How to Hide or Fake Your Location

Many of the more widely used web browsers offer geolocation services that determine your location based on your IP address, Wi-Fi network, or cell-data connection. If privacy is your primary concern or you'd just like to obscure your location, you can set up Firefox, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge to mimic or block geolocation.

What Is Geolocation?

Geolocation technology detects a user's location and then maps this information to the web browser or another application. Most services use your device's IP address and network information to establish your approximate location.

Most browsers use geolocation for several purposes. When you enter some web-sites, you may see requests that want access to your location. If you allow permission, the website uses the information to provide content based on the location.

Although everything becomes convenient with geolocation, there are some privacy settings where you may require to fake or block the location. Faking location may also help in accessing geographically restricted content.

How to Disable Geolocation on Google Chrome

Let's outline the procedure for disabling geolocation on Google Chrome:

Open the settings panel: Click on the three dots that are vertically aligned in the top-right corner of your browser.

Open privacy settings: Now, click on "Settings" from the dropdown. Then click on "Privacy and Security."

Location section: Click "Site Settings," and then "Location."

Disable location: Next to "Sites can ask for your location," change the status to the setting "Don't allow sites to see your location."

Access and remove permissions: Further down, see a list of websites that have requested or have been granted access to your location. You can click on the small trash can icon on the right side of any entry to remove permission for that site.

This will prevent Google Chrome from gaining access and sharing your location data with websites. It can enhance your online privacy and security when surfing sensitive content or when using public Wi-Fi.

Hide Your Location in Firefox

Firefox does have much more granular control over website location permissions. But similar to Chrome, it asks for your permission when a site asks for location data.

To manage location settings:

Click the three vertical bars in the upper right corner of Firefox.

Click "Settings" > "Privacy & Security."

Scroll down to "Permissions" and click the "Settings" box to the right of "Location."

Here you should see a list of sites requesting access to your location; clear any you don't want.

If you want to never receive requests again, you can click the checkbox next to "Block new requests asking to access your location." This will immediately shut down geolocation for all websites.

Disable Geolocation in Microsoft Edge

For a long period of time, just as is the case for Google Chrome, most users have always disabled the geolocation function of the Microsoft Edge browser due to how easy this can be done. To disable that on Edge:

Click on the 3 horizontal dots at the top-right corner.

Select the option to go to Settings > Cookies and Site Permissions.

Go to All permissions and then click on Location.

Turn off "Ask before accessing" for sites to block such requests from all sites.

You can then review the lists of sites that have been allowed or blocked access from your location.

Click the trash can icon next to that site's name to delete permissions

Just the way it works on Google Chrome to turn off geolocation

How to Set a Fake Location on Your Browser

For even more online privacy, download a VPN service that can help obfuscate your true location. Most of these services offer added security when trying to protect your anonymity in a digital world. You can also manipulate the location settings within any browsers you are using, like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge, either by manual setting preferences or by installing third-party extensions.

Spoof Your Location in Google Chrome, Firefox, and Edge

Location Guard is one of the simplest and easy ways of concealing your location when online. It basically creates a different fake location, which is shown differently at every site surfed. This will deter the tracking of the actual location of a given user at a real time. This will lead to protection of privacy and prevention of websites collecting data on geolocation.

How to Use Location Guard:

Install the extension: Add the extension Location Guard to your preferred browser (Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Firefox).

Settings access: After installing this extension, it will take you to its settings page.

Choose fixed location: Select "Use fixed location" under the "Default level" option.

Set your location: Go to the "Fixed location" tab and drag on the map pin to place it at the location you desire.

For added security: You may prefer to use a fixed location over a random one. This is because it does not let websites detect nearby Wi-Fi networks, thus giving you added protection of privacy.

Download Location Guard:

Chrome: https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/location-guard/cfohepagpmnodfdmjliccbbigdkfcgia?hl=en

Download and Install: Microsoft Edge-https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/location-guard/cfohepagpmnodfdmjliccbbigdkfcgia?hl=en

Firefox-https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/location-guard/

It is important to note that although Location Guard may bury your real location, it cannot do anything about other clues your IP address might give away about the general area you are in. To get maximum privacy, use a VPN service along with.