How to Change Your Pokémon GO Location (Updated 2024)

If you travel a lot, you can use a VPN to connect to your usual Pokémon GO location and avoid missing out on local Pokémon GO events and rare Pokémon. A VPN connection also helps you bypass any technical issues and glitches that usually happen during gameplay.

Though hundreds of VPNs claim to work with the mobile game, I tested 60+ vendors to see only a handful improved my Pokémon GO experience. My research showed that ExpressVPN is the most reliable vendor with ultra-fast speeds and reliable connections that can help change your Pokémon GO location.

ExpressVPN is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee — so you can test ExpressVPN with Pokémon GO for yourself and get a refund if it doesn’t work for you.

Play Pokémon GO with ExpressVPN

Quick Guide: 3 Steps to Change Your Location in Pokémon GO with a VPN

Why You Need a VPN to Change Your Location in Pokémon GO

Pokémon GO is available worldwide, but you’ll lose access to local Pokémon, Poké Stops, and Gyms if you travel outside of your usual area. The game checks your location by scanning your device’s IP address and GPS, so you need to hide both to connect to your regular Pokémon spots.

Connecting to a VPN masks your true IP address, replacing it with one from a server location of your choice. While it doesn’t change your Pokémon GO GPS location, it can help unblock the game in places where it’s restricted, like at work or school. The VPN stops the network from checking which apps you open and blocking access to the game.

To fully change your Pokémon GO location, you also have to use a GPS-emulator app that alters GPS signals sent from your device. After choosing a location, the app transmits your new coordinates to the global navigation satellite system. Pokémon GO detects your new virtual location, letting you play locally when you’re abroad.

Your VPN and GPS-emulator need to be set to the same location before you open Pokémon GO. Otherwise, the app will recognize you’re breaking the Terms and Conditions and ban you from playing.

Regardless of which GPS-emulator app you choose, you need one of the best VPNs in 2024, as only these can keep your location hidden for as long as you need it. ExpressVPN comes with the toughest encryption as well as blazing-fast speeds, letting you catch Pokémon from anywhere.

Step-by-Step Guide: Change Your Location in Pokemon GO On Android and iOS

Changing your location in Pokémon GO is a little different depending on which operating system you’re using to play the game. Some guides will recommend that you jailbreak or root your device, but this isn’t necessary — you can change the GPS location of your iOS or Android device in just a few simple steps.

Remember, while it’s not illegal to change your location, you could get banned from Pokémon GO as GPS-spoofing is considered cheating.

Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

The Best VPNs to Change Your Location in Pokemon GO in 2024

1. ExpressVPN — Fastest Speeds to Battle Rival Pokémon Teams In Gyms Worldwide

Outstanding

Outstanding

📍Servers	3,000+
📱Devices	8
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

ExpressVPN can help you enjoy any Pokémon GO location lag-free due to its fast servers and low latency. It’s annoying to get through a battle, only to be kicked out because your ping spiked — but ExpressVPN can prevent this. I was impressed that my latency was consistent on every server, which let me play Pokémon GO without lag.

As server speeds can fluctuate, I was happy to see ExpressVPN instantly located the best connection for me. I could also create a list of favorite servers and save particularly fast locations for later with one button. This made it even easier to quickly connect to a server and start playing Pokémon GO.

To ensure you can always connect to your favorite Pokémon GO locations, ExpressVPN has a range of high-level security and privacy features that keep your activity anonymous. These include:

• AES-256-bit encryption and obfuscation — military-grade encryption prevents Pokémon GO from detecting your true location, while obfuscation hides your VPN use that may trigger a warning from Niantic.
• Data leak protection — stops accidental DNS, IP, and WebRTC leaks that could expose your data to Pokémon GO and result in a ban from the game.
• Lightway protocol — designed for blazing-fast speeds without compromising your security, for lag-free Pokémon GO gameplay.

With these impressive features, ExpressVPN is not just the top choice for Pokémon GO in 2024 — you can also use it to stream your favorite content in UHD, torrent files quickly, and play fast-paced online games like Call of Duty: Warzone without lag.

I could create a Pokémon GO shortcut within ExpressVPN’s app and open the game seconds after connecting. I didn’t have to waste time looking for Pokémon Go on my phone and I could spend my lunch break on multiple PokéStop visits.

You may find ExpressVPN is a little pricier than other VPNs, but I think it’s worth the extra cost for reliable, fast connections to Pokémon GO worldwide. Plans start at $4.99 per month for a 2-year + 6 months free subscription, giving you a 82% discount on its regular price.

