How To Play Pokémon Go Without Moving (Android & iOS)

Pokémon Go is a very popular AR-based fiction fantasy game by Niantic that has taken the world by storm. It has been an absolute fan favorite ever since it was first released. People from all around the world, especially Pokémon fans embraced the game with open arms. After all, Niantic had finally fulfilled their lifelong dream of becoming a Pokémon trainer. It brought to life the world of Pokémons and made it possible to discover your characters at every nook and corner of your city.

Now the main objective of the game is to go outside and look for Pokémons. The game encourages you to step outside and take long walks, exploring the neighborhood in search of Pokémons, Pokéstops, gyms, ongoing raids, etc. However, some lazy gamers wanted to have all the fun, without the physical effort of walking from one place to the other. As a result, people started finding various ways to play Pokémon Go without moving. A number of hacks, cheats, and apps came into existence to allow the players to play the game without even leaving their couch.

This is exactly what we are going to discuss in this article. We are going to go through some of the best ways to play Pokémon Go without moving on Android and iOS devices. We will be exploring the concepts of GPS spoofing and Joystick hacks. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.

How to Play Pokémon Go Without Moving (Android & iOS)

Precautionary Warning: A word of advice before we begin

One thing that you need to understand is that Niantic does not like users trying to use hacks in order to play Pokémon Go without moving. As a result, they are constantly improving their anti-cheating protocols and adding security patches to discourage users. Even the Android team keeps improving its system to avoid users from using tricks like GPS spoofing while playing games. As a result, a number of GPS spoofing apps are practically useless when it comes to Pokémon Go.

In addition to that, Niantic also issues warnings to people using a mock location append ultimately bans their Pokémon Go account. After the recent security updates, Pokémon Go can detect if any GPS spoofing app is active. Therefore you have to be very careful otherwise you might end up losing your account. In this article, we will suggest to you some of the apps that are still usable and safe. We would also recommend you to follow our instructions carefully if you want to succeed in your goal to Play Pokémon Go without moving.

If you want to play Pokémon Go without moving then you will be relying on apps that facilitate GPS spoofing. Now some of these apps also have a joystick that you can use to move around on the map. This is why it is also known as a Joystick Hack. As mentioned earlier, some of these apps and features work better in older Android versions before the various security patches were released. In some cases, rooting your device allows you to unlock the full potential of these apps.

Now, in order to make things work, there are several workarounds like downgrading to an older Android version, rooting your device, using masking modules, etc. We will be discussing what is best for your phone depending on the current Android version that you are using.

What apps will you need?

Stating the obvious here, you will need to have the latest version of Pokémon Go installed on your device. Now for the GPS spoofing app, you can either go with Fake GPS or FGL Pro. Both of these apps are free and available on the Play Store. If these apps do not work, then you can also try Fake GPS Joystick and Routes Go. Although it is a paid app, it is much safer than the other two. After all, it is always better to spend a few bucks than to take the risk of getting your account banned.

Another thing that you need to watch out for is the rubber banding effect. Apps like Fly GPS keep switching back to the original GPS location quite frequently and this increases the chances of getting caught. You need to make sure the GPS spoofing app does not disclose the actual location to reach the game. One cool trick to prevent that is to cover your Android device with Aluminum foil. This will prevent the GPS signal from reaching your phone and hence prevent rubber banding.

Pokémon Go Joystick Hack Explained

Pokémon Go collects your location information from the GPS signal on your phone and is also linked to Google Maps. In order to trick Niantic into believing that your location is changing, you need to resort to GPS Spoofing. Now, the various GPS spoofing apps provide arrow keys that act as a joystick and can be used to move around on the map. These arrow keys appear as an overlay on the Pokémon Go home screen.

When you use the arrow keys, your GPS location changes accordingly and this makes your character move in the game. If you use the arrow keys slowly and properly, you can emulate the motion of walking. You can also control the walking/running speed using these arrow keys/control buttons.

Choose Between Downgrading and Rooting

As mentioned earlier, GPS spoofing isn’t as easy it used to be in the olden times. Previously, you could have simply enabled the mock locations option and used a GPS spoofing app to play Pokémon Go without moving. However, now Niantic will immediately detect if mock locations are enabled and issue a warning. The only workaround is to convert the GPS spoofing app into a system app.

In order to do so, you will either have to downgrade your Google Play services app (for Android 6.0 to 8.0) or root your device (for Android 8.1 or higher). Depending on your Android version you will have to opt for either of the two. Rooting your device is a little difficult and you will also lose the warranty. On the other hand, Downgrading will have no such consequences. It won’t even affect the performance of other apps that are linked to Google Play Services.

