What you end up with
Ghost installed like any other app on your Mac. It is free, and it stays free — there is no account, no trial and no subscription at the end of this.
- Time
- About 15 minutes
- Steps
- 28
- Cost
- Free
Install Ghost
Check your computer
About This Mac: use arm64 for an Apple chip, or x64 for Intel.
You know this worked when: You know which installer matches your computer
Download Ghost 0.1.7
Choose Ghost-0.1.7-mac-arm64.dmg or Ghost-0.1.7-mac-x64.dmg for your chip.
Open Ghost downloadsYou know this worked when: The matching installer finished downloading
Find the download
Open your Downloads folder and find the Ghost installer.
You know this worked when: You can see the downloaded file
Install Ghost
Open the DMG, then drag Ghost into Applications.
You know this worked when: Ghost is installed
Open this unsigned release
If blocked, try Privacy & Security → Open Anyway. For “damaged”, follow the checksum guide.
Read launch and checksum helpYou know this worked when: You have handled any launch warning
Open Ghost
Open Ghost from Applications.
You know this worked when: Ghost launches
Choose your computer and phone
Choose your Mac/Windows and iPhone/Android combination in Ghost’s first-run survey.
You know this worked when: The checklist matches your computer and phone
Prepare your phone’s settings
iPhone: enable Developer Mode and restart. Android: enable Developer options and debugging.
Read all four phone setup pathsYou know this worked when: You completed the steps for your phone
Connect USB, or use Wi-Fi below
USB: connect an unlocked phone and accept Trust or debugging. For Android 11+ Wi-Fi, skip the cable.
You know this worked when: Your phone has authorized this computer
Continue to the map
Check off your completed setup steps, then click Continue to map.
You know this worked when: The Ghost map and location controls are visible
Choose USB or Wi-Fi
Below Phone, open Connection → Change. Keep USB, or follow the Wi-Fi steps for your phone.
You know this worked when: Your connection method is selected
Switch a prepared USB phone to Wi-Fi
Click Switch to Wi-Fi. Keep USB connected until confirmed; your location and route carry over.
You know this worked when: Ghost confirms Wi-Fi, or you chose to stay on USB
Android Wi-Fi: pair with a code
No cable? Open Manual setup. Android 11+: Wireless debugging → Pair device with pairing code.
You know this worked when: Pairing succeeded, or you are using USB/iPhone
Android Wi-Fi: connect the paired phone
Use the main Wireless debugging IP/port, then Connect paired phone. The pairing port differs.
You know this worked when: The phone is connected, or you are using USB/iPhone
Same-network setup and troubleshooting
Use trusted Wi-Fi; allow network access. USB-assisted Android: restart to disable network debugging.
Read the Wi-Fi guideYou know this worked when: Your chosen connection works
Prepare the connected phone
Select the phone in Ghost. If Setup needed appears, click Prepare while online.
You know this worked when: Ghost shows your selected phone as Ready
Check Android’s location helper
Android only: allow Appium Settings location access and select it as the mock location app.
You know this worked when: Android is ready, or you are using iPhone
Choose a fixed location
Select Fixed location. Search and select a result, drop a map pin, or enter coordinates.
You know this worked when: The pin marks the place you chose
Send the location to your phone
Check the phone and pin, then click Set location. A later change uses Update location.
You know this worked when: Ghost shows an active session
Check the phone’s map
On the phone, allow map location access and tap current location. Confirm the selected area.
You know this worked when: The phone’s map shows your chosen location
Restore before trying a route
Click Restore real location. Wait for the phone’s map to refresh.
You know this worked when: Your phone has returned to its real location
Add a start and destination
Select Route. Pick each stop, then click Add selected pin to route. Use at least two stops.
You know this worked when: Your start and destination appear in travel order
Preview the road route
Click Plan road route. Check the road line and distance before starting. Internet is required.
You know this worked when: The planned road line and distance are visible
Start moving at 45 mph
Click Start route · 45 mph. Ghost sends a new route point every second.
You know this worked when: Ghost shows Pause route and a moving blue dot
Check movement on the phone
Watch the phone’s map. Ghost’s dot shows sent points; it cannot verify what a phone app reads.
You know this worked when: You have checked movement in the phone’s map
Pause and resume
Pause route holds the last point. Resume route · 45 mph continues along the road.
You know this worked when: You can pause and resume the route
Restore the real location
Click Restore real location, then check the phone’s map before unplugging.
You know this worked when: Simulation has stopped and the phone shows its real location
Know how to recover
Connection loss pauses routes. Reconnect the same phone and Resume; use Restore when done.
Open troubleshootingYou know this worked when: You know how to reconnect or restore
If something goes wrong
Nothing here can damage your computer, and every step can be run again safely. If a command fails, the usual cause is the step before it not having finished.
Still stuck? Tell us what happened and we will fix the guide. Include the step number and we can usually reproduce it.