Unlock Features

To further aid your app testing, GPS JoyStick offers an unlocked version for experimentation and academic purposes for free! No need to pay for the same features available elsewhere.

What features are included in the unlocked version?

• Suspended Mocking - Broadcasts a mock location for a short period of time and then suspends broadcasting so that your test app can pick up the last known location.
• Auto Suspend Location - Sub-setting of Suspended Mocking. Automatically suspends mocking on a configurable interval so the last suspended location continues to be broadcast on a schedule.
• Indirect Mocking - Prevents your test app from detecting mock location being enabled in developer settings on older versions of Android.
• System Mode - Uses system privileges to mock location, providing a deeper level of integration with the Android location stack.
• Privacy Mode - Generates a complete clone of the app under a name you choose, with a randomized package identifier and a recolored launcher icon, so package-name scanners do not match the clone against known mock-location package lists.
• Disable Location Service - Stops the system location service while a mock is active so the device does not fall back to the real location between mock updates. Requires system or app-level access and may require a device reboot after enable or disable.
• A-GPS Reset - Prevents your test app from jumping to the real location by resetting the assisted GPS data.
• Fix Options - Up to 4 options that can be mixed and matched to prevent your test app from jumping to the real location.

For the full row-by-row settings reference, including every unlocked-only setting in the order it appears in the app, see Unlocked Version Additional Settings in the User Guide.

Suspended Mocking

Suspended Mocking broadcasts a mock location briefly, then suspends broadcasting. Your test app picks up the last known location without continuous mock location signals, reducing the window during which an active mock provider is observable.

1. Open GPS JoyStick and go to the Settings screen.
2. Enable Suspended Mocking.
3. Start mocking your location as usual. The app will alternate between broadcasting and suspending automatically.

This is particularly useful on Android 6.0+ devices with a security patch after March 5, 2017, where the standard mock location API is detectable.

Auto Suspend Location

Auto Suspend Location is a sub-setting of Suspended Mocking. It re-broadcasts the last suspended location on a fixed interval, so a test app that polls the location while broadcasting is suspended still observes a recent fix instead of a stale one.

1. Open GPS JoyStick and go to the Settings screen.
2. Enable Suspended Mocking first. Auto Suspend Location depends on it.
3. Enable Enable Auto Suspend Location.
4. Set Auto Suspend Interval to the number of seconds between re-broadcasts of the last suspended location. The default value is suitable for most testing.

Use this when your test app reads location more often than the standard suspend cycle and you want the suspended fix to land on a predictable cadence.

Indirect Mocking

Indirect Mocking routes mock locations through the Network provider only, rather than all location providers (GPS, Network, Passive). Apps that specifically check the GPS provider for mock flags will read no mock signal from this configuration. This works on older versions of Android with security patches before March 2017.

1. Open GPS JoyStick and go to the Settings screen.
2. Enable Indirect Mocking.
3. Start mocking your location as usual.

This is particularly useful with the No Root Method on Android 6.0+ devices with a security patch before March 5, 2017.

Note: When using System Mode, Indirect Mocking should be disabled - the two features address different verification vectors and should not be combined.

System Mode

System Mode uses system-level privileges to mock location, operating below the standard Mock Location API. This requires GPS JoyStick to be installed as a system app (rooted device required).

1. Root your device and move GPS JoyStick to /system/app or /system/priv-app using Magisk or a root file manager. See the setup guide for detailed steps.
2. Optionally un-root your device afterward (so other apps don't detect root).
3. Open GPS JoyStick and go to the Settings screen.
4. Enable System Mode.
5. Make sure Mock Locations is disabled in Developer Options (System Mode operates below it entirely).

Android 8.0 (Oreo) and above: You may need to place the APK in /root/system_root/system/priv-app with file permissions set to 0644, and create a permissions XML file. See the setup guide for the full XML configuration.

Disable Location Service

Disable Location Service stops the Android location service while a mock is active so the device does not fall back to the real GPS provider between mock broadcasts. This is useful for tests that probe behavior when the real location stack is unavailable, and for reducing real-fix leaks during teleport gaps.

