Users of the dating app Bumble connect with other singles on the app based on their phone’s GPS location. This feature has provided users the opportunity to meet, mingle, and connect with others in their local community to find romance and build relationships. However, due to the rise of many of these location-based online dating options, privacy, and personal safety have become increasingly important to singles who use online dating apps.

Many users often are looking for options to still meet people in their area, whether they are new in town or just traveling while being able to do so safely and privately. Read on to learn more about how you can change your Bumble location successfully, and whether or not you can use a VPN service to do it. 

What is your location based on in Bumble?

Bumble, along with other online dating websites and mobile apps, requires your device location in order to use their platform. When you create a profile on the app, it will automatically detect your current location and set it as your default location.

Bumble does use GPS location data from your device in order to show you potential matches in your area. This is also done to verify that you are indeed located where you say you are and not attempting to spoof locations for a multitude of reasons.

Can you hide or alter your location for privacy and safety?

According to the Bumble user terms and conditions section of its website, “At this time, you do have to grant Bumble location permissions while the app is in use in order to be able to swipe on folks in your area.” Additionally, its user guide advises that there is no option to hide your physical location and still match with others on the app successfully.

Bumble recognizes the need for privacy and safety for users of the app. It does have listed terms and conditions of usage of its app or website, and user guidelines on its website. However, it advises against using the app if you are not willing to share location privileges. Bumble recommends users opt for options such as Snooze Mode or Incognito Mode for Bumble Premium members needing to hide or alter their location settings.

Reasons for changing Bumble location

Although the terms of use for Bumble require users to share their location on their devices in order to use it, people can still take measures to protect their privacy and safety as they connect and date on the app. Below are a few reasons why users may need to manually change their location in the app.

• Moving to a new location or city and wanting to meet other singles in the area.
• Desiring to connect with new matches while traveling locally, internationally, or domestically.
• Wanting to broaden their dating pool by searching for matches in a different location nearby.
• App users are uncomfortable with people knowing their exact location and want to change it to a nearby location for more privacy and safety (i.e. using their workplace location, if local, rather than their home location). Keep in mind users are only able to do this with a Bumble premium subscription.

How to change location in Bumble

In the world of online dating apps, location sharing within the app is often a necessity in order to be an active user of the platform. Although that may be challenging for those who want to protect their online dating privacy, there are still several measures you can take in order to still share your location privileges but also protect your privacy. The following are a few ways you can change your location with Bumble successfully.

Request a location change

Bumble’s algorithm is designed to update based on your GPS location with your device. However, if your location does not automatically update within the app or the desktop website, there are still measures you can take to update your locations. Below is the method to update your address across most devices including changing it in iOS, Android, and desktop.

1. To go to Bumble’s settings, click on the gray gear symbol in the app's upper left-hand corner.
2. Scroll down to the section that says Location.
3. Below there is a prefilled location based on your GPS location shared from your device.
4. Next to the prefilled location box, click the circular arrow to the right of the box. This will update your location based on the GPS location ping of your device.

However, in the event the location does not update automatically, you can contact Bumble support directly to have your location changed manually. It also recommends taking these steps to manually change your location if the app does not update automatically.

Set Travel Mode

If you are traveling to a new destination, whether domestically or internationally, you can still use Bumble. As long as you have a Bumble Premium subscription, you have the option to change your profile to Travel Mode. 

As stated within the Bumble user guide, “Your location will show as being in the center of the city you’ve chosen (at this time, you will not be able to select an exact location), and an indicator will display so other users know you’re using Travel.”

In order to activate the Travel Mode setting on your iPhone or Android device, complete the following steps in the Bumble app: 

1. Open Bumble and navigate to the Settings tab in your app or on the website. You can find this on the left-hand side of your browser window when you open the desktop site. For access in the app, you can open your settings by tapping on the gray gear symbol in the upper left-hand corner of the app screen.
2. Scroll to the Location section at the bottom and tap “Travel to….” You’ll get a small pop-up asking you to confirm you want to use Travel Mode.
3. Search for the city you’d like to appear in and select it as your location option within this mode.

Activate Snooze mode

For singles looking to take a break or stop receiving matches from their current location, they have the option to turn on Snooze mode. Snooze mode allows you to hide your profile from other singles in your area. Here's how to activate Snooze mode in your Bumble account settings: 

1. Open the app or the website.
2. Click on the gray silhouette in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
3. Locate the Settings button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen and tap Snooze.
4. Then, you can choose whether you want to hide yourself from being visible for 24 hours, 72 hours, a week, or indefinitely.

Try a VPN service

We generally recommend virtual private networks (VPNs) for anyone looking to protect their data online, but this option may not work with Bumble. You can use a VPN, such as NordVPN or Surfshark, if you wish to hide your location, however you won't receive matches in the app.

Some popular VPNs include:

• NordVPN: NordVPN comes at a reasonable price and its wide range of features are worth the affordable cost. NordVPN works with many different types of devices, and it has advanced features, too, such as a kill switch and split tunneling. We like NordVPN’s Threat Protection feature for ad blocking.

  Get NordVPN | Read Our NordVPN Review

• ExpressVPN: ExpressVPN lets you select from thousands of servers without sacrificing speed. This service also has advanced security features, such as AES-256 encryption, split tunneling, a private DNS, and a kill switch.

  Get ExpressVPN | Read Our ExpressVPN Review

• Atlas VPN: Atlas VPN offers a free plan, which comes with a generous 5 GB of monthly data. The free plan also gives you access to three server locations, which you can use to switch your location. Atlas VPN’s paid plan is still relatively affordable, and you can use it on streaming services as well.

  Get Atlas VPN | Read Our Atlas VPN Review

Several users of the dating app have stated that Bumble has figured out how to block fake virtual locations, and you might not have much success with this method. Additionally, Bumble advises that it’s against its terms of usage to spoof or alter your location while using the platform.

If you want to see firsthand if your VPN will work with Bumble, simply download your preferred VPN app, choose what server location you want to connect to, and turn on the VPN. The VPN will now change your device’s location, but Bumble may detect the GPS discrepancy and temporarily disable matchmaking features.

FAQs on how to change Bumble location

Bottom line

In the world of online dating, privacy and safety can be key on apps such as Bumble. It may seem challenging to keep your data private when so many apps require your location data. However, it is not impossible to change or hide your location to protect yourself and date safely.

Purchasing Bumble Premium will be the best option for those looking to hide their location from matches and other users on the app. To learn more about protecting your data and online safety, read more about how to stay safe online here, and consider additional security measures like VPNs or ad blockers. 

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Author Details

Amanda Scheldt

About the Author

Amanda is a technical content writer based in Illinois, USA. She has a Master of Science in Cybersecurity. After years of working in the tech and cybersec field, she pivoted her career to content marketing and writing within these industries.