How to Stop Sharing Location without them Knowing
Oliver Jones
Location sharing in modern smartphones enables real-time tracking, helps locate lost devices, and enhances personalized services. It is crucial for navigation, emergency response, and social connectivity. However, there are scenarios where one might have to stop sharing their location discreetly. For example, if someone is trying to stalk you via your phone, disabling location sharing can be a precaution.
Restricting location sharing can also help protect privacy during sensitive activities. Overall, managing location-sharing settings allows users to balance their privacy needs with the benefits of being locatable when necessary. Let’s discuss the available methods that can help you stop location sharing on your iPhone and Android devices. Read more…
iToolab AnyGo is a versatile tool that allows users to effortlessly change their GPS location on iOS devices. This tool also provides an intuitive interface for location spoofing and movement simulation, enhancing your digital experience.
Methods to Stop Sharing Location
Here are some of the best methods that I used to stop sharing my location.
Method 1: Using phone Settings
I have mentioned steps for iPhone and Android smartphones separately to stop sharing your phone’s location using the phone settings.
iPhone
Here are the steps for turning off location services:
Step 1) Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
Step 2) Toggle off the Location Services. It will prevent the apps from accessing your location.
Android
Follow the given steps below to stop sharing your location on Android:
Step 1) Open Settings > Location.
Step 2) Toggle off Use location.
Step 3) Open Google Maps, go to your profile, and tap the person you don’t want to share your location with.
Method 2: Use GPS Spoofers to Change Location
I tried some of the best third-party tools to spoof my actual location and found the following two tools to be most effective:
1) iToolab AnyGo
iToolab AnyGo is a versatile tool that allows users to effortlessly change their GPS location on iOS devices. It is ideal for gaming, social apps, and privacy. This tool also provides an intuitive interface for location spoofing and movement simulation, enhancing your digital experience.
Set Custom Routes: Yes
Works with Social Apps: Yes
Real-time Location Spoofing: Yes
Refund Policy: 30-Days Money-back Guarantee
Features:
- Location Spoofing: With a single click, I could easily change my GPS location to anywhere in the world. It allowed me to spoof my GPS location around 15 devices at the same time.
- Simulate Movement: iToolab could create customized routes for me to simulate my movement. It was quite helpful when I played games like Pokemon Go and when accessing Google Fit.
- Multi-Device Support: You can control the GPS location of multiple iOS devices simultaneously, which is perfect for managing several accounts or devices at the same time.
- Historical Records: I could save and manage previously used locations and routes. This allowed quick access for repeated use without needing reconfiguration.
- User-Friendly Interface: The intuitive interface ensures a seamless experience, even for those with limited expertise. Whether you’re using it for gaming, social media, or privacy, iToolab AnyGo will simplify your location management process.
Step-by-step process
Follow these steps to stop sharing your phone location using iToolab AnyGo without others knowing:
Step 1) Install iToolab AnyGo on your computer.
Step 2) Open iToolab AnyGo and connect your iPhone to the computer via USB.
Step 3) Click “Start” in iToolab AnyGo. Search for and select your desired fake location on the map, then click “Go” to change your iPhone’s location.
Step 4) Use the “Two-spot route” or “Multi-spot route” to simulate movement if needed.
Step 5) Open a location-based app on your iPhone to confirm the new location. Your location will now appear as the one set in iToolab AnyGo, effectively stopping location sharing without others knowing.
30-Days Money-Back Guarantee
2) iMyFone AnyTo
iMyFone AnyTo GPS Location Changer Spoofer is my go-to tool for effortlessly changing my GPS location on iOS devices. It could also help me access location-specific content or protect my privacy. This tool allowed me to teleport my device’s GPS to any location, thus preventing cross-site tracking on iPhones.
Features:
- Multi-spot Mode: The Multi-spot Mode lets you select multiple modes and determine different speed modes to customize the GPS tracking. It also includes a Two-spot Mode that helped me plan routes and even mark the start and end points on a map.
- Joystick: It allowed me to create custom routes and replicate movement along real roads. This feature enhanced my experience while accessing AR games and fitness apps that required tracking my location.
- Compatibility: I could control the GPS location of multiple iOS devices simultaneously. It supports both Android and iOS devices, including iOS 17 and Android 14.
- Historical Records: The app saves and manages my previously used locations and routes. It allowed me to use these locations during emergency situations from the historical records.
- User-Friendly Interface: The interface was easy to manage for me, even with limited technical expertise. It simplified my location management for gaming, social media, and privacy.
Step-by-step process
To stop sharing your location on your phone using iMyFone AnyTo GPS Location Changer Spoofer without others knowing, follow these steps:
Step 1) Download and install the iMyFone AnyTo GPS Location Changer Spoofer from the iMyFone AnyTo website.
Step 2) Open the software and connect your iPhone to the computer via USB.
Step 3) Click “Get Started”, choose “Teleport Mode”, search for your desired location, and click “Move”.
Step 4) Select “Two-spot mode” or “Multi-spot mode” to simulate movement if needed.