1. Install GPS JoyStick as a system app on a rooted device, or grant the equivalent app-level access. See System Mode for the system-app installation steps.
2. Open GPS JoyStick and go to the Settings screen.
3. Enable Disable Location Service.
4. Reboot the device if prompted. Some devices require a reboot before the location service state takes effect.

This setting requires system or app-level access. It is not available without root or equivalent privileges. Re-enable the location service from the same toggle when you are done testing.

Privacy Mode

Privacy Mode generates a complete clone of GPS JoyStick. You pick the clone's display name (10-20 characters), and the app generates a randomized package identifier and a recolored launcher icon. Apps that scan the installed-package list for known mock-location providers will not match the clone against the original GPS JoyStick package.

1. Open GPS JoyStick and go to the Settings screen.
2. Enable Privacy Mode.
3. Enter a name for the clone (10-20 characters) and tap Start. The app builds a cloned copy with a randomized package identifier and a recolored launcher icon.
4. Use the cloned app instead of the original GPS JoyStick. Package-name scanners will not match the clone against the original GPS JoyStick package.

Note

Privacy Mode creates a separate app instance with a randomized package identifier. Some features, including in-app purchases and subscription management, are only available in the primary GPS JoyStick app.

Pro Subscription Features

Some features require a Pro subscription (available as an in-app purchase) rather than the unlocked APK. These work on both the Play Store and unlocked versions.

Organization (Pro)

• Folder Organization - Create, nest, and organize folders for your favorites and routes. Move items between folders, rename, and delete with recursive cleanup.
• Folder-Aware Import - When importing GPX or KML files that contain folder metadata, Pro users get automatic folder reconstruction. Free users receive items at the root level.
• Folder-Aware Export - Export to GPX or KML with folder hierarchy preserved. Pro adds a <gpsjoystick:folder> extension to GPX, and uses native <Folder> elements in KML.
• Selection Mode Bulk Move - Move multiple selected items into a folder at once.
• Add-All-In-Folder Import - On import, add every item from a chosen folder in one action.

Pro Intents API

The Pro Intents API exposes programmatic control over GPS JoyStick from Tasker, MacroDroid, ADB, or any app that can fire Android Intents. Pro intents include:

• Walk - move through a sequence of waypoints at a controlled speed
• Generate - generate and walk a random or circular route
• Speed - set the active movement speed (km/h) and switch speed mode
• Favorites - teleport to a saved favorite by name
• Hide / Show - toggle the on-screen joystick overlay
• Pause / Resume - control an active route
• Next / Prev - jump to the next or previous waypoint in a route
• Record (start, add waypoint, stop and save or discard) - record waypoints into a saved route
• Status Query - read the runtime state (mocking active, current route, current speed, etc.)

Free intents are TELEPORT, ROUTE, and STOP.

For the full list of actions, extras, and broadcast responses, see the canonical Pro Intents API Reference.

Pro vs Free in 5.3

Capability	Free	Pro
Folder browsing	Yes	Yes
Folder creation	No	Yes
Selection mode entry (long-press)	Yes	Yes
Bulk move into folder	No	Yes
Flat GPX/KML import	Yes	Yes
Folder-aware GPX/KML hierarchy import	No	Yes
GPX/KML export with folder data	No	Yes
Add-all-in-folder button on import	No	Yes
Quick Actions widget item cap	3	100
Widget theme picker (Material You / Dark / Light)	No (Material You only)	Yes
Widget Group by Type (collapsible Favorites / Routes)	No (flat list)	Yes

The unlocked version features listed above (Suspended Mocking, Indirect Mocking, etc.) do not require a Pro subscription.

Ready to try the unlocked version?

All of the unlocked version features listed above (Suspended Mocking, Auto Suspend Location, Indirect Mocking, System Mode, Privacy Mode, Disable Location Service, A-GPS Reset, and Fix Options) are available for free in the unlocked APK. Pro subscription features still require a subscription. Head to the download page to grab the right build for your device.