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How to Cheat at Pokémon GO Without Getting Banned

Game interface showing a Pokémon catching prompt on a mobile device with a scenic background.

Gotta catch 'em all, right? That's easier said than done, considering that Pokémon GO has region-specific characters that you may never get a chance to see. Sure, you can spoof your GPS location to make the augmented reality game think you're at a different spot on the map, but Niantic Labs seems to be catching on to this method, and some users have been soft-banned for a few hours after trying it.

The problem here is that Pokémon GO now knows when you've enabled mock locations in Android's Developer options menu—therefore, we only need to hide this setting from the game in order to cheat again. Well, that's exactly what a handy Xposed module from developer Brandon Nalls does, so if you're rooted, you can now safely change your location without ever leaving the house.

Don't Miss: Pokémon GO Just Gamified the Non-Sedentary Lifestyle

Big shout-out to WonderHowTo member swedax94 for the tip.

Requirements

Install 'Mock Mock Locations'

For starters, you'll need to install the Xposed module that prevents apps from being able to tell when you have mock locations enabled. So head to the Download section in your Xposed Installer app, search for Mock Mock Locations, then tap the top result. From here, swipe over to the Versions tab, then hit the "Download" button next to the most recent entry. Next up, tap "Install," then make sure to activate the module and reboot when that's finished.

How to Cheat at Pokémon GO Without Getting Banned
How to Cheat at Pokémon GO Without Getting Banned
Mock Mock Locations app installation prompt.
How to Cheat at Pokémon GO Without Getting Banned
How to Cheat at Pokémon GO Without Getting Banned
Mock Mock Locations app installation prompt.

Disable WiFi & Cell Network Locations

When you get back up, head to the Location menu in Settings. From here, select the "Mode" option, then set it to "Device only." This will prevent your phone from using other location sources such as your Wi-Fi and cell network connections, so when you spoof your GPS location later, that will be the only location Pokémon GO can see.

Settings menu on a mobile device featuring options for users, location, security, accounts, language, and backup.
Location settings menu on a mobile device displaying app permissions.
Settings menu displaying location mode options on a mobile device.
Settings menu on a mobile device featuring options for users, location, security, accounts, language, and backup.
Location settings menu on a mobile device displaying app permissions.
Settings menu displaying location mode options on a mobile device.

Then, if your device is running Android Marshmallow or higher, head back to the main Location menu, then tap the three-dot menu button, and choose "Scanning." From here, disable both options to make sure your device doesn't use any other source to determine your location.

How to Cheat at Pokémon GO Without Getting Banned
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning settings on a mobile device
How to Cheat at Pokémon GO Without Getting Banned
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning settings on a mobile device

Install a GPS Spoofing App

At this point, you can safely use a GPS-spoofing app to fake your device's location without worrying about getting banned. We've covered this process in detail, so make sure to check out the full guide below.

Spoof Your Location Without Getting Banned

With everything set up now, all you have to do is use your GPS-spoofing app to change your location, then you'll be able to catch Pokémon from all over the world. It would be best if you clear the Pokémon GO app from your recent apps menu before you change locations, just to be on the safe side.

One thing to consider, though, is that Pokémon GO could theoretically see that you're moving around faster than humanly possible, which could lead to a soft ban. So don't change your location too much in one shot—instead, use your GPS-spoofing app to move only a few miles at a time, and you should have nothing to worry about.

A player using a mobile app to locate Pokémon on a map.

Before GPS spoofing.

A user playing Pokémon Go on a map near water.

And after.

A player using a mobile app to locate Pokémon on a map.

Before GPS spoofing.

A user playing Pokémon Go on a map near water.

And after.

Cover photo and screenshots by Dallas Thomas/NextReality

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