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Find out if turning on Airplane Mode disables location tracking and sharing.
Co-authored byHannah DillonReviewed byStan Kats
Last Updated: September 6, 2024Fact Checked
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- Does Airplane Mode turn off location?
|- Does Airplane Mode Disable Find My?
|- Prevent Location Tracking
|- Video
Airplane Mode turns off features like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular services, NFC, and other radio transmitters that can interfere with airplane sensors. But does Airplane Mode turn off location sharing and GPS? The short answer is no—Airplane Mode prevents your device from sharing its location over the internet, but it doesn't turn off location services altogether. This wikiHow article teaches you everything you need to know about Airplane Mode and location sharing on your computer, Android, iPhone, or iPad.
How Airplane Mode Affects Your Location
- Airplane Mode doesn't turn off your device's GPS. But because it disables internet access, your device will not update its location on the internet.
- Airplane Mode does turn off cellular, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, which prevents your device from sharing its location on the internet.
- Disable Location Services and GPS to prevent your phone or other device from being tracked.
Section 1 of 3:
Does Airplane Mode turn off location?
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Airplane Mode doesn't disable GPS, but it does turn off location sharing online. Airplane Mode only disables radio signals, like cellular, Wi-Fi, and sometimes Bluetooth. These radio signals can interfere with commercial airline sensors.[1] However, your smartphone, tablet, or laptop does not need to transmit radio signals to use GPS, so Airplane Mode leaves GPS turned on. But because Airplane Mode turns off Wi-Fi and cellular data, your device can't share its location online or with other devices.
- While your phone, tablet, or laptop can't be tracked by other devices, apps, and websites while you're in Airplane Mode, other apps on your device may still have access to your location.
- Airplane Mode doesn't make Wi-Fi and Bluetooth unusable on your phone; it just turns them off. You can enable Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth while you're in Airplane Mode, your phone will leave Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth on the next time you enable Airplane Mode unless you disable it while Airplane Mode is on.[2][3]
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Section 2 of 3:
Does Airplane Mode Disable Find My?
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Yes, Airplane Mode disables Find My apps. Apps like Find My (iPhone, iPad, & Mac) and Find my Device (Android) use an internet connection to share your phone location. If Airplane Mode is turned on, the internet won't be available. So, even though GPS is enabled, your device can't share your location in these apps.
Section 3 of 3:
How to Prevent Location Tracking
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1
Turn off Location Services/GPS. If you don't want your Android, iPhone, or iPad to be tracked while you're in Airplane Mode, you can turn off your GPS.
- iPhone/iPad
- Open Settings.
- Go to Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Tap the toggle switch next to "Location Services."
- Android:
- Swipe down from the top of the Home screen. You may need to swipe twice to see the full Quick Access menu.
- Tap and hold the Location icon.[4]
- Tap and hold the Location button.
2
Fake your GPS location. If you are using an Android, there are tons of apps in the Google Play Store you can use to fake your location. One such app is Fake GPS. The iPhone App Store does not have apps that allow you to spoof your location, but you can purchase an app for your Mac called Virtual Location that allows you to change your iPhone/iPad's location by connecting it to your computer.[5]
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Reviewed by:
Professional Technologist
This article was reviewed by Stan Kats and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Dillon. Stan Kats is a Professional Technologist and the COO and Chief Technologist for The STG IT Consulting Group in West Hollywood, California. Stan provides comprehensive technology solutions to businesses through managed IT services, and for individuals through his consumer service business, Stan's Tech Garage. Stan holds a BA in International Relations from The University of Southern California. He began his career working in the Fortune 500 IT world. Stan founded his companies to offer an enterprise-level of expertise for small businesses and individuals. This article has been viewed 114,075 times.
Co-authors: 5
Updated: September 6, 2024
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FAQs
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.
Does Airplane Mode turn off location tracking? ›
The short answer is no—Airplane Mode prevents your device from sharing its location over the internet, but it doesn't turn off location services altogether.
