How to fake your GPS location on Android
Pinmigo: Fake GPS is a free mock location app for Android. It lets you set a simulated GPS position, move around with a joystick, and follow routes on real roads, without root. This guide explains what it does, how to set it up, and how to use it for testing.
What a fake GPS app does
Android includes a built-in mock location feature that is meant for developers. Normally, apps that ask for a location receive coordinates gathered from GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell signals. When you select a mock location app in Developer options, Android supplies a simulated position to the rest of the system instead. A fake GPS app such as Pinmigo sets that simulated position, so other apps on the device see the location you chose.
Because this uses a feature Android already provides, no root is required. You enable Developer options, choose Pinmigo as the mock location app, and the simulated coordinates flow to the apps that request them. Pinmigo does not modify system files or bypass Android security, and it runs on stock, unrooted devices with Android 8.0 and later.
How to fake your GPS location on Android with Pinmigo
The whole setup takes a couple of minutes.
- Install Pinmigo from Google Play and open it. Grant the location permission when Android asks.
- Enable Developer options. Open Settings, go to About phone, and tap Build number seven times. Enter your PIN or pattern if Android asks.
- Open Settings, then System, then Developer options. Find Select mock location app and choose Pinmigo.
- Back in Pinmigo, search for a place by name or paste a pair of coordinates, then tap Teleport here to jump the simulated position.
- To stop, use the Stop control in the app or in the ongoing notification. Your device returns to its real location.
Move instead of jumping
Teleporting sets a fixed point. When you want the position to move the way a real person would, Pinmigo has two options.
The floating joystick places a control over the app you are testing. It supports Walk at 5 km/h, Run at 10 km/h, Cycle at 18 km/h, and Drive at 40 km/h. You can lock a cruise direction and let the position keep moving on its own. The joystick needs the Display over other apps permission, which Pinmigo requests when you open it.
Routes go further. Tap stops onto the map and Pinmigo snaps the path to real streets, or uses straight lines if you prefer. You can import a GPX or KML track, loop the route, and change the speed while it is running. This helps when a test needs a realistic track rather than a straight line.
Who uses a fake GPS app
- Developers building location features who need to check how an app behaves somewhere else without travelling there.
- QA engineers testing geofences, region-locked flows, and delivery or ride-hailing apps that respond to a specific area.
- Teams reproducing location bugs from a bug report by returning to the coordinates and conditions that triggered the issue.
- Anyone demoing an app for another city who needs the app to show that city during a presentation.
Troubleshooting
The location jumps back to where I am
This usually means another mock location app is selected, or the Pinmigo simulation has stopped. Open Developer options and confirm that Pinmigo is the selected mock location app. Pinmigo keeps an ongoing notification while it runs; if it is gone, start the simulation again.
My clock or time zone changed
Some devices adjust the time zone based on location. To keep your real time zone, open Settings, then System, then Date and time, and turn off automatic time zone.
Some apps still show the real location
Many apps deliberately check for mock locations and ignore or reject them. That is a choice made by the app, not a fault in the simulation. Changing GPS coordinates also does not change every other signal a service might use.
Did this change my IP address?
No. A fake GPS app changes the location reported by Android. It does not change your IP address and it is not a VPN, so services that rely on network location may still see your real region.
Is faking GPS allowed?
Pinmigo is built for development and testing. Use it only where you have permission and in line with the law. Many games and services treat simulated locations as a violation of their terms and may restrict or ban accounts that use them, so check the rules of any app or service before you test against it. Pinmigo does not grant permission to bypass another service’s rules, and it does not promise that a simulation will go undetected. Read the Terms of Use for the full conditions.
Fake GPS FAQ
Is Pinmigo free?
Yes. Pinmigo is free to use and shows ads. It does not require an account.
Does it need root?
No. It works on unrooted devices running Android 8.0 and later, using Android’s built-in mock location setting.
Does it upload my location history?
No. Saved places, routes, and activity stay on your device. Address searches are sent to OpenStreetMap to look up place names so the app can show them. See the privacy policy for details.
Can I use GPX files?
Yes. You can import GPX and KML tracks and play them back as routes. You can also export your activity as GPX, KML, CSV or JSON.
Pinmigo gives you a straightforward way to set a simulated location on Android, move it with a joystick, and follow routes on real roads, all without root. Install it from Google Play, enable it as your mock location app, and start testing.