How to change your location on Instagram
A location tag on a post is just a label you pick. Map sharing and chat locations come from your phone. They are changed in different places.
7 min read
“Change my location on Instagram” can mean three different things, and each one is in a different place. A location tag on a post is a label you choose. Map sharing shows friends where you last opened the app. A location in a chat is a pin or a live position you send to one person or group. Find the one you mean below.
| Feature | Where it comes from | Who sees it |
|---|---|---|
| Post or story location tag | A place you pick from a list | Anyone who can see the post |
| Instagram Map sharing | Your phone, each time you open the app | Friends you choose, or no one |
| Location in a chat | Live location, a dropped pin, or a search result | The people in that chat |
1. Change the location tag on a post
A tag does not need to match where you are. You can tag the restaurant from last night or the city a trip photo was taken in.
Before you share
- Choose your photo or video and add any edits.
- Tap Add Location.
- Pick a suggestion or search for the place.
- Tap Share.
On a post you already shared
- Tap the three dots above the post, then tap Edit.
- Tap the location name.
- Tap Change Location to pick another place, or Remove Location to clear it.
- Save the edit.
The list of places comes from public location pages on Facebook. Instagram’s help centre says you cannot create a new place inside Instagram. If a place is missing, it needs a location page on Facebook first.
2. Change or turn off Instagram Map sharing
Instagram Map sharing is off unless you turn it on. When it is on, it shows your last active location to the friends you choose, and it updates when you open Instagram or come back to it. It is not a constant live track.
- Open your DM inbox and tap the map at the top.
- Open the sharing settings for the map.
- Choose who sees your location: friends who follow you back, Close Friends, selected friends, or no one.
You can also stop sharing in certain places, or with certain people. If you only want to stop sharing, choose no one. That is the fastest fix, and it is free.
The map also shows tagged posts, reels, and stories from the past 24 hours. Those pins come from location tags, not from anyone’s GPS. A tag you add to a story can put that story on the map for a day even when map sharing is off.
3. Change the location you send in a chat
Instagram chats let you share a live location, a pinned location, or a place you find with search. To send a place other than where you are, drop a pin or search for it instead of choosing live location. Instagram describes live location in chats as lasting up to one hour, and you can stop it earlier. Instagram says these chat features work in the iPhone, iPad, and Android apps, not on a computer.
4. When the iPhone location itself matters
Map sharing and live location in chats both use the location iOS reports. To stop Instagram from reading it at all, open iPhone Settings, then Privacy & Security, Location Services, Instagram, and choose Never. That is the simplest privacy control, and it turns off both features.
If you want those features to show a different place, the change has to happen at the phone level. GhostMe is a Mac app that sets the location a connected iPhone reports. Instagram may use that position, but cached data and its own location handling can affect what appears. GhostMe needs a Mac, a USB cable for the first pairing, and Developer Mode on the iPhone. See the iPhone location simulator page for how it works, and supported devices for compatible iPhones.
After you set a location, force-quit Instagram and open it again, because map sharing updates when the app opens. To go back, click Stop & Restore Location or restart the iPhone.
Snapchat has a similar map with its own controls. See change where you appear on Snap Map.
Common problems
I cannot find a place to tag
Try a broader search, such as the neighbourhood or city. If the place has no public Facebook location page, it will not appear.
I do not see the map
Instagram rolled the map out by country, so it may not be in your region yet. Check that your app is up to date.
Friends still see an old location
The map shows your last active location. It changes the next time you open Instagram with sharing on. If you turned sharing off, friends no longer see it.
Common questions
Does tagging a location share my GPS?
No. A tag is the place you pick. It does not need to be where you are.
Does turning off map sharing turn off Location Services?
No. Instagram can still have location permission. Change that in iPhone Settings if you want it off.
Can I see friends on the map if I do not share?
Yes. Friends who share with you still appear, even when you share with no one.
Does a VPN change my Instagram map location?
No. A VPN changes your IP address, not your GPS. See fake GPS on iPhone: what actually works.
