Based on our research, Airplane mode location sharing is not something we use all that often. However, Airplane mode is an important switch that shuts down our phone’s radios with a single tap. It was designed for use exclusively on airplanes, but many individuals use it either as a standalone DND mode or for improving their location privacy.

What is Airplane Mode?

Airplane mode, often known as Flight Mode or Offline Mode, is a switch available on smartphones that shuts down the device’s radios. In other words, once you turn Airplane mode on, most of your phone’s radios, including Bluetooth, cellular, WiFi, and (in some cases) GPS, will shut down.

On most modern smartphones, the GPS radio stays on even if the Airplane mode is off, but it will struggle to provide precise location because it doesn’t have WiFi and cellular data.

Airplane mode was designed as a fast way to turn off radio transmissions coming from smartphones to prevent them from scrambling in-fight signals and connecting to cellular ground networks.

The Airplane mode basically turns your phone into a local device. Will Airplane mode hide my location? Well, only while it’s on, but keep in mind that your device can still be used to connect to the in-flight WiFi, but don’t expect cellular reception and voice calls. This helps improve its battery life and provides the users with peace of mind, serving as a standalone in-flight DND mode.

Does Airplane Mode Turn Off Location Services?

Once again, the AM turns off radio transmissions, including cellular, Bluetooth, and WiFi transmissions. However, most modern smartphones still have GPS up and running.

Airplane Mode Location Sharing

Modern airplanes have sophisticated equipment whose signals aren’t that easy to scramble. Plus, some modern aircraft have begun testing in-flight 3G networks, too.

But that still leaves one question out in the open: Does Airplane mode turn off location services on your phone, or are they still alive and kicking? And what happens when a phone lost in Airplane mode dies?

We know for a fact that many users search for how to find a dead phone, desperately looking for their lost devices. Luckily, we found a solution –  Scannero. We’ll discuss it later.

Does Airplane Mode Disable All Location-Sharing Apps?

In short, it doesn’t. The Airplane mode doesn’t turn off GPS services on most modern smartphones. This means that offline navigational tools such as Google Maps will still work. However, they won’t be as precise as they usually are.

Your phone will have GPS functionalities, but it won’t be able to transmit them to the internet. In other words, you’ll be able to see your location on Google Maps, but for example, Google Find My Device and similar device-tracking software will stop updating live locations.

Long story short, the Airplane mode won’t mess with your phone’s GPS functionalities, but real-time location sharing will stop working immediately and won’t come back until the phone reestablishes cellular or WiFi connection to the internet.

If You Put Your Phone on Airplane Mode, Can People See Your Location?

If you’re wondering can people see your location in Airplane mode, here’s all the info you need organized into several bullet points:

• Thanks to the lack of internet connection, apps that depend on it for their location-sharing services (such as Find My or Find My Device) will stop working once you turn Airplane mode on.
• Offline navigation apps can still show your location and log it, though they will not be able to send that anywhere until you reconnect to the internet.
• Despite all that, flight-tracking services like Flight Radar still work flawlessly, allowing you (and others) to see your location at all times, effectively bypassing Airplane mode limitations.

So, does Airplane mode stop sharing location? Yes, it does stop sharing your location to the internet, but you can still track your own location via offline navigational apps like Google Maps or by using a flight-tracking app like Flight Radar.

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How to Restart Sharing Your Location?

Now that you’ve found out “Does Airplane mode hide location services?”, it’s time to learn how to restart location sharing after your plane has landed.

1. Turning it off takes just one tap – it’s as simple as that. However, the best practice is not to turn it back on until the flight attendant gives the official permission, which is usually right after landing.
2. If it doesn’t work or the Airplane mode freezes, it’s best to restart your device. You can also try rebooting location services manually before restarting the full system.
3. Another thing to keep in mind is that turning on data could lead to additional roaming charges, but that’s only if you land in another country.

Does Airplane Mode Hide Your Location from Scannero?

So, you’re wondering if you put your phone on Airplane mode, can people see your location? Well, the answer is no – they cannot see your location in real-time, no matter if you’re currently on a flight or just using airplane mode to save your device’s battery consumption.

However, there’s a tool called Scannero that can bypass some of these location sharing restrictions. More precisely, the tool uses SMS messages to send tracking links, which work beautifully.

You now may be wondering – is my location still shared on Airplane mode if I’m using Scannero? Well, the answer is no because your device won’t receive the SMS until you regain network connection.

More precisely, you can receive the SMS as soon as you land (and turn the Airplane mode off), which means the tool will start tracking your location and dig up location logs gathered by the GPS, which has been (most likely) on during the entire flight.

Should I Use Scannero for Location Sharing?

According to our recent research, Scannero is the only paid app that’s worth a shot in terms of location sharing. Here are the best scenarios for using it:

• When the Airplane mode is turned off and the device reconnects to the internet, the app will provide you with enhanced functionalities and logs.
• Scannero works like a charm for locating family members or people who’ve previously granted you access to their location.
• It’s the only paid tool that actually does what it claims. Plus, it has a simple initial setup and requires minimal user input to work properly.

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Conclusion

So, will Airplane mode hide my location once it’s on? Well, not entirely!

Airplane mode doesn’t render smart devices invisible because the GPS remains on at all times, but it does prevent them from transmitting their location data over the internet.

However, there are tools that stay hidden during Airplane mode but regain all their functionalities, and they are pinged back with the location logs after the device regains connectivity.

According to our tests, Scannero is the perfect solution for recovering lost devices and providing location logs. So, if you’re looking for a premium tool that works, Scanner is worth a shot!

Author: Nicklaus Borer

Greetings. I am a journalist and a computer engineer. I am engaged in research in the field of security, data and their publication on this blog.