Looking for the best Location Guard alternative after it was removed from Chrome? Compare the top 3 actively maintained location privacy extensions and find the perfect replacement for your needs.
Last updated: March 2026 | Reviewed by our privacy experts
Why This Comparison? The original Location Guard Chrome extension was last updated on March 19, 2022, and has been removed from Chrome Web Store due to Manifest V3 requirements. This guide helps you find the best actively maintained replacement.
Compare all features side-by-side to find the best Location Guard replacement for your needs
| Feature |
Location Guard V3
|
Cloaq Location Guard
|
Change Geolocation
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 📊 Browser Support | |||
| Chrome | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Firefox | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Edge | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 🔍 Key Features | |||
| Random Noise Addition | ✅ Enhanced | ❌ | ❌ |
| Per-Site Settings | ✅ Enhanced | ✅ | ❌ |
| Privacy Levels | 5 Levels | Custom | On/Off |
| Timezone Spoofing | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Locale Spoofing | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
| WebRTC Protection | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Open Source | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Best For |
Power Users Advanced privacy controls |
VPN Users Complete location spoofing |
Beginners Simple & fast setup |
| Download | View Details ↓ | View Details ↓ | View Details ↓ |
Detailed analysis of each extension to help you make the right choice.
Location Guard V3 is the closest alternative to the original Location Guard extension. It offers the same core functionality— adding configurable noise to your location— but with significant enhancements including 5 privacy levels, per-site customization, and a modern user interface.
What sets V3 apart is its differential privacy approach, which adds mathematically calibrated noise to protect your exact location while still allowing location-based services to function. This is ideal for users who want to use mapping or weather apps without revealing their precise address.
Cloaq Location Guard is the most comprehensive location privacy solution, offering features no other extension provides. Its killer feature is timezone and locale spoofing, which helps align browser time, language, and location signals with your chosen configuration.
If you use a VPN and want to appear completely as if you're in another country, Cloaq is your best choice. It syncs your browser's timezone, locale, and geolocation to match your VPN server location, eliminating common fingerprinting vectors that reveal your true location.
Change Geolocation is a simple browser geolocation control extension. If you just want to set configured test coordinates with minimal setup, this is your best choice. No complex settings, no privacy levels - just pick a location on the map and you're done.
It's useful for casual users who want basic privacy controls and for developers testing location-dependent features. The interface is intuitive and you can start adjusting browser location output within 30 seconds of installation.
Compare the V3 option, then use the My Location tool to confirm what your browser reports.
Common questions about choosing and using Location Guard replacements
Location Guard V3 is the best overall alternative, offering advanced privacy controls similar to the original. For VPN users needing timezone spoofing, choose Cloaq. For beginners wanting simplicity, Change Geolocation is ideal. See our detailed comparison table for a full breakdown.
The original Location Guard extension was last updated on March 19, 2022. Google Chrome requires extensions to meet Manifest V3 standards and receive regular security updates. Since Location Guard wasn't updated, it was removed from the Chrome Web Store. The Firefox version is still available but is also outdated and may have compatibility issues with newer Firefox versions.
Both Location Guard V3 and Change Geolocation support Firefox. Cloaq Location Guard is Chrome-only because it uses Chrome's Debugger API for timezone spoofing, which Firefox doesn't support in the same way. See our installation tutorials for Firefox-specific guides.
No, Location Guard V3 is a separate, independently developed extension inspired by the original. It offers similar core functionality (location spoofing with differential privacy) but with significant enhancements: 5 privacy levels instead of 3, per-site customization, modern UI, saved locations, and active maintenance. It's the closest alternative to the original Location Guard experience.
After installing your chosen extension, use our free location privacy test to verify it's working. The test checks your browser's geolocation API and displays the coordinates websites will see. Make sure to grant location permission when prompted so the page can show the configured location your browser reports.
Websites can compare browser geolocation with other signals such as IP address, timezone, and locale. For more consistent privacy signals: 1) use a VPN that matches your configured region, 2) use Cloaq to align timezone and locale, 3) consider using Location Guard V3's noise addition feature instead of fixed coordinates for more natural-looking location data.
Learn more about protecting your location privacy
Verify your location guard extension is working correctly.
Test NowStep-by-step guides for each extension and browser.
View TutorialsReview the V3 option for Chrome and modern browser support.
Location Guard V3
The closest alternative to the original
Perfect for VPN users
Easiest to use
