How to change location on Instagram

Learning how to change location on Instagram is useful for reaching new audiences, accessing region-locked content and music, or protecting your privacy. Of course, the platform doesn’t make it easy, since it uses multiple signals to figure out where you actually are.

Instagram relies on data like IP addresses, GPS, and activity both on and off the app to prevent people from gaming the system for followers, maintain transparency for businesses, and limit fake or misleading accounts claiming to be from regions they aren’t. This is why changing your location takes some careful steps, a good chunk of time, and isn’t always reliable.

In this guide, we’ll explain how Instagram determines your location, show different ways to change it—from business account settings to VPNs and fake GPS apps—and share tips to keep your changes undetected. We’ll also list the main benefits of managing your location.

How does Instagram know your location?

Instagram determines your location using:

• Your IP address: Instagram can see the IP your device uses to connect to their services, which shows the general area you’re in (i.e., country, city, ZIP code).
• GPS data: If you’ve enabled Instagram Location Services, the app can access your phone or tablet’s GPS data to provide more precise coordinates.
• Your activity on and off Instagram: Even if you disable location tracking and mask your IP address, your likes, follows, searches, tagged posts, and activity on connected apps and websites can still give Instagram clues about your region.

Because it relies on multiple indicators, changing your account’s location isn’t an instant process. Instead, Instagram adjusts it over time when you post, like, and interact consistently from a new region.

Here’s how you can change your location despite these tracking methods.

How to change location settings on Instagram

Personal and creator accounts can’t edit their account’s official location, but a business account lets you set a region that Instagram will associate with your profile. Here’s what to do:

1. Go to your profile.
2. Tap on Edit profile on the left.
3. Scroll down and tap on Contact options.
4. Change your location in the Business address section. You can add a street address, city, and even a ZIP code.
5. When you’re done, tap Save to apply your changes.

If you don’t have a business account, it’s pretty easy to make the switch. Read on for the steps.

How to switch to a business account on Instagram

Here’s how to transition to a professional (business) profile. You can change your Instagram account location along the way:

1. Open Instagram and tap on your profile on the bottom right.
2. Press the three horizontal lines on the top right to access Settings and activity.
3. Scroll down and tap Account type and tools.
4. Select Switch to professional account and follow the setup process.
5. During setup, select Business, tap Next and continue as instructed.
6. You’ll be asked to review your contact info. Tap Business address, add your desired location, and press Save.
7. Once you return to the previous screen, press Next, skip the “Connect to Facebook” step, and complete your profile as needed.
8. Alternatively, press the X on the top left to exit without adding any further details.

You can switch back to a personal account at any time, though you’ll also lose the ability to change location on Instagram. Just navigate to Settings and activity > Business tools and controls > Switch account type and tap Switch to personal account twice.

How to change location on Instagram with a VPN

Changing your Instagram location manually won’t magically change the audience that sees your posts. The same goes for changing the “Account based in” label if you’ve created it and used it in another country.

For example, if you want to reach a US audience to gain more traction, but your followers and engagement are from your real country, you won’t see much of a change with the business account trick (if at all).

One solution is to create a new Instagram account and change location with a VPN. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Subscribe to a reputable VPN for Instagram. We recommend NordVPN.
2. Download and install the provider’s app on your PC, preferably using a wired connection. Smartphones may reveal your actual location through GPS data, Wi-Fi network signals, or other methods, so it’s less reliable.
3. Launch the VPN and connect to a server in your desired location, such as the US.
4. Change your system time zone to the same region, as Instagram may use browser fingerprinting to detect location mismatches. For instance, if you are connected to a server in New York, you should set your time zone to UTC-5.
5. Open a private (or Incognito) window in your browser. This is to avoid having any old cookies reveal your true location to Instagram.
6. Sign up for a new Instagram account. Switch to a business account with our earlier guide and add your preferred location.

It may take a few days (or weeks) and some tactical use of location signals before Instagram adjusts. Post consistently from the same VPN location, tag local places, use regional hashtags, and engage with accounts in that area. Avoid sudden spikes in activity, as slow, steady interaction looks more natural.

How to change location on Instagram (Android and iPhone)

Using Instagram on Android or iOS after the initial sign-up may reveal your true location. If you still want to try your luck, follow the steps below when you’re sure your new account has adapted to the new location:

1. First, uninstall the Instagram app.
2. Turn off location services on your smartphone.
3. Disconnect other devices from your Wi-Fi network.
4. Change your Apple ID region or Google Play country to the one you set earlier. You’ll need a payment method from your newly selected region.
5. Sync your time zone settings to the same location.
6. Sign up for and download a VPN. NordVPN is still your best bet.
7. Open the VPN app and connect to your preferred region.
8. Double-check everything is in order, then re-install and log into Instagram.
9. Naturally, do not turn on location data on your phone afterwards.

How to change region on Instagram for music

We’ve already covered what to do if Instagram Music is not available in your country, or your favorite tracks don’t show up due to licensing restrictions.

The steps for changing your region on Instagram for music are basically the same as above. Once Instagram recognizes your account as being in a supported region, the music icon should appear in Stories, Reels, Notes, and more, along with access to that region’s tracks.

