How to prevent Google from knowing your real location This means it’s relatively hard to fool Google about your location, especially when you are signed in to your Google account. If you try using Google Maps on your computer (that does not offer GPS), for example, it will likely think you are in your VPN location.Īs for other Google services, the company tracks your account in various other ways. However, Google Maps’ use of GPS means it can follow your movements accurately even though you have a different IP address. Your VPN could be working correctly to keep your traffic private with strong encryption and give you a different IP address, which not only makes you harder to track but also makes you appear to be somewhere else. Google already had a history of your past locations before you started using a VPN. You may have set your home and work addresses on Google Maps before.Are you signed in to your Google’s account on your device? If so, a few searches of a local business or restaurant can lead Google to decide you are living in the same region.Did you connect to a VPN when you signed up for your Google account? If not, it’s possible Google already has information about where you are, based on your signup location.And chances are it’s quietly giving away your location to Google in numerous ways: Your Google accountĭo you have a Google account? The answer is probably yes. They store not only basic information like your logins and account settings but also your location details, which could help Google to know where you are. Stored cookies on your deviceĬookies are files that websites store on your device to record data about your visits to inform future visits. This means you don’t even have to be connected to a Wi-Fi network for Google to know your location. This method is similar to using GPS, but instead of relying on satellites, it uses Wi-Fi networks and access points to pinpoint your location.Īlso, Google has a database of the world’s existing Wi-Fi networks and access points-which it uses to triangulate your location by measuring the signal strengths of the Wi-Fi networks you’re scanning on your device, as long as you’ve turned on Wi-Fi. Google uses a geolocation system called Wi-Fi location tracking to determine your location. GPS is likely enabled on your device to allow Google Maps or other mapping tools to function, tracking your movements all the time, unless you turn it off. There’s a good chance Google knows your real location through the GPS functionality in your phone or tablet. Why Google knows your real location with VPN on 1. Moreover, you’re still appearing to be in the VPN server location to just about every other site, and your internet connection remains encrypted to protect your online security. While Google might still know your location, a VPN hides your IP address and your internet service provider from them, reducing what Google knows about you. Quite the reverse, you should keep using a VPN. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use a VPN. It’s in their interest to do so to keep serving you personalized ads and drive revenue. That’s because unlike most websites and apps, Google doesn’t only use your IP address to determine your location. And for Google searches, it might show your results and the language of your actual location rather than your VPN one. So it might seem odd that when you open Google Maps, sometimes it can tell your real location rather than your VPN one. This obscures your identity but can also make you appear to be in a different geographical location. One of the main purposes of using a VPN is to get a new IP address.
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