Setting your browsing location
How websites work out where you are, and how to choose the location they see instead.
How websites learn your location
There are three common ways a website finds out where you are, and they differ a lot in accuracy.
| Method | Accuracy | Needs your permission? |
|---|---|---|
| Browser geolocation: the site asks the browser, which asks your phone's GPS, Wi-Fi and cell signals | Very precise, often within a few meters | Yes, the browser asks you first |
| IP address lookup: the site checks which network your connection comes from | Usually the right region or city, sometimes far off | No |
| Things you tell it: a saved address, a ZIP code you typed, your account profile | As accurate as what you entered | You provided it |
The first method is the precise one and the one that matters most for privacy. It is what lets a map, a delivery app or a "near me" search pinpoint you. That is also the one Vee lets you control.
Setting a location with the map
- Tap the location button in the toolbar. A full-screen map opens.
- Find the place you want. You can pinch and drag the map, or type in the search box. The search understands a ZIP code or postal code, a city, a state, a full street address, or plain coordinates such as
40.7128, -74.0060. - Tap the map to drop a pin. Drag the pin to fine-tune it. The bar at the bottom shows the address of the spot you picked.
- Tap Set Location. The map closes and the page reloads, so the site sees the new location straight away.
From then on, any website that asks for your location is given the spot you chose instead of your phone's GPS reading. Vee puts this in place before the page's own code runs, so a site cannot grab your real position in the moment before the change takes effect.
The map uses OpenStreetMap, a free, community-built map, and its Nominatim service for address search. No Google Maps account or key is involved.
Location history and favorites
Every time you press Set Location, Vee saves it. Tap the clock icon at the top of the map to see the list.
- Star a location to make it a favorite. Favorites stay at the top of the list, and tapping one applies it instantly without needing the Set Location button.
- Tap a non-favorite entry to move the map there so you can adjust it before applying.
- Use the pencil icon to give a location a name you will recognize, such as "Office" or "Grandma's house".
- Locations that are within a few meters of each other are merged into one entry, so the list does not fill up with near-duplicates. Older non-favorite entries are trimmed automatically; favorites are kept.
Your location history is stored encrypted on your phone and is never sent to us.
Switching back to your real location
At the bottom of the map is a checkbox labelled Use map location.
- Checked: websites see the location you chose on the map.
- Unchecked: websites see your real location from your phone, but only sites you allow. Vee asks you once per site and remembers your answer.
Unchecking it shows a confirmation first, because it means real GPS data may start flowing to sites you have allowed. The house icon at the top of the map jumps to your actual position, which is handy when you want to pick a spot near where you really are.
A different location in each tab
Standard tabs share one location. Each Isolated tab can have its own, and it remembers that location even after you close and reopen the app. This lets you, for example, compare how a store's website shows stock, prices or opening hours in two different towns at the same time.
Why a site might still guess your real city
Changing your browsing location controls the precise, permission-based method. It does not change the others:
- Your IP address still points to your real internet connection. Many sites use it for a rough guess, such as which country's store to show. A VPN changes this; Vee does not.
- Your account settings win. If your profile on a site says you live in a particular city, the site may use that regardless.
- Cached data from before you changed location can linger. Opening the site in a fresh Isolated tab avoids that.
Using location control responsibly
Choosing what location you share is a reasonable privacy choice: you do not have to tell every website where you are standing. It is not a licence to break a site's rules or the law. Some services, such as banking, betting and streaming, are required to check location and may treat a mismatch as suspicious. Respect the terms of the services you use. Our Terms of Service cover this in more detail.
Vee Browser is free on Android and iPhone.