Step 5) Open a location-based app on your iPhone to confirm the new location. Your location will now appear as the one set in the iMyFone AnyTo GPS Location Changer Spoofer, effectively stopping location sharing without others knowing.
30-Days Money-Back Guarantee
Method 3: Use Airplane Mode
I found an easy way to stop sharing my phone’s location using the Airplane Mode. Let me guide you through the process:
On iPhone
Step 1) If you use an iPhone X or higher, access the control center from the screen’s upper-right corner. But if you are using a version lower than iPhone X, the swiping needs to be done from the bottom.
Step 2) Tap the Airplane Mode icon (it looks like an airplane). It will turn off the wireless connections, hence stopping location sharing.
On Android
Step 1) Simply open the Quick Settings panel and Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Quick Settings panel.
Step 2) Tap the Airplane Mode icon. This will turn off all wireless connections and stop location sharing.
Please note:
Once you enable Airplane Mode on the phone, all communication services will be disconnected. Cellular network activities, such as Wi-Fi, internet access, calls, and messages, will be stopped.
Method 4: Disable Specific App Access
To stop sharing your phone’s location by restricting specific app access, follow these steps:
On iPhone
Process 1: Through the Settings
Step 1) Open Settings
Step 2) Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
Process 2: Manage App Access
Step 1) Scroll through the list of apps.
Step 2) Tap on the app for which you want to change location access.
Step 3) Choose Never to restrict location access for that app altogether. You can also select While Using the App if you want the app to access your location only when it’s open.
On Android
Through the Settings
Step 1) Go to Settings > Apps > App Management.
Step 2) Go to an e-commerce or commute app that obviously uses your location when opened such as Amazon, Uber, eBay, etc.
Step 3) Choose “Do not allow” to automatically restrict location access for that app, or select Allow only while using the app for conditional access. You can then tap on “See all apps with this permission” and change the location settings for all.
Method 5: Stop Sharing location with Specific People
Here’s how you can stop sharing location with a selective number of people.
iPhone
I use the following steps to stop sharing location with specific people on my iPhone:
Step 1) Open the Find My app and tap the People tab.
Step 2) Select the contact and tap Stop Sharing My Location.
Android
I use the following steps to prevent unwanted people from accessing my location details:
Step 1) Open Google Maps > Tap your image on the top right.
Step 2) Location Sharing > Select the phone number you want to stop sharing your location and click Stop. Here, I have stopped sharing my location with the following contacts.
Method 6: Disable Find My Phone
To disable the Find My Phone settings on your iPhone, you can use the steps given below:
Step 1) Open Settings > tap on your Apple ID > Find My.
Step 2) Toggle off Share My Location.
Here are the steps to disable Find My Device on an Android phone:
Step 1) Open Settings > Security > Find My Device.
Step 2) Toggle off the Find My Device option.
Method 7: Adjust Location Sharing
Here are the ways to adjust location sharing on your iPhone or Android device:
Step 1) Open Settings > Location.
Step 2) Toggle the “Use location” switch on or off.
Step 3) Tap on “App permissions” or “App-level permissions” to adjust which apps can access your location. You can then set individual permissions like “Allow all the time”, “Allow only while using the app”, or “Deny”.
You can also use Google Location to adjust location settings
Step 1) Go to “Advanced” and tap on “Google Location Accuracy” to improve location accuracy using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile networks.
Step 2) Tap “Google Location History” to view or manage your location history. You can turn it on or off and manage the devices associated with your account.
Here are the steps for adjusting location sharing on iPhone using privacy settings:
Step 1) Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
Step 2) Toggle the “Location Services” switch on or off.
Technological Limitations of Location Sharing
The following technological constraints impact the reliability and efficiency of location-based services.
- GPS accuracy can be affected by signal obstructions like buildings and weather conditions, leading to imprecise locations.
- Battery consumption is another issue, as continuous GPS use drains the device’s power quickly.
- Privacy concerns arise from potential unauthorized access and misuse of location data.
- Additionally, compatibility issues across different devices and platforms can hinder seamless location sharing.
The Effectiveness of Third-Party Apps in Hiding Location Sharing
Third-party apps can spoof the GPS data to hide the location and ensure higher privacy and security. These apps help maintain privacy without entirely disabling location services.
However, their effectiveness varies depending on the app’s quality and the device’s compatibility. Some apps may leave digital traces or be detected by other services, compromising privacy.
At times, hiding your location can limit certain apps from reaching their highest potential, such as food delivery apps, cab services, e-commerce platforms, etc. Additionally, frequent use of location spoofers can violate the terms of service for some applications.
Staying Private While Being Found in Emergencies
To keep your phone location private while staying active in emergencies, use location spoofing apps, turn off location sharing for specific apps, and enable emergency SOS settings.
This ensures privacy without compromising safety. It allows emergency services to locate you while keeping your real-time location hidden from others.
Conclusion
To discreetly stop sharing your location, turn off location sharing in your device settings or app, use airplane mode, or employ third-party tools designed for privacy. These methods enhance privacy, protect personal information, and increase security without alerting others.
