disable mock locations but found yourself lost in a maze of settings. We get it; it’s not as straightforward as it seems. That’s why put together this easy-to-follow guide on how to turn off mock locations on Android.
No jargon, no complicated steps—just simple solutions.
So, if you’re looking for the most reliable way to navigate the world of mock locations, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to discover the solutions you’ve been searching for.
Let’s dive in.
What Is Mock Location on Android?
Mock location is a feature available on Android phones.
It uses false GPS coordinates for location services.
Using it, you can convince your apps that you are in a location different from your actual location.
It was originally created for developers.
With mock location, you can manually change your GPS coordinates, and it allows developers to test location services for specific areas.
Since its availability became known, a lot of users have enabled mock location for reasons that have nothing to do with development.
You can use mock locations to gain access to region-locked content outside of your current area.
For instance, you can get access to Netflix content that is only available in other countries.
You can trick games into giving you access to content based on your location.
If you enjoy a game like Pokemon Go, location mocking can help you find Pokemon that aren’t available in your current spot.
There are countless possible reasons why you might want to mock your location.
Regardless, knowing how it works will help you gain control over the function.
And, this understanding is important when it comes to fixing mock location issues.
How Does Mock Location Work in Android?
Mock location is a developer setting.
So, you can go into your developer settings to access it (which I will explain in a later section).
Once you turn on mock location, you have access to the feature, but that’s really only the beginning.
In order to actually control the mock location, you need a spoofing app.
You can find plenty on the Play Store.
They only work after you enable mock location, but when that is done, the spoofing apps are what enable you to pick where your fake location will be.
When using the feature with a functional app, you can randomize your location, or you can pick spots based on what you want to do.
When you are mocking your location, every app will use the spoofed location for its services.
At least, this is the default.
Many spoofing apps give you more precise control, allowing you to choose which apps get the fake location and which ones get your real location.
Why Do You Need to Reset Mock Location in Android?
A common problem with mock location is that it continues to create new random locations.
So, essentially, your location is jumping around.
This can severely hamper the use of apps that genuinely need to know where you are.
Keep in mind that this extends to more than just navigation apps.
Even Google searches use your location, and you might get some weird search results if your location spoofing is randomized or misbehaving.
How Do You Enable Mock Location in Android? (3 Steps)
Alright.
You should know enough to move forward into troubleshooting.
These steps will show you how to enable mock location, and this will be important for undoing mock location, since that’s one of the major troubleshooting steps.
#1 Go Into Developer Mode
The first step on this journey requires you to access developer mode on your Android device.
Fortunately, this isn’t very hard.
First off, go into your settings.
Look for “systems” and give it a tap.
Next, scroll until you see “about device.”
Give that a nice little tap too.
On the current menu, you should be able to find your “build number.”
You’re going to tap on that multiple times.
After a few repeats, you’ll get a message that you are in developer mode.
Congratulations!
The first step is finished.
#2 Navigate the New Developer Menu
Technically speaking, this isn’t a new menu, but if you’ve never used developer mode before, you’ve never seen this menu before.
Regardless of what we call it, you need to access the developer menu.
Go back to your settings, and tap on “system.”
You’ve seen this menu before, but now there’s an additional option: “developer options.”
Scroll until you find “debugging.”
You’re almost there.
In the debugging menu, you’re looking for the option to allow mock locations.
Tap to to make sure it’s on, and you now have access to the mock locations feature.
#3 Set Up Your Spoofing App
As I mentioned before, you need a spoofing app to actually control the mock locations.
Maybe I should have listed this at the first step, but if you’re following along, it’ll be fine.
Go to the Play Store and look for location spoofing apps. They should be designed to work with mock locations.
I can’t tell you which one you should use.
It depends on the interface that you like and how much money you want to spend.
But, there are plenty of options, so pick the one that appeals to you, and you can go through its setup instructions.
How you use the spoofing app varies from app to app, so pay attention to its help features and advice.
It should walk you through what you need to know, and if it doesn’t, there is usually a way to contact support or look up help.
Ultimately, this app is what allows you to manage your spoofed location.
How Do You Fix Mock Locations in Android? (6 Ways)
Ok.
Turning on mock locations is easy enough.
But, what if they don’t work right?
It’s possible for mock locations to bug out and skip your location around in ways you didn’t intend.
Sometimes, it’s working fine, but it prevents you from using certain apps the way you would want to.
Regardless, you need a way to overcome problems and get your mock locations under control.
So, I’ll show you the best generic ways to attack problems.
Naturally, the best solution will depend on the nature of the problem, so I’ll leave it to you to decide what order makes the most sense for these tips.
#1 Make Adjustments With Your Spoofing App
As I said before, the spoofing app is what gives you precise control over your mock locations.
So, this is a great place to start if things aren’t quite right.
Start by going through your options and settings.
You might see a setting that correlates perfectly with the problem you are seeing.
If not, you can always try to reset your settings back to their defaults.
The steps will depend on your app, but it’s usually an option.
When you do, any settings-related issues should go away.
If no amount of settings adjustments fixes the problem, you can try removing the app altogether.
If you like the app, reinstall it and see if that helps.
If you’re not in love with the app, move on to the next step.
#2 Change Your Spoofing App
This step is easy in principle.
You’re just downloading a new app from the store.
But, if you feel the need to change your spoofing app, then it’s probably worth your time to do a little more research this round.
Read reviews and try to understand what you’re getting.
#3 Disable Mock Locations
If multiple apps have the same problem, then it might not be the app that is really causing your issue.
At this point, it makes sense to go ahead and disable the mock locations.
You can follow the same steps that turned them on. It’s just a toggle on or off kind of thing.
Once you disable mock locations, it can take several minutes for your GPS to refresh and get the correct coordinates for where you are.
Once that happens, your location services should reset and work normally.
If this fixes the problem, you can try toggling mock locations on again.
Sometimes a simple refresh is enough.
#4 Leave Developer Mode
If the simple refresh doesn’t solve the problem, then it might be best to disable developer mode altogether.
Make sure mock locations is turned off or disabled.
You have successfully disabled this developer function, and now you’re going to leave it off.
If your location services work fine without mock locations, then you’re in good shape.
If even this doesn’t help, then it’s time for additional steps.
Also, you can toggle the developer menu off in the developer settings.
Doing this takes away that specific menu.
To get it back, follow the previous steps that involve tapping on the build number.
#5 Reset Your Phone
If turning off spoofing and leaving it off doesn’t solve the problem, then it’s time to attack the phone settings.
You can reset all app preferences.
You can also reset Wi-Fi, mobile, and Bluetooth.
Try resetting these first.
Especially with the app settings, you might be able to resolve your issue here.
To get to the reset options, go to settings > system > advanced > reset options.
#6 Wipe and Restore
This is the last resort.
When nothing else works, you can completely erase the phone and start from scratch.
It’s always best to back up the phone first so you don’t lose any data.
Let me be clear.
The steps I’m about to discuss will DELETE EVERYTHING on your phone.
So, don’t do this unless you are ready.
In the reset options menu from the previous step, you can also choose “Delete All Data (Factory Reset).”
If you’re super extra sure you want to go this route, tap that option, and it will walk you through a complete factory reset.
