How Instagram knows where you are

Instagram does not have its own location setting that you can simply type into. Instead, it asks iOS for your position the same way a maps or weather app does, and then uses those coordinates to power everything location-related: the suggested place tags when you post, the location sticker in stories, and the nearby content it occasionally surfaces. That means the real lever for changing where Instagram thinks you are is your iPhone's GPS, not anything buried in the app's menus. Once you set the device to report a different spot, Instagram follows along automatically.

Where location shows up inside the app

It helps to know exactly which parts of Instagram lean on your coordinates, because those are the parts that change once you move your device location:

Post location tags. When you share a photo or reel, Instagram offers a list of nearby places to tag. That list is built from your current GPS position.
Story location stickers. The location sticker suggests venues close to you first, so the top results shift as your reported position changes.
Suggested places when you search. Typing a place name still works, but the closest matches are ranked by proximity to where your device says you are.
Nearby and local content. Some discovery surfaces weight content by region, which is why a different location can change what you see.

The step-by-step on iPhone

Because Instagram reads from iOS, the way to change location on Instagram is to set your device GPS with a dedicated app. The whole flow happens on the phone, with no computer and no jailbreak:

Install a fake GPS app from the App Store, such as Location Changer.
Open it and grant the location permission it requests, so it can read and then simulate your position.
Choose your target spot. Search for a city, address, or landmark by name, or drag the map and drop a pin on the exact place you want to appear.
Tap to set the location. Your iPhone starts reporting the new coordinates system-wide.
Open Instagram and post. Add a location to your photo, reel, or story, and the suggested tags now match the spot you picked.
Stop or reset inside the fake GPS app whenever you want your real position back.

Tagging a post or story in your new location

With the device location set, open Instagram and start a new post as usual. On the share screen, tap Add location and you will see places around your chosen spot appear at the top of the list — pick the one you want and it attaches to the post. For stories, tap the sticker icon, choose the location sticker, and the nearby venues reflect your new coordinates. Because the change is happening at the GPS level, you do not need to fight with any in-app toggle; Instagram simply offers the right places on its own.

Why this works for more than Instagram

The same approach sets a fake location for every app that reads your iPhone's GPS, not just Instagram. That is the advantage of changing the device position rather than spoofing one app: a single setting updates your reported spot everywhere at once. If you also use other social apps, the same fake GPS app gives you a fake location for Snapchat in exactly the same way, with the map and tags following your chosen coordinates.

Switching back to your real spot

When you are done, you do not have to uninstall anything or restart your phone. Open the fake GPS app and stop or reset the simulation, and your iPhone immediately returns to reporting its true GPS position. Instagram will once again suggest the places that are physically around you. You can switch between a chosen location and your real one as often as you like, which makes it easy to post from a spot you pick and then go back to normal in a single tap.

Quick recap

Is there a location setting inside Instagram? No. Instagram pulls your position from iOS, so you change it at the device level.

Do I need a computer? No. A fake GPS app handles everything on the iPhone itself.

Does it affect my whole phone? Yes. The new coordinates apply system-wide, so any app that reads your GPS sees the spot you set. For the complete walkthrough, see our full guide to changing your location on Instagram.