Also Read: How to Change Pokémon Go Team

Downgrading

If your current Android version is between Android 6.0 to Android 8.0, then you can easily fix the problem by downgrading your Google Play services app. Make sure to not update your Android OS even if you are prompted to. The only purpose of Google Play services is to link other apps with Google. So, before downgrading, disable some system apps like Google Maps, Find my device, Gmail, etc. that are linked to Google Play Services. Also, turn off auto-updates from Play Store so that Google Play Services do not get updated automatically after downgrading.

1. Go to Settings>Apps> Google Play Services.

2. After that tap on the three-dot menu on the top-right corner and tap on the Uninstall updates option.

3. Our goal is to install an older version of Google Play Services, ideally 12.6.x or lower.

4. For that, you need to download an APK file for the older version from APKMirror.

5. Make sure that you download the right version that is compatible with your device’s architecture.

6. Use the Droid Info App to find out the system information accurately.

7. Once the APK has been downloaded, open Google Play Services Settings again and clear cache and data.

8. Now install the older version using the APK file.

9. After that, once again open Play Services app settings and restrict the background data usage and Wi-Fi usage for the app.

10. This will ensure that Google Play Services do not get updated automatically.

Rooting

If you are using Android version 8.1 or higher, then Downgrading won’t be possible. The only way to install the GPS spoofing app as a system app is by rooting your device. In order to install the app, you will need an unlocked bootloader and TWRP. You also have to download and install the Magisk module after you root your device.

Once you have installed TWRP and have an unlocked bootloader you will be able to convert the GPS spoofing app as a system app. This way Niantic will not be able to detect that mock location is enabled and thus your account is safe. You can then use the Joystick to move around in-game and play Pokémon Go without moving.

Also read: 15 Reasons To Root Your Android Phone

Setup the GPS Spoofing App

Once you have made all the required preparations, it is time to get the GPS spoofing app up and running. In this section, we will be taking the Fake GPS Route as an example and all the steps will be relevant to the app. So, for your own convenience, we would recommend you to install the same app and then follow the steps given below.

The first thing that you need to do is Enable Developer Options on your device (if not already enabled). To do so:

1. Firstly, open Settings on your device.

2. Now tap on the About phone option then tap on All specs ( every phone has a different name).

  

3. After that, Tap on the Build number or Build version 6-7 times then the Developer mode will now be enabled and you will find an additional option in the System settings called the Developer Options.

  

4. Now tap on the Additional Settings or System Settings option and you will find the Developer options. Tap on it.

  

5. Now scroll down and tap on the “Select mock location app” option and select Fake GPS Free as your mock location app.

  

6. Before using the mock location app, launch your VPN app and select a proxy server. Take note that you need to use the same or a nearby location using the Fake GPS app in order to make the trick work.

7. Now launch the Fake GPS Go app and accept the terms and conditions. You will also be taken through a short tutorial to explain how the app works.

8. All that you need to do is move the crosshair to any point on the map and tap on the Play Button.

9. You can also search for a particular address or enter exact GPS coordinates in case you want to change your location to somewhere specific.

10. If it works then the message “Fake location engaged” will pop up on your screen and the blue marker that indicates your location will be positioned at the new fake location.

11. If you want to enable the Joystick control, then open the app’s settings and here enable the Joystick option. Also, make sure to enable the Non-root mode.

12. In order to check whether or not it worked, open Google Maps and see what your current location is. You will also find a notification from the app which indicates that the app is running. The arrow keys (joystick) can be enabled and disabled at any time from the Notification panel.

Now there are two ways to move around. You can either use the arrow keys as an overlay while Pokémon Go is running or change locations manually by moving the crosshair and tapping on the play button. We would suggest you use the latter as using the Joystick might result in a lot of “GPS signal not found notifications”.  Therefore, it wouldn’t be the worst idea if you do not enable Joystick in the first place and use the app manually by moving the crosshair periodically.

Also, in case you are compelled to root your device for the purpose of installing the GPS spoofing app as a system app, you can’t let Niantic find out about this. Niantic will not allow you to play Pokémon Go on a rooted device. You can use Magisk to help you out with this. It has a feature called Magisk Hide, which can prevent selected apps from finding out that your device is rooted. You can simply enable this feature for Pokémon Go and you will be able to play Pokémon Go without moving.

How to Play Pokémon Go without Moving on iOS

Now, it wouldn’t be fair for the iOS users if we do not help them out. Although it is quite difficult to spoof your location on an iPhone, it is not impossible. Ever since Pokémon Go was released on iOS, people have been coming up with ingenious ways to play the game without moving. A good number of apps sprung into existence that allowed you to spoof your GPS location and play Pokémon Go without moving. The best part was that there was no need for jailbreaking or any other activity that would void your warranty.