If you want to try ExpressVPN with Pokémon GO, you can purchase a plan with confidence as every subscription is backed by a 30-day guarantee. If you change your mind, it’s easy to get a full refund with no questions asked. I contacted the 24/7 live chat and within 4 minutes, an agent processed my request. I had my money back in 5 days.

Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

2. CyberGhost — Encrypted Servers Secure Against DDoS Attacks When Playing Pokémon GO

Outstanding

Outstanding

📍Servers	11,676+
📱Devices	7
💰Refund	45 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

Every CyberGhost connection provides DDoS protection, so you can rest assured you won’t be targeted by irritated opponents when playing Pokémon GO. If an attack is directed at you, CyberGhost will divert it away to its own servers to ensure you won’t be affected. This put my mind at ease that I could fight Pokémon battles without lag or interruptions.

Alongside DDoS protection, CyberGhost also has a variety of security and privacy features for safe connections that let you switch Pokémon GO locations. These include:

• Data leak protection — prevents accidental DNS and IP leaks that could expose your true location and trigger a ban from Niantic.
• Always-active kill switch — cuts your internet connection if the VPN is interrupted, ensuring your data is always secure.
• Secure connection protocols — including OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2, all of which are ideal for robust and fast connections to global Pokémon GO locations.

For me, one of CyberGhost’s stand-out features is that the apps are so intuitive to use. Across multiple devices, the apps are basically identical, making it easy to get connected on your iPhone, Android smartphone, or tablet for Pokémon GO. I thought it was simple to find and connect to servers worldwide so I could start gaming in just a couple of seconds.

In terms of speed, CyberGhost is very fast on local connections, with some slowdown over long distances. On average, during tests my speeds dropped around 24%, which didn’t make a noticeable impact on my Pokémon GO gameplay. If you’re connecting to a distant server, you may notice it takes longer to load the game due to the slowdown.

Fortunately, every CyberGhost server lists the ping in ms, so you can choose a connection with low latency for lag-free gaming, even when using distant servers. By manually choosing servers with low ping, I had uninterrupted gaming on Pokémon GO with zero stuttering.

My issue with CyberGhost is that it’s an expensive option for short-term use, so I recommend choosing one of its long-term plans for the best value. You can get an impressive discount of 84%, with plans starting at $2.03/month.

Better still, long-term plans have a 45-day money-back guarantee so you can try CyberGhost with Pokémon GO risk-free. If you’re not satisfied, it’s easy to get a full refund — I contacted the 24/7 live chat and an agent had my request processed within 5 minutes. My money was returned in a week.

Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as CyberGhost VPN. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Thousands of Global Servers to Catch Pokémon In Any Country

Excellent

Excellent

📍Servers	35,000+
📱Devices	Unlimited
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

Private Internet Access (PIA) offers the largest networks of servers, giving you a wide choice of worldwide locations for Pokémon GO. During my tests, I never encountered overcrowded connections, which meant my PIA speeds were always fast. This let me change my location in Pokémon GO in 30 seconds, regardless of which connection I chose.

With so many servers, I was concerned it would take a long time to find a fast connection for Pokémon GO. However, I only had to select the country I wanted to connect to and PIA always located the fastest server automatically. My tests showed PIA’s connections had speeds of 30Mbps+, which was fast enough to play Pokémon GO with no lag.

If you find your speeds are slow even with a low-ping server, you can try customizing your PIA encryption. Reducing encryption levels from AES-256-bit to AES-128-bit can boost your speed without compromising your security. This could make your speeds fast enough for lag-free Pokémon GO gaming, even over long-distance connections.

To ensure your location switches in Pokémon GO don’t prompt a warning or ban, PIA has the following top-tier security and privacy features:

• Automatic kill switch and leak protection — stops accidental data leaks (even if the VPN connection is interrupted) to maintain your security at all times when gaming online.
• Secure connection protocols — including WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 to keep your connections fast and private.
• Audited zero-log policy — ensures your personally identifiable data is never logged or stored while you’re connected to PIA’s servers.

You may find PIA’s app interface seems complicated, with many customizable options and menus, so it’s not ideal for beginner VPN users. On mobile devices, I occasionally misclicked due to the small app features. However, PIA’s online help site has plenty of guides to make connecting to the right server with the right features as easy as possible.

Fortunately, PIA is a very affordable option, with plans starting at $2.19/month — it’s one of the top monthly VPNs. You can even try PIA with Pokémon GO risk-free as it’s backed by a 30-day guarantee. I sent a refund request to PIA by email and had a confirmation the same day. My refund was fully processed within a week.

