How to Freeze Location on Find My iPhone

Can you freeze location on Find My iPhone?

Yes, you can freeze your location for Find My iPhone either permanently or temporarily using several methods, such as turning off location services in the Settings app, using Airplane Mode, or switching your location to another Apple device.

However, turning off location services entirely on your iPhone not only prevents your live location from appearing in Find My but also prevents other apps from using GPS location data. This could be a problem if the software relies on location information to function properly.

The good news is that there are other ways to freeze or disable location access in Find My iPhone without impacting other apps that you might need to track your workouts, find your way around, and more. Let’s look at how to make your phone impossible to track using several tricks.

Before we explore the various methods for freezing your location, it's worth noting that if you suspect your privacy is at risk, Find My iPhone may not be your only concern. Someone could also be monitoring your activity using hidden spyware or tracking apps.

That's where Clario Anti Spy comes in. This anti-spyware utility helps secure your phone by scanning for vulnerabilities and detecting hidden apps that could be spying on you. Its Device system check and Hidden app scan can quickly flag anything suspicious and help you fix it.

Here's how to protect your iPhone with Clario Anti Spy:

1. Download Clario Anti Spy and subscribe to create an account.
2. Tap Scan under Device system check.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions if the scan detects a vulnerability, such as a jailbreak.
4. Tap Scan under Hidden app scan.
5. Follow the instructions to remove any suspicious apps the scan finds.

Clario Anti Spy also includes other tools to keep your iPhone protected. For instance, the Anti-spy setup walks you through various things you can do to enhance the privacy and security of your device, while Unlock catcher alerts you if anyone tries to unlock your phone without permission.

And if you ever need help, you can tap the Messages icon for 24/7 live support. Clario experts provide support for all sorts of issues. Here's what one of them had to say about a real case involving a customer who suspected his wife was monitoring his activity:

"The client reached out to us with concerns that his phone may have been compromised by spyware, which he suspected had been covertly installed by his spouse. According to the client, his wife seemed to possess an uncanny awareness of his private conversations and whereabouts, leading him to believe that his device was being monitored without his consent. In response, we recommended utilizing our Hidden App Scan feature—a tool specifically designed to detect unauthorized or potentially malicious applications that may be used for surveillance purposes.

Upon initiating the scan, several suspicious applications were flagged by the system. We advised the client to carefully review the list and confirm whether he had knowingly installed any of the detected apps. After his review, he affirmed that he did not recognize or recall downloading the majority of them. Based on this, we provided step-by-step guidance on how to locate and securely remove each of the flagged applications to restore the integrity of the device.

To further enhance his digital privacy, we also recommended adjusting his device’s location settings, including revoking unnecessary permissions from apps that had access to real-time geolocation data. The client expressed sincere gratitude for our support, stating that the assistance brought him considerable peace of mind, and assured us that he would not hesitate to contact us again should he require further help in the future."

How to pause location on Find My iPhone

There are five primary ways to pause location on Find My iPhone, including:

1. Turn on Airplane mode
2. Disable location access in Settings
3. Turn off your iPhone
4. Change your location to another device
5. Turn Off "Share My Location"

While some of these solutions, such as disabling location services or switching your Find My location to another device, are effective for permanently stopping location tracking, others are ideal for temporarily enabling and disabling live location access.

1. Freeze location on Find My iPhone with Airplane mode

One of the quickest ways to freeze location data on Find My iPhone is to turn on Airplane mode. Airplane mode temporarily disables your iPhone’s wireless communication features—specifically Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity—while it’s active. Here’s how to use it:

1. Open the Control Center on your iPhone. On iPhone models without a Home button, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen. On iPhone models with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap the button that shows an airplane to enable Airplane mode. Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity will disconnect.
3. To turn off the Airplane mode and use your iPhone normally, repeat the above steps.

It’s important to note that Airplane mode does not disable GPS functionality, which your iPhone uses to locate itself. However, because your device has no connection to the internet, it cannot communicate with Find My iPhone, which means no one else can see your most recent location.

Since Airplane mode disables Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity, you won’t be able to use your device as you normally would to send messages, take calls, or go online. That means it’s really only useful for hiding your live location for short periods of time, so let’s look at other methods you can use.

2. Lock your location on Find My iPhone via Settings

If you want to be completely sure that no one can see the location of your iPhone, you can disable location services for Find My specifically, like so:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone, then tap Privacy & Security.
2. Select Location Services.
3. Scroll down and select Find My, then tap Never.

