How to change your location on Facebook Marketplace
Most people who search for this want to browse another town. Marketplace already lets you do that with a city, a ZIP code, and a radius.
6 min read
Most people who search for this want to see listings in another town. Maybe a better furniture market is an hour away, or you are moving next month and want to shop before you arrive. Marketplace already handles that. You type a city, neighbourhood, or ZIP code, choose how far out to look, and the feed changes. You do not need to change anything on your phone.
Change the area you browse
In the Facebook app
- Open Marketplace.
- Tap your current location near the top of the Marketplace feed.
- Enter a city, neighbourhood, or ZIP code, or move the map.
- Set the distance, then apply.
On a computer
- Open Marketplace from the left menu of your Feed. Click See more if it is hidden.
- Click your current location on the right side of the page.
- Enter a city, neighbourhood, or ZIP code, or pick a spot on the map.
- Choose a radius and apply.
Button names can change between app versions. If you cannot find the location control, search for an item first. The location and radius usually appear with the search filters.
Pick a sensible radius
The radius matters as much as the centre. A small radius in a city gives you a short drive and fewer results. A large radius in a rural area gives you more listings, but some of them will be a long way away.
- For bulky items you must collect, start small and widen if the feed is thin.
- For items that sellers will ship, distance matters less, so a wide radius is fine.
- After a search, use Sort by and choose distance from your location to see the closest listings first.
Your listing location is a separate setting
If you sell, each listing has its own location. You choose it when you create the listing, and you can change it later. That location tells buyers roughly where to collect the item. It does not change the area you browse, and the area you browse does not change your listings.
Use a place that is honest and close to where buyers will meet you. A public spot near you is a good choice for pickups. Facebook’s help page on listing location is linked below.
Where your phone location fits in
Marketplace starts from a default area, which can come from your device location. When you set a location by hand, that setting decides what you browse. So for shopping in another town, the built-in control is the right tool, and it is quicker than any other option.
A phone-level change is a different tool: it changes the position iOS reports to apps, while each app decides how to use it. GhostMe does that from a Mac: you pick a place, and the connected iPhone reports it until you restore it. It needs a USB cable for the first pairing and Developer Mode on the iPhone. The details are on the iPhone location simulator page.
For Marketplace alone, use the location control. It is supported, it saves your choice, and it does not affect your other apps.
Common problems
The feed still shows my home town
Check that you applied the new location. On the app, close Marketplace and open it again. If a saved search has its own location, update that search too.
The location resets
If the area goes back to your home town, set it again, and make sure the Facebook app has the location permission you want in iPhone Settings, under Privacy & Security, Location Services.
I see listings outside my radius
Some listings offer shipping, so they appear regardless of distance. Filter for local pickup if you want only nearby items.
One practical note on buying far away
If you browse another city, plan how you will see the item before you pay. Meet in a public place, inspect the item in person, and use payment methods with buyer protection where Facebook offers them.
Common questions
Can I browse Marketplace in another country?
You can usually set any city that Marketplace serves. Availability and shipping options depend on the country.
Does changing my browse location change my profile city?
No. The Marketplace location and the city on your profile are different settings.
Do sellers see where I am?
Your browse area is a filter on your own feed. Sellers see your profile and what you write to them, so share a meeting place only when you are ready.
Does a VPN change Marketplace results?
A VPN changes your IP address, not the location you set in Marketplace. Use the location control instead. For more on VPNs and GPS, see fake GPS on iPhone: what actually works.