Editor’s Note: Transparency is one of our core values at WizCase, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as Private Internet Access. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.

4. NordVPN — Meshnet Feature Connects to Your Home Network for Access to Local Pokémon GO Anywhere

Excellent

Excellent

📍Servers	6,300+
📱Devices	10
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

NordVPN’s Meshnet feature lets you connect to your home network to play Pokémon GO locally when you travel abroad or Pokémon GO isn’t accessible. I set up Meshnet in a couple of minutes and could connect to my home PC using my smartphone. Combined with a GPS emulator, I could easily use NordVPN to mask my location and catch Pokémon.

My connection speeds with NordVPN were consistently fast when I used the NordLynx protocol. My average speed reduction was 19%, providing reliable connections for Pokémon GO across NordVPN’s 6,300+ servers. Even long-distance servers had impressive speeds, despite having higher ping due to the increased physical distance.

Alongside fast speeds, NordVPN has multiple premium security features to keep your data and location hidden when you’re playing Pokémon GO. These include the following:

• AES-256-bit encryption — secures your IP address and personal data to ensure Pokémon GO cannot detect your true location, plus blocks potential DDoS attacks.
• Data leak protection — stops IP and DNS leaks from exposing your data when you’re gaming online, ensuring you won’t get a warning or account ban.
• Threat Protection — keeps your devices safe against malicious websites, trackers, and ads — useful when looking up Pokémon GO tips and locations.

While I was overall impressed with NordVPN’s service, I found its interface could be a little difficult to navigate. It’s hard to connect to individual servers, and I needed to click through several menus to find the right configuration settings for Pokémon GO. If you’re a beginner user who wants an easy-to-use VPN, I suggest you try ExpressVPN instead.

You can try NordVPN with Pokémon GO risk-free, and its long-term plans are affordable — prices start at just $2.99/month. Plus, all subscriptions are backed by a 30-day guarantee, and getting a refund is simple if you change your mind. I had my money back in just 6 days after canceling my account over the 24/7 live chat.

5. Surfshark — Highly-Configurable Apps Provide Secure Connections for Pokémon GO

Great VPN

Great VPN

📍Servers	3,200+
📱Devices	Unlimited
💰Refund	30 days
📝Keep logs	No
🔰Kill switch
📞Support 24/7	Yes

See Deals

Key Features:

Surfshark’s apps have a high level of customizability, ideal for advanced users who want to make precise connections to Pokémon GO. I was impressed by my options to fine-tune my connection, especially on mobile apps. I could see how full servers are, protect my devices from malware, adjust my protocol, and enable obfuscation in just a couple of clicks.

To maintain top-tier protection when you’re playing Pokémon GO, Surfshark implements the following security and privacy features to keep your connections safe and anonymous:

• Automatic kill switch — It suspends internet access if the VPN connection is disrupted, safeguarding your location data from being exposed to Pokémon GO. This precautionary measure helps prevent potential bans.
• Secure connection protocols — including WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2.
• CleanWeb — stops malware, ads, and trackers when playing Pokémon GO or browsing websites for Pokémon tips.

For regular connections, Surfshark is reliably fast across its global network. My speed tests showed a slowdown of around 20% on average, with long-distance connections only slightly slower than local servers. With these speeds, Surfshark is one of the top choice VPNs for streaming on Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and more.

However, distant connections significantly impacted my ping — on some connections, it increased by more than 300%. This caused lag and interruptions when playing Pokémon GO, especially frustrating when trying to catch Pokémon or in the middle of a battle. I suggest connecting to servers less than 5,000km away to avoid high ping.

If you’d like to try Surfshark with Pokémon GO on nearby servers, you’ll find it’s a low-cost option. Plans start at just $1.99/month for long-term plans, which is a huge saving of 87% from its regular price.

Best of all, Surfshark is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can make your purchase with confidence. I tested the refund process myself and contacted the 24/7 live chat. The customer support agent promptly arranged my refund, and I had my money back within a week.

FAQs on Changing Your Location in Pokémon GO With a VPN

Is changing your Pokémon GO location legal?

Yes, but it’s also complicated. While there are no laws against using a VPN to change your Pokémon GO location, it goes against the Terms and Conditions you agreed to when you signed up for your account.

If you’re found to be using a VPN or other app to change your Pokémon GO location, you could risk having your account suspended or even terminated. I strongly advise against violating the Terms and Conditions. Instead, I recommend utilizing a VPN solely for resolving technical problems while playing Pokémon GO. My team and I firmly believe in following guidelines and using VPNs responsibly to address any gameplay issues.

