Does Airplane Mode turn off location (iOS & Android)

Learn if Airplane Mode stops tracking location or sharing location. You'll also get easy ways to prevent location tracking on your phone while on Airplane Mode.

Quick Answer: Airplane Mode does not turn off device's location, but it disables internet connections and stops sharing location.

Airplane Mode is activated the airplane symbol in an Android phone or an iPhone, and acts to turn off all internet connectivity that interferes with critical aircraft instruments. Wi-Fi, Cellular signals, Bluetooth, NFC and other radio transmitters are terminated once you toggle your phone to airplane mode. That means services using those features won't be able to work properly, like location sharing. Does Airplane mode turn off location?

We've all trained to think that enabling Airplane Mode switches off GPS. In fact, Airplane Mode will not turn off location services, and the location on the device can still be tracked by geo-based apps, websites, games.

This post explains if Airplane Mode disables the ability to track or share your location on iPhone, iPad or Android gadget. It also looks at how to stop your device's GPS from being tracked.

Getting Airplane Mode on doesn't block location, but it prevents location sharing online with others.

A Tip: To quit tracking your real-time location and enhance your security, you can use a location faker. For iOS users, try to use iPhone Location Changer to spoof your live location and teleport your GPS to anywhere you want. Android users can prevent location tracking by just downloading an GPS spoofing app from Google Play Store.

Does Airplane Mode turn off location?

Airplane Mode turns off cellular and Wi-Fi, but does not disable GPS module. So your phone will still be able to get it GPS location, but will not have the internet to share it.

• GPS use satellites to work, not the wireless network, so putting your phone into Airplane Mode will not interfere with the ability to use GPS for location services.
• Airplane Mode is supposed to disconnect your device from all internet connections, that you phone can't be tracked by other devices. Your location to others will show as "no location available."
• While Airplane Mode disables all networking by default, it doesn't prevent you from turning Wi-Fi back on—especially you need to share your location over the internet. If you don't want anyone access your actual location, keep Wi-Fi off.

How to stop location tracking

Chances are that you do not want someone know where you are, or restrict third-party apps to use your physical location data. The easiest way is to turn off GPS feature, preventing your phone's location from being tracking while in Airplane Mode.

Option 1- Turn off Location Services

There's no need to get frustrated by GPS tracking because Apple or Android has made it reasonably simple to customize settings for location services to keep device's location from tracing when it goes into Airplane Mode or shuts down.

How to quickly turn off Location Services in iPhone & iPad:

With Location Services disabled, any location-based services on iPhone will not read your location.

1. In iPhone/ iPad, open Settings app.

2. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.

3. Tap on Location Services.

4. Slide the switch for Location Services to OFF position.

5. Choose Turn Off to confirm in the pop-up.

You can also manage and customize which and when app can use your location data, rather than disable location access completely.

How to quickly turn off GPS in Android:

The process of turning off GPS tracking ability in Android might be slightly different from device brands and models.

1. Go to Settings app.

2. Select Location.

3. Switch Location off at the top of the screen.

Option 2- Fake GPS location on the phone

If you don't want your exact whereabouts to be known, setting a fake location is also a feasible solution. Here are the apps for spoofing GPS location on an iDevice, and Android device to prevent sharing and tracking your current location.

iPhone Location Changer (iPad supported)

Although Apple has no official app available for faking the location on iPhone or iPad, you can use the third-party iPhone Location Changer, which is reliable and efficient. Follow the steps to spoof your location on iPhone, in an attempt to avoid tracking real location on Airplane Mode.

• Fire up iPhone Location Changer on your Mac or PC.
• Attach your iPhone/ iPad to your computer.



• Choose Modify Location mode to continue.



• Set a certain GPS coordinate.
• Click Confirm Modify button.

Done! Your real location is hided, with the spoofed GPS being tracked.

Android location spoofing app

For Android users, spoofing location is easier. All you need to do is download a fake location app from Google Play Store and fake your GPS.

Does Airplane Mode turn off Find My iPhone?

Yes. If the phone is placed into Airplane Mode, it can't connect to a network to access Find My for location sharing. [Don't Miss: Find My iPhone Not Sharing Location. The Fix]

In order to track a phone and share your location using Find My, the phone has to connect to either WLAN or cellular data network in addition to have the Location Services activated.

Can iPhone be tracked when on Airplane Mode?

Yes, an iPhone is getting tracked even when Airplane Mode is on.

Airplane Mode has no effect on location services, which is able to track your exact GPS location and continue to give you perfect directions. To circumvented the tracking, you need to turn off location services.

Airplane Mode cuts off internet access, so it's not possible to update and share your location through the internet.

[Related: Find My iPhone Not Updating Location. How to Fix?]

Can someone still see your location on Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi?

Your phone's location is still visible on Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi, as it does not disable GPS. To stop someone from seeing your location, you need to turn off GPS for Location Services and network connections altogether.

With Wi-Fi enabled in Airplane Mode, the phone will share the coordinate of where it's at via the internet; and person can see your location through Find My app thanks to the location services function.