How to change the VPN location on different devices
It’s helpful to have a tool that can change your digital location whenever you want. A VPN (virtual private network) is a popular and easy-to-use cybersecurity tool that encrypts your internet traffic and makes it appear as if you’re browsing from almost anywhere in the world. But how do you actually change your location online? In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to use a VPN location changer on different devices.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
How to change your VPN location
Using a VPN location changer is usually a quick and easy process. Most of the time, it will look like this:
- Select a reliable VPN provider. Choose a VPN service with a wide range of global servers to give you more options for changing locations.
- Download and install the VPN app. Once you’ve chosen your VPN provider, you’ll need to download the VPN app on your device.
- Log in to your account. Open the app and log in using your account credentials.
- Select a location. After you’ve logged into the app, you’ll most likely see the list of available VPN server locations. Select the country you want to connect to.
- Connect to the server. After selecting your desired location, click to connect, and the VPN app will connect you to that server. Your IP address and virtual location have now been changed.
The specific steps, however, will vary depending on the VPN service and the device you’re using. Below are the guidelines for changing your VPN location on different devices with NordVPN.
How to change your VPN location on a smartphone (iPhone, Android)
Changing your VPN virtual location on a smartphone takes just a few simple taps:
- Open the NordVPN app. Launch the VPN app on your smartphone and log in if you haven’t already done so.
- Select a VPN server location. On the main panel, choose the server location you want to connect to. You can either view the map or browse through the list of countries. If you’re looking for a specific country or city, you can also use the search bar in the VPN app to quickly find and select your desired VPN server location.
- Connect. Tap on the VPN location you want to connect to, either from the list or the map. Once you connect, your online location will change to that of the selected server. You can also use the “Quick Connect” feature, which automatically selects the best server based on speed and location.
- Easily switch locations. To change your connection to another country or city, select a different location from the map and tap “Switch to (country name).”
How to change your VPN location on a PC (Windows, MacOS)
For Windows or MacOS users, the process of changing your VPN location is just as simple:
- Open the NordVPN app. Launch the application on your computer and log in to your account.
- Choose a VPN server location. Use the search bar, the map, or the list of countries to select your desired location.
- Connect. Click on your chosen VPN server location to connect. Your IP address will now reflect the selected server’s location.
- Switch locations if needed. To change your VPN connection to another country or city, click on a different location in the list or the map.
How to change your VPN location on Linux
For Linux users, changing your VPN location will look different from the process on Windows or MacOS:
- Open the “Terminal.” After you’ve followed the steps to set up a VPN app on Linux, launch the terminal on your device. You’ll use it to connect to the VPN server.
- Log in to NordVPN. Use the command
nordvpn login
and enter your NordVPN account credentials. - Connect to a VPN server. To connect to a specific country, type
nordvpn connect [country_code]
. For example, if you want to connect to a server in the UK, typenordvpn connect uk
. To see the list of available countries, typenordvpn countries
. If you want to connect to the fastest server available, simply typenordvpn connect
. - Change your server location. If you want to switch to a different server after connecting, you can use the command “nordvpn disconnect” to disconnect from your current server and then repeat the previous step with the new country code.
Why would I want to change my location?
You may want to change your IP address location for various reasons. The main one could be to protect your online privacy. By changing your IP location, you can lower your chances of being targeted by hackers who may try to steal your personal information or compromise your online security.
You can also take advantage of an IP location changer in many other ways:
- Compare prices while shopping. Many sites offer different prices to visitors from different countries. Once you learn how to change your location online, you can explore global prices and potentially find better deals.
- Protect your identity from trackers. If you’re connecting from home, your location is an important part of tracking your identity online. By changing your virtual location, you can avoid annoying online services that keep trying to track your location. For example, if you’re based in the US, you could use a Canada VPN server and appear online as a Canadian internet user. We have detailed instructions on how to get a Canadian IP address.
- Access home content while traveling. When you’re away from home, certain content, such as paid streaming services or websites, may be restricted based on your location. If you change the VPN location to that of your home country, you can easily access your favorite shows, news, and other content as if you were right there, so you never miss out on what you enjoy.