GeoSpoof GPS setup
The full macOS walkthrough for the companion app that sets your iPhone's real, system-level GPS.
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Open the menu-bar icon and choose “Set Up…”. The wizard checks each step off as you go. Connect your iPhone with a cable to finish setup. After that, your Mac can set the GPS over Wi-Fi or a hotspot, as long as both devices stay connected to each other.
What you'll need
- macOS 13 (Ventura) or later.
- The GeoSpoof app for iPhone with GeoSpoof Pro. The app is your control surface that sets the location, and moving the device's real GPS is a Pro feature.
- An iPhone with Developer Mode enabled, connected by USB cable for first-time setup. After that it needs to reach your Mac over a cable, the same Wi-Fi network, or a hotspot whenever you set or change a location.
- Xcode, Apple's free developer app from the Mac App Store. It's a big download, so set aside about 15 GB of free space. (You don't build anything; the setup steps below explain how it's used.)
Set up GeoSpoof GPS
Install the app
Open the DMG, drag GeoSpoof GPS into Applications, then launch it. It lives in your menu bar (no Dock icon, no window) and opens the setup wizard the first time it runs.
Allow Local Network access
On first launch, macOS asks for Local Network access. Click Allow so GeoSpoof GPS can find and talk to your iPhone. Without it, the app can't see your phone.
- Missed the prompt? Turn it on under System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Local Network ▸ GeoSpoof GPS.
- A stuck “No device found” is the usual sign this permission is off.
Install Xcode
GeoSpoof GPS needs Apple's Developer Disk Image, and it ships inside Xcode. Kick off this download first — it's large (several GB), so let it install in the background while you do the quick iPhone steps below.
- Install Xcode (free) from the Mac App Store and launch it once.
- On first launch it shows a “Select platforms” screen. Check macOS and leave the rest (including iOS) unchecked, then continue — you don't need the iOS SDK or Simulator, the developer image is part of Xcode's base setup either way.
- Let it finish “Installing components,” then quit Xcode. No project, no build, nothing to compile, and no paid Apple Developer account.
- Already have a developer image? Point GeoSpoof GPS at that folder instead and skip the Xcode download entirely.
Connect your iPhone
Plug your iPhone into your Mac and unlock it. Use a data-capable cable, since some are charge-only. If it doesn't appear, try another cable or port.
Trust this computer
When your iPhone asks whether to trust this computer, tap Trust and enter your passcode. That lets your Mac and phone talk to each other.
- No prompt? Keep the phone unlocked, then unplug and replug the cable. The alert only shows while the screen is unlocked.
- Still nothing? Lock and unlock the phone (or restart it) and reconnect.
- Last resort only: Settings ▸ General ▸ Transfer or Reset iPhone ▸ Reset ▸ Reset Location & Privacy, then reconnect and tap Trust.
Enable Developer Mode
On your iPhone, open Settings ▸ Privacy & Security ▸ Developer Mode, switch it on, and restart when prompted. It only appears after the phone has connected to your Mac at least once.
Pair with this Mac
In the setup window, click Pair. This one-time secure handshake lets your Mac drive the iPhone's GPS. Keep the phone unlocked and connected while it runs.
Prepare the developer image
Requires Xcode installed (above). With your iPhone connected and unlocked, click Prepare. GeoSpoof GPS personalizes Apple's Developer Disk Image (DDI) to your device and mounts it — the piece that lets an app set your real GPS location. It's Apple-signed and done for you; there's nothing to configure.
Image not found? If Prepare says it can't find the developer image, Xcode's setup may not have finished laying it down. Open Terminal, run this, then click Prepare again:
xcrun devicectl manage ddis updatePick a location in GeoSpoof
Set your location as usual in GeoSpoof. Your iPhone's system-level GPS follows it and stays aligned as long as it can reach your Mac over the cable, the same Wi-Fi network, or a hotspot.
- You can unplug the cable, but the connection has to stay. The Mac app is what sets the GPS.
- Going out without your Mac? Turn off Developer Mode while the location is active and it stays put. To change it later, turn Developer Mode back on, restart your iPhone, and connect it again.
