This article was co-authored by Maya Diamond, MA
and by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD
. Maya Diamond is a Dating and Relationship Coach in Berkeley, CA. She has 15 years of experience helping singles stuck in frustrating dating patterns find internal security, heal their past, and create healthy, loving, and lasting partnerships. She received her Master's in Somatic Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2009.
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cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
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The Bumble app is a great way to make romantic and social connections, but it relies on access to your location to match you with people in your area. If you’re not keen on sharing your location over Bumble, there are a few ways you can hide or disguise it. In this article, we’ll talk you through the easiest options, as well as some ways to get around Bumble’s built-in location service requirements.
Steps
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Keep in mind that you won’t be able to make new matches. The easiest way to hide your location is to change your location permission settings for the Bumble app. Once you’ve done this, you can still interact with your previous matches, but you won’t be able to make new ones. [1] X Research source Depending on what kind of device you’re using, there are a couple ways to do this.
- If you’re using an Apple device, such as an iPhone or iPad, open Settings , then select Privacy , then Location Services . Choose Bumble from the list of apps and select an option that limits your location sharing (such as Never , Ask Next Time , or While Using App ). [2] X Research source
- On an Android device, swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap and hold the Location icon, which looks like an upside-down teardrop with a dot inside. Tap App location permissions and find Bumble in your list of apps. Tap the Bumble icon to change your permission settings. [3] X Research source
- You can also change your location permissions on an Android device by touching and holding the app’s icon, then tapping the App info button . Select Permissions , then Location and choose the access level you want from the menu.
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Snooze lets you temporarily hide your profile. If you want to lie low for a while or just take a break, Snooze Mode is an easy option. As long as this mode is activated, your established matches won’t see your location, and potential new matches won’t see your profile at all. [4] X Research source To activate Snooze mode: [5] X Research source
- Tap the profile icon, which looks like a silhouette of a head and shoulders, at the bottom left side of the screen.
- Select the Settings icon .
- Tap Snooze , then select the length of time you’d like to snooze. You can choose between 24 hours, 72 hours, 1 week, and indefinitely. [6] X Research source
- If you want, you can set an away message to let your established matches know when you’ll be back.
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This method lets you get around Bumble’s location sharing requirement. Instead of hiding your location, a spoofing app will create a fake location using false GPS data. Install the app of your choice and follow the instructions to activate it and keep making matches without showing your real location. Some popular location spoofing apps include:
- Fake GPS Location, Mock Locations, Fake GPS, and GPS Emulator for Android devices.
- Virtual Location for Mac, which you can use in combination with the Magellan app on your phone or tablet to create fake locations on iOS devices.
- Unfortunately, there are very few reliable location spoofing options for iOS devices. Always use caution and read the reviews carefully before trying one of these apps.
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VPNs hide your location by routing your activity through a private server. To create a fake location with a VPN, install the VPN on your phone, tablet, or computer. Then, choose a server in the location of your choice—it can even be a different country. Once you switch the VPN on, it will look like you’re using Bumble and other apps you’re your selected location. [7] X Research source
- Some popular VPNs include Express VPN, NordVPN, and CyberGhost.
- A few VPN apps on the market have built-in GPS spoofing capabilities, such as Surfshark and ExpressVPN.
Expert Q&A
Tips
- While some websites recommend turning off GPS on your phone, that probably won’t be enough to obscure your location. Your phone uses a combination of GPS, wi-fi, and cellular data to track your position. [8] X Research sourceThanks
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References
- ↑ https://bumble.com/en/help/can-i-use-bumble-without-location-permissions
- ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/102647
- ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/6179507?hl=en
- ↑ https://bumble.com/en/help/location-not-visible
- ↑ https://bumble.com/help/what-is-snooze
- ↑ https://bumble.com/en/the-buzz/bumble-snooze-mode
- ↑ https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/need-to-spoof-your-location-a-vpn-can-help
- ↑ https://www.theverge.com/21401280/android-101-location-tracking-history-stop-how-to