This will block the Find My network from accessing your iPhone’s location data without impacting the functionality of other apps that rely on location services. However, if you don’t want any apps to access your location, you can simply disable Location Services completely by doing this:

1. Open Settings, then tap Privacy & Security.
2. Select Location Services, then tap the toggle to disable them.

3. Turn off your iPhone to pause your location on Find My iPhone

Another fast and temporary way to pause location tracking on Find My on iOS is to simply turn off your iPhone. This obviously disables all apps and services, preventing your iPhone from communicating with the Find My network. Here’s how to properly turn off your device:

On iPhone models without a Home button:

1. Press and hold the volume up and the sleep/wake buttons.
2. When the power slider appears, swipe it to turn off your iPhone.

On iPhone models with a Home button:

1. Press and hold the sleep/wake button.
2. When the power slider appears, swipe it to shut down your iPhone.

You might be wondering, what does your location say when your phone is off? With Find My, it will display whichever location was reported when your device last communicated with the service. For instance, if you turn your iPhone off at home and go shopping, Find My will report your iPhone is still at home.

Of course, you can’t use your iPhone like you normally would when it’s turned off, so this method is only recommended when you simply don’t need your phone. In all other scenarios, it’s best to consider one of the other tips on this list instead.

4. Change your location to a new device

The Find My service typically uses your iPhone as the default device for location reporting, but you can change this if you prefer. For instance, if you always leave your iPad at home, you can ask Find My to use its location instead, so no one will know when you leave home with your iPhone. Try this:

1. Open the Find My settings menu on the Apple device you want to use for location reporting. Note: this only works on iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap Use this device as My Location.

The great thing about this trick is that it won’t prevent you from locating your iPhone using the Find My app if it’s lost or stolen. However, it will hide your iPhone’s location from others with whom you’re sharing your location data via Find My, so they won’t be able to see when you’re traveling.

5. Turn Off "Share My Location"

Another way to freeze your location on Find My iPhone is by turning off a feature called Share My Location in your Find My settings. This instantly stops your iPhone from sharing your whereabouts with family, friends, or anyone else through Find My or the Messages app

Here's how to turn off Share My Location on iPhone:

1. Open the Find My app.
2. Tap Me on the bottom right corner.
3. Turn off the switch next to Share My Location.

Alternatively, you can open the Settings app, go to Apple ID > Find My, and disable Share My Location from there.

Once you've done this, anyone who tries to check your location will see No Location Found. However, this will also disable certain features—e.g., making requests using Siri on your HomePod and running Home app automations that rely on your location.

How to freeze location on Find My iPhone without them knowing

It is not possible to freeze your location on Find My iPhone without anyone knowing. When you stop sharing your location by turning off Location Services or your device, the Find My network will stop updating. This will be visible to anyone you share your location with, as your phone will appear as "offline" or simply not report its latest GPS data, which can alert them to your action.

To learn more, check our guide on how to block your phone from being tracked.

How to make your location stay in one spot on Find My iPhone

You can make your location appear fixed on Find My iPhone using some of the methods we've already talked about. For instance, sharing your location from another device, turning on Airplane Mode, or switching off your iPhone stops it from updating your real-time location.

To make your location stay in one spot on Find My iPhone:

• Share your location from another device: This is the most reliable option if you have an iPad or another Apple device you can leave in one place. Go to Settings > Find My > Share My Location From This Device on the one you want your location to stay fixed to.
• Turn on Airplane Mode: Tap the Airplane Mode icon in the Control Center to cut off network access and prevent your iPhone from updating its live location.
• Turn off iPhone: If you don't need your phone for a while, go to Settings > General > Shut Down to power it off completely.

How to hide iPhone location without turning it off

Turning off your iPhone is one of the easiest ways to stop sharing your location, but it's not always convenient. Luckily, there are other ways to hide your location without powering it down.

To hide your iPhone's location without turning it off:

• Turn off Share My Location: Go to Find My > Me and disable Share My Location to immediately stop sharing your whereabouts with others.
• Disable Location Services: If you suspect someone might still have access to your location, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and turn off the main switch to block all apps from using your GPS data.
• Use Airplane Mode or share location from another device: If you just want to pause location tracking temporarily, toggle Airplane Mode or share your location from another Apple device instead.

Conclusion

If you’re concerned that someone is tracking you via Find My iPhone, there are several steps you can take to prevent your iPhone from reporting your actual location information. In addition to disabling location services and turning off your iPhone, you can also use another device’s location in Find My.

Also, don't forget to install Clario Anti Spy and take advantage of its Device system check and Hidden app scan for extra security against spyware or other hidden monitoring tools.