However, the good times did not last long and Niantic swiftly moved against these apps and improved the security that rendered most of them useless. As of now, there are only two apps namely iSpoofer and iPoGo that still work. There is a good chance that soon these apps will also be removed or made redundant. So, use it while you can and hope that soon, people come up with better hacks to play Pokémon Go without moving. Until then, let’s discuss these two apps and see how they work.

iSpoofer

iSpoofer is one of the two apps that you can use to play Pokémon Go without moving on an iOS. It isn’t just a GPS spoofing app. In addition to allowing you to use a joystick to move around, the app also has a lot of additional features like auto-walk, enhanced throw, etc. In comparison to iPogo it is loaded with more features and hacks. However, most of these features are available only in the paid Premium version.

One of the best features of iSpoofer is that allows you to keep multiple instances of the same app. This was you can be a part of all three teams and use multiple accounts. Some of the other cool features of iSpoofer include:

• You can use a Joystick in-game to move around.
• You can see Nearby Pokémons as the range of the radar is significantly larger.
• Eggs will hatch automatically and you will get Buddy candy without going on walks.
• You can control the speed of walking and move 2 to 8 times faster.
• You can check the IV for any Pokémon, not just after catching it but also while you are catching them.
• Your chances of catching a Pokémon are much higher owing to Enhanced throw and Fast catch features.

How to install iSpoofer on iOS

In order to play Pokémon Go without moving on your iOS device, you need to install some other apps and programs in addition to iSpoofer. You need to install the Cydia Impactor software and it would be better if you can find an older version. Also, both these apps need to be installed on your computer (Windows /MAC/Linux).  Having iTunes pre-installed on your computer is also a must. Once all these apps have been downloaded follow the steps given below to install and set up iSpoofer.

1. The first thing that you need to do is install Cydia Impactor on your computer.
2. Now launch iTunes on your computer and make sure that you are logged in to the same account that you are using on your phone.
3. After that launch iTunes on your phone and connect it to the computer via a USB cable.
4. Now launch Cydia Impactor and select your device from the drop-down menu.
5. After that drag and drop the iSpoofer.IPA file into the Cydia Impactor. You might have to enter the login credentials of your iTunes account to confirm.
6. Do that and Cydia Impactor will bypass Apple’s security checks that prevent you from installing third-party apps from outside the Apple store.
7. Once the installation is complete, you can open the Pokémon Go app and see that a Joystick has appeared in the game.
8. This indicates that iSpoofer is ready for use and you can start playing Pokémon Go without moving.

iPoGo

iPoGo is another GPS spoofing app for iOS that allows you to play Pokémon Go without moving and using a Joystick instead. Although it does not have as many features have iSpoofer, there are a few unique features that encourage iOS users to choose this app instead. For starters, it has a built-in Go Plus (a.k.a. Go Tcha) emulator which allows you to throw Pokéballs without consuming berries. When combined with GPX routing and auto-walk feature, iPoGo transforms into a Pokémon Go bot. You can use it to automatically move around, collecting Pokémons, interacting with Pokéstops, collecting candies, etc.

However, you need to be more careful while using iPoGo. This is because Niantic is much more vigilant when it comes to detecting bots. The chances of your account getting banned are higher while using iPoGo. You need to be careful and use the app in a controlled and restricted manner to avoid arousing suspicions. Adhere to properly cool down guidelines to avoid any attention from Niantic.

Some of the cool and unique features of iPoGo are:

• You can use all the features of Go-Plus without purchasing any other device.
• It allows you to set a maximum limit for the number of each item that you would like to keep in your inventory. You can delete all excess items with a single click of a button.
• There is the provision to skip Pokémon capture animation.
• You can also check the IV for different Pokémons while capturing them.

How to install iPoGo

The installation procedure is more or less similar to that of iSpoofer. You need to download the .IPA file for iPoGo and use signing platforms like Cydia Impactor and Signuous. These platforms allow you to install a third-party app using a .IPA file on your iOS device. Otherwise, you would have to jailbreak your device in order to bypass the security checks that prevent you from installing apps from outside the Play Store.

In the case of iPoGo, there is also the option to directly install the app on your phone just like any other app from the Play Store. However, this isn’t a foolproof plan as the license for the app might get revoked after a few days, and then you won’t be able to use it. It can also lead to the license of Pokémon Go getting revoked. So, it is better to use Cydia Impactor to avoid all these complications.

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We hope that you find this information helpful and you were able to play Pokemon Go without moving. Pokémon Go is a really fun AR-based game but if you live in a small town then it will get pretty boring after some time as you would have caught all the nearby Pokémons. Using GPS spoofing and Joystick hack can bring back the exciting element of the game. You can teleport to a new location and use the Joystick to move around and catch new Pokémons. It also allows you to explore more gyms, participate in regional events and raids, collect rare items, all from your couch.