If you’ve ever tried to RSVP to a Facebook event or browse upcoming events on Facebook, you may have noticed that Facebook seems to think you’re located in the wrong city. This can be frustrating when you’re trying to find local events near you or RSVP to an event in your actual city. So why does Facebook get your location wrong, and what can you do to fix it?
Why Facebook May Show the Wrong City
There are a few potential reasons why Facebook events may show you as being in the wrong city:
- Your current location – Facebook may be defaulting to a city you recently visited or searched for rather than your home city. This is especially common if you’ve traveled recently or used Facebook in a different location.
- IP address – Facebook may be looking at your IP address to guess your location, but IP addresses aren’t always precise enough to identify a city.
- Old location data – If you’ve moved to a new city, Facebook may still have outdated location data saved from when you previously lived elsewhere.
- Multiple locations – If you split your time between multiple cities, Facebook may be confused about which one is your primary location.
- Browser/device settings – Something in your browser or device settings may be providing an incorrect location to Facebook.
Essentially, Facebook has to make an educated guess at your location based on various signals like your IP address, past activity, and device settings. Sometimes its guess is just wrong, especially if you’ve traveled or recently moved.
How to Update Your City on Facebook
If Facebook has the wrong city for you, here are some things you can try to fix it:
Update Your Profile
The easiest solution is to simply update the city listed in your Facebook profile. You can do this by:
- Going to your profile page
- Clicking on “Edit Public Details” near your name
- Entering your correct city in the “Current City” section
This tells Facebook your new official location. However, it may take some time for Facebook to fully update your location everywhere across the platform.
Update Your Location Services
If you’re accessing Facebook from a mobile device, make sure your device’s location services are enabled and set to the correct city:
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and enable location access for Facebook.
- On Android, go to Settings > Location > App Location Permissions and enable location access for Facebook.
You can also try manually setting your device’s main location to your correct city which may help Facebook pick it up more quickly.
Clear Cookies and Cache
Clearing your browser cookies and cache could help override any outdated location data Facebook has saved for your account. To do this:
- On Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy > Clear Browsing Data > Clear data.
- On Safari, go to Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All.
- On Firefox, go to Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear Data.
After clearing cookies, log back into Facebook so it can recollect your location information.
Use Facebook in Your Home City
If possible, try accessing Facebook primarily from your new home city, either on your home WiFi network or on a mobile device as you move around your city. This gives Facebook signals that you are located in this city which will eventually override old location data.
Report Wrong Location to Facebook
As a last resort, you can report your issue directly to Facebook. Go to the Facebook Help Community page and submit a report describing your incorrect city issue. This will send your feedback directly to Facebook’s product team so they can investigate and fix location bugs.
Preventing Facebook Location Issues
To avoid wrong city issues on Facebook going forward, keep these tips in mind:
- Set your Home City in your profile and keep it updated whenever you move.
- Enable location services so Facebook can access your precise location from mobile.
- Don’t use Facebook from multiple different cities in a short time span.
- Clear your cookies/cache periodically to reset any faulty location data.
- Connect to Facebook from your home WiFi as much as possible.
Following these best practices will provide Facebook with consistent signals about your actual location and prevent it from getting confused.
Conclusion
Facebook incorrectly showing your city can be annoying, but in most cases it’s an easily solvable issue. Updating your profile, location settings, and activity on Facebook from your real location are the main ways to override any faulty location data Facebook has saved for your account. With some minor diligence, you can get Facebook recognizing your proper city so you never miss local events again.