How to Update Your Location on Any Platform (Everywhere You Need It)

Sometimes, getting the best use out of technology requires some workarounds. These workarounds can help you with things like switching your dating profile to a new location when you’re in a new state or looking up restaurants in the city you will be vacationing in next year. Sometimes, these simple requests can be really easy – and sometimes they can be quite complicated! Whether you’re planning a trip, catching up after a move, or trying to access geo-restricted content, it’s helpful to know how to modify your virtual location on the platforms you use. Our guide covers location-changing techniques for a wide range of useful apps, including mapping and navigation services, dating platforms, food delivery apps, and streaming services. Let’s take a look at the official methods provided by the apps, workarounds for apps that don’t make it easy, and the process of using a VPN when you can’t change your location in the app. Although changing your location can be incredibly useful and convenient, it’s important to know that some methods may violate an app’s terms of service or raise privacy concerns. In this guide, we aim to provide you with the knowledge to make informed decisions about when and how to change your location across various digital platforms. There are plenty of reasons why you might need to change your location on one of these platforms: Changing your location in these apps can be particularly helpful for trip planning, helping others navigate, or simply exploring areas you’re interested in without physically being there. It’s a powerful feature for both practical use and virtual exploration. Google Maps, Waze, and Apple Maps are the most popular mobile mapping apps, but there are others like Open Street Map, MapQuest, and MapsMe. You must be signed in to set, edit, and find your home and work on the map. Your labeled places are private and only visible to you when you are logged in. How to delete your home address How to save directions to home How to customize your Home/Work icon On Waze, you don’t need to change your location. You just need to set a different starting point for navigation purposes. Note that this feature is currently not supported on Android Auto, Android Automotive (AAOS), and CarPlay. Set your destination to plan for a later trip These steps are very similar to using an Android device, but there are some additional features to note. How to add a saved place How to adjust your location settings In iOS 18, you can set different home/work addresses in Contacts and Maps. Weather and other apps use the Contacts address, while navigation uses the Maps address. Use these instructions to update your location on Apple Maps. How to update your address using the Contacts App How to refine your location accuracy How to remove a saved location How to update your address settings on macOS Most of the time, it makes sense to set your dating app location to your home to get a reasonable radius for your matches. However, there are times when you may want to change your location. Perhaps you are traveling and want to meet locals, or maybe you want to connect with people from a different area than the one where you live. However, most dating apps don’t allow you to make these changes for free. If you want to change your location using a free account, you may need to try some workarounds. We’ll cover the instructions for Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, as these are some of the biggest apps in the US. Also, be aware of potential dating scams when interacting with matches from different locations. There are a few methods for changing your location on Tinder. Some require you to have a paid version of the app, rather than the basic free plan. Method 1: Using Tinder Passport (Paid Feature) Method 2: Using a VPN (free or paid) Keep reading for more instructions on how to use a VPN! Method 3: Manually changing your IP address On an iOS device: On an Android device: Method 4: Using third-party apps Method 5: Changing Facebook location (If your Tinder is linked to Facebook) Note: Be cautious when using third-party apps or changing your location, as it may violate Tinder’s terms of service. Bumble Premium makes it incredibly easy to change the location where you are searching for connections. Method 1: Using Travel Mode (Bumble Premium required) Travel Mode allows you to appear in another city for seven days. To turn off Travel Mode: Note: Your location will show as the center of the chosen city, and other users will see an indicator that you’re using Travel Mode. Method 2: Changing your location without Travel Mode On the Bumble Mobile App: Without Travel Mode, your location updates automatically based on your phone’s GPS. To update: On Bumble Web: Note: If you use both the app and web version, your profile will default to your phone’s location each time you launch the app. Unlike some other dating apps, Hinge allows you to change your location for free without requiring a paid subscription. Hinge doesn’t automatically update your location based on your device’s GPS or IP address. You can also set your location preferences as “Dealbreakers” or regular preferences. Method 1: Using the “My Neighborhood” feature Method 2: Changing your profile settings On an iOS device: On an Android device: You may want to change your location on a food delivery app to browse restaurants in a different area or order food for someone in a different location. Most of the time, you can put any delivery address into these apps, but if you want to change your primary location, these are the steps to take for the most popular apps. DoorDash allows you to change your location easily, whether you’re a consumer or a Dasher (delivery driver). Let’s start with the option for app users who are ordering food. Method 1: Using the DoorDash App Method 2: Using the DoorDash Website But what if you are using the app as a Dasher, not a consumer? Method 1: Standard “DashNow” option on the app Method 2: If “Dash Now” is not available If the “Dash Now” option isn’t available in your current area, try these steps: Method 3: Updating your Delivery Zone To change your delivery zone more permanently: Please note that you may not be able to change your starting point if DoorDash is unavailable in the region where you want to deliver. The same is true if there are already too many Dashers in that area. DoorDash may also restrict location changes during peak hours. When you place an order on Uber Eats, simply input your delivery address. But what if you accidentally put the wrong address for your order? Or if you need to change your order’s delivery location after you placed the order? If you need to change your delivery address for a current order on Uber Eats, follow these steps: Depending on your new address, you may encounter different scenarios: Remember, changing your delivery address may affect the delivery time and cost, so it’s best to ensure your address is correct when initially placing the order. Shoppers don’t need to change their address in the app, except to put in a new delivery address when they start shopping. This will automatically change the stores that you have access to. If, however, you are an Instacart shopper, changing your location is a bit more work. Step 1: Update your personal information Step 2: Change your location Before requesting a location change, check if Instacart operates in your desired area at instacart.com/locations. Optional Step: Sign up for a new role Instacart allows shoppers to fill one of two different roles: in-store or full-service. In-store shoppers hand off  you want to change from an in-store shopper to a full-service shopper (or vice versa): Setting your location makes a huge difference in what you can stream online. Streaming platforms can geo-block their content so that it is only viewable in specific regions or settings. If you are outside of that location, you are out of luck! Well, sort of… Many viewers want to get around these geographic blocks so they can watch content from all over the world. Unfortunately, platforms don’t just let you change your location. They operate based on your IP address. Therefore, if you want to get around geo-blocked content, your only two options are to physically change your location (an unlikely strategy) or change it via a VPN. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can be used to change your apparent location for many online services. Here’s a general guide on how to use a VPN to change your location. Step 1: Choose & download a VPN Step 2. Install and set up the VPN Step 3. Connect to a server in your desired location 4. Verify your new location 5. Use location-based services like streaming apps A few extra things to know about installing a VPN for streaming: You always want to make sure your VPN is connected before you access any location-based services. However, if a platform uses GPS data from your device, the VPN will not be able to mask that. There is also the risk that if you use a VPN, you may violate the Terms of Service for streaming platforms, which could lead to having your account canceled.