Can someone still see my location if I have Airplane Mode on? ›
Yes, your phone can be tracked when it's in airplane mode. While it does turn off Wi-Fi and cellular services, airplane mode doesn't turn off GPS (a different technology that sends and receives signals from GPS satellites).
Does Airplane Mode pause your location on Find My Friends? ›
Turning on Airplane mode on your iPhone/iPad is also a handy trick you can use to freeze Find My Friends location, as it disconnects your device from any wireless networks, preventing your location from updating. However, it will also disable your phone's communication capabilities.
Can you track an iPhone that is on Airplane Mode? ›
On the welcome page, tap on the “Find my iPhone” mode > Choose “All Devices” and select the lost phone on the list. Now it will start to track your missing phone. If successful, you will be able to see the last location even if your iPhone is on Airplane mode.
How to stop sharing location without them knowing? ›
[5 Ways] Stop Sharing iPhone Location without Them Knowing
- Turn on Airplane Mode.
- Stop Sharing Location with a Specific Contact on Find My.
- Completely Turn Off Share My Location in Find My.
- Turn off Location Services in Settings.
- Block and Unblock the Specific Contact.
Open the Find My app . Do one of the following: To stop sharing with a one person: Select the People tab, find the person you want to stop sharing with and tap their name, then scroll down and tap Stop Sharing My Location. To stop sharing with everyone: Select the Me tab, then turn off Share My Location.
Does turning off your phone stop sharing location? ›
Turning off your phone can prevent your location from being tracked because the device no longer sends signals to WiFi or cell towers. However, your service provider or internet provider will be able to see your last location before the phone was turned off and your device's current location once it's turned back on.
How do I know if someone is on Airplane Mode? ›
If you look down at your device and see an airplane symbol near the top of the screen, that means your device is currently on Airplane Mode.
Does my location disappear on Airplane Mode? ›
NO, Airplane mode does not turn off location on phones. The only thing it does is suspends Radio Frequency signals (i.e., turn off cellular data and WiFi). Your GPS connection is not affected by turning on Airplane mode. So if you think Airplane Mode will affect your GPS location, you are entirely wrong.
How To Pause Location on Find My iPhone, Steps To Freeze Location
- Method 1: Turn off the Location through the iPhone's Settings Tab.
- Method 2: Turn on Airplane Mode on iPhone.
- Method 3: Switch your Location to a New Device Through Find My App.
- Method 4: Switch off your iPhone.
Indications That Someone Has Ceased Sharing Their Location
One prominent signal is receiving a notification informing you about the cessation of location sharing. Furthermore, you may observe a lack of their location updates displayed on the map with their last known whereabouts appearing unchanged.
How to make location say not found? ›
Turning on your Apple device in airplane mode is the simplest way to briefly hide your whereabouts from your friends. They will only see "No location found" or "Location unavailable" on their "Find My Friends" app, which is almost the same as the popup message displayed in the app when your iPhone is turned off.
Can someone see your location on Airplane Mode? ›
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.
Does do not disturb turn off location? ›
Activating Do Not Disturb on your iPhone or Apple device prevents calls, texts, notifications, and pop-ups from coming through during a designated period of time. This will not impact your iPhone's location services, since they are two completely separate settings.
Can people see my location if my phone is off? ›
Unlike iPhones, it's not possible to continue tracking the device once it's off since Android does not have the capability to track via nearby Bluetooth devices.
Can someone still see your location if your phone is off? ›
Turning off your phone can prevent your location from being tracked because the device no longer sends signals to WiFi or cell towers. However, your service provider or internet provider will be able to see your last location before the phone was turned off and your device's current location once it's turned back on.
Can location tracking be turned off? ›
Go to the "Location History" section of your Google Account. Choose whether your account or your devices can report Location History to Google. Your account and all devices: At the top, turn Location History on or off. Only a certain device: Under "This device" or "Devices on this account," turn the device on or off.