Will I get banned for changing my location in Pokémon GO?

It’s possible. Using third-party apps to change your Pokémon GO location is considered cheating. If the app discovers you’re using a VPN to change your location, you’ll be subjected to its 3-strike discipline policy.

The first strike prompts a 7-day constant warning in the Pokémon GO app to let you know your actions were detected. It affects your gameplay by disabling rare Pokémon around you, withholding EX Raid Passes, and restricting interactions with other players.

For a second strike, your account will be suspended for up to 30 days. This will completely block you from logging in, so you won’t be able to play.

The final strike will result in the complete termination of your account. Though you can appeal this decision, you’ll likely lose your progress and have to start again.

I recommend you stop changing your location as soon as you get your first warning, especially if you’ve played the game for a long time — it’s simply not worth the risk. Niantic (the game’s developer) has recently started updating the Pokémon GO app to make sure you can find a great selection of Pokémon and Gyms in any area.

Why won’t the Pokémon GO location change with a VPN?

A VPN changes your IP address, but this isn’t enough to change your Pokémon GO location. The game also uses your GPS coordinates to determine where you are, so you need to combine a VPN with a GPS-emulator app to change your location.

However, there is no guaranteed method that will help you change your Pokémon Go location every time. Niantic regularly updates the mobile app to prevent players from changing their location, so you’ll likely experience issues with connecting to the servers. If you’re struggling with accessing different GPS coordinates in the game, follow the instructions again using a different location.

What devices can you change your Pokémon GO location on?

You can change your Pokémon GO location on every device the game is compatible with. This includes iOS devices like iPhones and iPads as well as Android, including Samsung, Sony, HUAWEI, Google Pixel, and more.

You can also play Pokémon GO on your PC using an Android emulator, like Android Studio or Bluestacks. To change your location, you just need to follow the instructions to change your location on Android.

Can I change my location in Pokémon GO for free?

Yes, but it’s not a good idea. I don’t recommend using a free VPN as only a top-tier VPN has the high-level features needed to fully mask your location. Many free VPNs log and sell user data to third-party marketers, and worse some still have been found to contain malware.

Free GPS spoofing apps usually require you to root or jailbreak your device. This situation puts your security at risk, leaving you vulnerable to threats that would typically be detected by standard security measures. Additionally, it has the potential to render your device inoperable, causing irreparable damage. Only use a highly-rated GPS emulator to avoid any risks to your data and devices.

Even the top free VPNs in 2024 aren’t ideal for Pokémon GO, with limited data caps, restricted speeds, and only a handful of server connections. Instead, you can use a premium VPN for free. With a service like CyberGhost, you can play Pokémon GO risk-free for up to 45 days and get a full refund if you change your mind.

CyberGhost makes it easy to arrange a refund using live chat support

If you no longer need the service, simply contact customer service using the 24/7 live chat. Agents are helpful and polite, and will promptly issue a refund with no questions asked.

Change Your Location in Pokémon GO From Anywhere Today!

You don’t have to lose access to your usual Gyms and rare Pokémon when you travel abroad or experience technical issues. A reliable VPN reroutes your traffic through a local server to improve your connection and make your gameplay more enjoyable.

Moreover, when you’re in a different country, you can choose to use a GPS emulation app to change your Pokémon GO location. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to remember that Niantic considers this action as a form of cheating, and participating in it may lead to a suspension from the app.

ExpressVPN proved to be the best choice for Pokémon GO with its large selection of high-speed servers and strong encryption that quickly hides your IP address. Even if your attempts to change your location don’t work, you can get a full refund as the vendor’s 30-day money-back guarantee lets you test ExpressVPN’s IP masking risk-free.

Summary — Change Your Location in Pokémon GO Now With These VPNs (Updated 2024)

Rank

Provider name

Our score

Price

Top Ranked Top Choice

1.

9.8

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$4.99 / month Save 62%

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2.

9.6

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$2.03 / month Save 84%

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3.

9.4

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$2.19 / month Save 82%

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4.

9.4

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$3.09 / month Save 76%

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5.

9.4

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$1.99 / month Save 87%

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Editor's Note: We value our relationship with our readers, and we strive to earn your trust through transparency and integrity. We are in the same ownership group as some of the industry-leading products reviewed on this site: ExpressVPN, Cyberghost, Private Internet Access, and Intego. However, this does not affect our review process, as we adhere to a strict testing methodology.