The Global Positioning System (GPS) has assisted many users for years. It allows you to share your location with friends, track your run, and navigate through unfamiliar places on a smartphone.
However, whether you’re navigating city streets or enjoying the vast outdoors, an unreliable GPS may be annoying. This tutorial will explain the common causes of GPS issues and how to fix GPS not working.
Quick Fixes for GPS Not Working (Try These First)
GPS not working can generally happen to everyone, and there are very straightforward solutions. Here are some quick recommendations:
- Restart your device: Restarting can clear temporary system glitches that may be interfering with GPS.
- Turn Location Services off/on: Doing so can refresh your device’s location settings and help GPS work properly again.
- Toggle Airplane Mode: Turning this mode on and off for 30 seconds can reset your wireless connections, which may improve location accuracy.
- Check Internet connection: A stable internet connection can help your device load map data and improve assisted GPS performance.
- Move to an open area: GPS works better when your device has a clear view of the sky, free of heavy obstructions.
- Disable Battery Saver mode: Battery Saver can limit background functions and location services, which may affect GPS performance.
4 Common Reasons Why GPS Not Working
Understanding the underlying causes of your GPS’s malfunction can lead to more effective troubleshooting.
The signal flows from satellites orbiting more than 20,000 km away, making it vulnerable to many types of interference.
- Physical obstructions: Tall buildings, dense forests & tree canopies, basements, tunnels & indoor environments, etc.
- Electronic interference: Dashboard cameras, certain chargers, etc.
- Atmospheric interference: Heavy thunderstorms, solar flares, etc.
- Device & software problems: Outdated software, incorrect phone or device settings, cold start, etc.
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How to Fix GPS Not Working on iPhone?
There are many things you can do to get your GPS working again.
Below are how to fix iPhone GPS not working, and you should go through them in this order to identify the reason.
- Method 1: Restart your iPhone
Turn your iPhone off, wait about a minute, then turn it back on. A simple restart can often fix temporary issues that stop the GPS from working properly.
- Method 2: Change to an open area
Try moving away from places where the signal may be blocked, such as tunnels, dense trees, or large metal buildings. GPS usually works better when your iPhone has a clearer view of the sky.
- Method 3: Turn Location Services off and back on
How to fix GPS not working? Try open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
Now, switch it off, then turn it on again, and reopen your Maps or location-based app to see if GPS starts working.
- Method 4: Use Airplane Mode to reset connections
Since GPS performance can be affected by weak cellular or Wi-Fi connections, turn on Airplane Mode for a short time, then turn it off again.
After that, reconnect to Wi-Fi or mobile data and check if the issue improves.
- Method 5: Reset location and network settings
How to fix GPS not working on iPhone? If the problem continues, your iPhone may have incorrect location or network data.
You can reset these settings through Settings > General > Reset, then choose the options for Reset Location & Privacy and Reset Network Settings.
- Method 6. Restore your iPhone to factory settings
If nothing else works, restoring the iPhone to its default settings may help fix the GPS problem.
However, before doing this, remember to back up your data so that you won’t lose important texts, photos, etc.
Then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, enter your passcode or Apple Account password, and continue with the reset.
How to Fix GPS Not Working on Android Devices?
Some troubleshooting steps to fix GPS issues on Android are similar to those for iPhone, such as restarting the device, toggling Airplane Mode, and checking Location Services.
You can also try these additional troubleshooting:
- Disable Battery Optimization: Go to Settings > Battery or Battery & Performance. Now, find the list of apps and choose the GPS or navigation app. Then, select Optimize battery usage and disable it for the app.
- Use High Accuracy Mode: Go to Settings > Location or Location Services > Mode > High Accuracy.
- Clear GPS Cache Data: Go to Settings > Apps or Applications (may vary). Now, choose the GPS or navigation app you are having issues with. Select Storage > Clear Cache.
Advanced Fixes (If GPS Still Not Working)
You have tried all the aforementioned solutions on how to fix GPS not working, but they didn’t work? Here are several advanced fixes to consider:
Turn Off VPN
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) can sometimes interfere with how your device detects location, especially in apps that rely on network-based positioning.
If GPS is still inaccurate, turning off the VPN and testing your location again is also effective when it comes to how to fix GPS not working.
Test GPS with Another App
Try using an alternative navigation or location-based app, such as Google Maps, to see if the problem persists.
If GPS works in one app but not in another, the problem is most likely with the app, not the device.
Check for Hardware Issues
If your phone has been dropped or damaged, the GPS antenna or other internal parts may not be working properly.
In that case, the issue may require professional repair rather than another software fix.
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How to Use GPS Effectively?
Now you know how to fix GPS not working. However, understanding how to use it effectively can also help enhance your productivity and workflow.
- Use GPS for offline navigation: Download maps before you travel so you can still navigate in areas with weak or no internet.
- Create and use waypoints and routes: Save important locations and build custom routes to make trips easier to follow, especially for hiking, biking, or other outdoor activities.
- Use live location sharing: Sharing your live location lets trusted people track your location, which can be helpful for safety and emergencies.
- Send SOS signals: Some GPS devices and smartphones include SOS features that can send your location to selected contacts in an emergency.
FAQs
How to fix Waze GPS not working?
If Waze isn’t working, the easiest troubleshooting is to restart the device. Then, try checking location permissions, rebooting your device, clearing the app cache, and updating Waze to the latest version.
How to fix Garmin GPS not working?
To fix a non-working Garmin GPS, first check that it has an unobstructed, clear view of the sky. Next, do a soft restart by holding down the power button for 20-30 seconds. If the problem persists, update the software, check the battery, or conduct a hard reset.
How to get GPS signal back?
If the GPS on your device is not working, restart the device and turn Location off and then back on. Furthermore, make sure Location Accuracy is enabled, and try moving to an area with fewer obstructions.
Final Thoughts
How to fix GPS not working on iPhone and Android devices usually comes down to checking settings, updating software, and ensuring location services are properly enabled. In most cases, simple adjustments like restarting your device or recalibrating location settings can quickly restore accuracy.
If problems persist, more advanced steps such as resetting network settings or updating your operating system may be needed. By following the solutions in this guide, you can improve location accuracy and ensure your GPS works reliably for maps, navigation, and everyday apps in 2026 and beyond.