Related articles:

• How to change location on iPhone
• How to change location on Android
• How to change region on PC

How to change location on Instagram via GPS spoofing

Your Instagram can stubbornly refuse to change on mobile devices even if you do everything correctly. In that case, you may need to pair the VPN with a paid GPS spoofing app, like Fake GPS and similar options on Android.

Another method is to use a VPN that has this functionality built in. Surfshark has an Override GPS location feature you can enable through the app settings. It’ll then guide you through the full steps to enable developer options and add Surfshark as your mock location app.

On iOS, users require a computer-based tool such as iTools, which is limited to iOS 17 or earlier due to Apple’s newer system restrictions. Using any of these methods will make both GPS and network signals match your chosen location on Instagram.

How to change location on Instagram Notes

Here’s how to change your location on Instagram’s Notes feature:

1. Open Instagram and tap on your profile on the bottom right.
2. Tap the Note button on the top left, right above your profile picture.
3. Add your note text (up to 60 characters).
4. Tap the little location pin beneath your profile picture, then Add location.
5. Press OK on the prompt that may pop up.
6. Use the search bar to find a location, tap on it, then Add location.
7. Tap Add on the Map preview prompt.
8. You’ll be returned to the main Note section. Tap the Share with friends button if you want to change who you’re sharing with, or just press Share to finish up.

How to turn Instagram Location Services on or off

Disabling Instagram Location Services is useful if you prefer to keep your location private or want to change your location using one of the methods described above. Here’s how to do so on Android and iOS:

Android

1. Head to Settings, and tap Apps.
2. Scroll down and tap on Instagram.
3. Tap Permissions, then select Location.
4. Pick one of the three options as needed: Allow only while using app, Ask every time, or Don’t allow.

iPhone and iPad

1. Open the Settings app on your device.
2. Tap Privacy & Security.
3. Select Location Services.
4. Scroll to find and tap the Instagram app.
5. Choose a location option: While Using the App, Ask Next Time, or Never.

Tips to keep Instagram from detecting location changes

Changing your location on Instagram is already an Ocean’s Twelve laser dance scene’s worth of things to avoid, so here are some tips to stay under the radar:

• Only log into your account while connected to the same VPN location.
• Stick to the same device(s) and browsers when using the VPN, so your login patterns stay consistent.
• If your bio mentions locations, events, or contacts, make sure they match your chosen region.
• Use local hashtags and optionally change your Instagram language to match the region.
• Post when the local audience is most active, so your activity looks natural.
• Follow and interact with accounts from your chosen area, whether it’s influencers, brand pages, local sports teams, and so on—but don’t mass-follow or like posts all at once.
• Instagram can use your searches to approximate your location, so avoid looking up restaurants and other places in your actual city. At the very least, use a private window in a different browser (e.g., when you’re trying to find their working hours).

Why should you change your Instagram location?

Now that you know how to change location on Instagram, you may be wondering: Is it even worth all the effort?

While it depends on your needs, changing your region affects everything from privacy and how people perceive your profile to access to region-locked features, local content, trip planning, and new connection opportunities. More details below.

1. Keep your location private

X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites implemented the “Account based in” label to limit fake accounts pretending to be from one country while operating from another. It also adds some level of transparency for businesses and creators who want to show where they’re actually based.

At the same time, not everyone wants their region on display. Location labels can lead to users dismissing or targeting accounts based on country alone. Changing your location on Instagram gives you more control over how people view your profile.

Similarly, you might want to hide your location from Instagram itself. Social platforms already collect massive amounts of data, which usually ends up in one leak or another—such as when a data broker exposed almost 235 million scraped profiles online.

2. Access region-restricted content

Switching regions on Instagram can let you view posts that are normally limited by location. Pages sometimes block entire countries due to licensing rules, past issues with spam and fake accounts, or to target their local audience only.

In addition, you can access Instagram Music and other new features before they roll out in your area, or access music and other content that’s unavailable locally.

3. Explore locations before you visit

Planning a trip or need some inspiration? Modify your location weeks in advance to see what’s popular, find trending spots that may block your country, or get tips from locals about upcoming events and hidden places that guidebooks might miss.

Following local accounts or browsing regional hashtags should give you a better feel for the place than any dry listicle. And who knows, you may even end up meeting new friends to make your trip more memorable.

4. Grow your audience in new regions

It’s not uncommon to hit a follower plateau if you live in a smaller country or your page is focused on a niche topic, even if your content is solid otherwise.

Changing your Instagram location helps your posts reach people in other areas by showing up in local feeds or popping up in searches. Posting regularly from that region and checking out local trends makes your account more relevant to the audience there.

5. Partner with local brands and pages

Growing your Instagram audience in another country can put you on the radar for influencers, local brands, and other pages that fit your niche. Naturally, this opens the door for shoutouts, events, or partnerships without the need for complicated outreach strategies.

Whether you’re a creator looking to reach new fans or a business planning to expand to other areas, it never hurts to build local connections.

Frequently asked questions

You might also be interested in:

• The ultimate guide to Instagram privacy
• How to bypass age verification on Instagram in Australia
• Common Instagram scams and how to avoid them
• How to unblock Instagram at school