With HTML 5, Google Chrome is now able to estimate your current location with the help of a new Geolocation feature. If you are privacy conscious then you might want to turn this feature off on Google chrome .
For example , when you are browsing a location aware website on use Google Chrome, you will be requested to share your location data. If you allow Google chrome with this request, The HTML 5 geolocation feature will try to estimate your location on a map accurately to the nearest latitude and longitude coordinates .
When on a wired connection this feature may not be accurate as it tries to estimate your location coordinates from your IP address. Whereas, when you connected to a GPS, WiFi or cell phone tower, the Geo location feature will be able to accurately find out your location coordinates.
For those who are concerned about their privacy, it will be better if you disable the geolocation feature in Google chrome permanently. Otherwise you can even fake the geolocation data through the developer settings in Google chrome. For those who are interested, here’s how you can do so.
Steps to disable location sharing in chrome
- Step 1: Go to Settings in chrome.
- Step 2: Click Show advanced settings on the bottom of the page.
- Step 3: Under privacy click and open Content settings.
- Step 4: Scroll down to locations and select “ do not allow any site to track my physical location “ and click on done .
Google chrome is now set to not share your location data with any website . Lets find out how we can fake the location data in Google chrome . Here are the detailed instructions to follow .
Steps to fake your location in Google chrome
- Step 1: Open the developer tools in Google chrome by pressing F12 or ( CTRL + Shift +I ) keys .
Update:
The below instructions are for a older version of Google chrome.
- Step 2: click the settings button the bottom right .
- Step 3: Select overrides from settings and check ” Override Geolocation “.
- Step 4: Enter the latitude and longitude coordinates of any place . ( visit this site to find out the latitude and longitude coordinates of any place . )
- Step 5: Restart chrome and find out your current location with Google maps . Voila ! your location is now faked .
Now Google chrome will use the fake location coordinates set by you as your location and hide your real location to any website on the internet . Try out this tip and do let us know how did you implement it ?
Thx, but I can’t do this on my mac… There is no “override geolocation” in settings…
Don’t know if Mac is the same, but see above.
I use google chrome on pc…the latest update moved the location of the “Override Geolocation” option. Hit F-12, then the icon that looks like “>三” (Show Console), then the “Emulation” tab, then “Sensors” (on the left side)…took some time poking around. Hope it helps.
Thank you Jason, i have updated the post.
np and ty for inspiring me and pointing me in the right direction. The updated post looks good.
It didn’t work for me. I changed the coordinates to LA’s (34,118), then checked my location by google and it showed me my original location.
Lovejeet,
I was able to find the appropriate developer extension in Chrome for Mac. I’ve selected “emulate location” and entered in the appropriate lat / long. However, for whatever reason, Chrome still shows my cached location. Any ideas?
Thanks,
H
When you are browsing the internet through a device which doesn’t have a GPS, some websites will try to estimate your location through your IP address. For these websites you cant fake the location data.
Ya. lovejeet is right
In that case, there will be tracking through IP address for physical location.
Use VPN 🙂
Hi,
I am using my laptop and the location still shows the same.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
SG
it didn’t change a thing. It still thinks I’m in the UK 🙁
thx
@ chrome 50 version 64 bit
There is no emulate tab in that version
Instead, use sensors tab 🙁
It won’t save the new coordinate
Sometimes we have to hide our locations over the internet. It is a security issue. But I think you should hide your location all the time. It will create different problems.