How to Fix GPS Not Working
Get GPS working again on an iPhone or Android phone. Check location settings, test outdoors, restart, turn on the other location signals, calibrate the compass, turn off battery saver, and reset settings in the right order.
You will end up with a phone that finds your position again, or with a clear answer that its GPS needs a repair. The steps run from the quickest checks to the resets that clear settings or data, so stop at the first one that works.
Do the software fixes before you book a repair. Google's own troubleshooting page sets the point at which a phone may need a repair, which is when it cannot get a GPS signal while it is fully charged and outside under a clear sky. Step 7 shows how to run that test.
We checked every path against Apple's support pages and the iPhone User Guide for iOS 27, and against Google's Android, Pixel, and Google Maps help pages, in October 2026. Android menus differ by maker, so the Android paths are the ones Google gives for Pixel phones and Android 12 and later. We did not test them on a phone.
Check that location services are turned on
Apps cannot use GPS while location is turned off for the whole phone, so rule this out first. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Location Services, and make sure Location Services is on. Then scroll down, tap the app you navigate with (Maps, Google Maps, or Waze), and choose While Using the App or Always. Apple's support page lists what each option allows. While Using the App lets the app use your location only while the app or one of its features is on screen. On Android, open Settings, tap Location, and turn on Use location. To reach it faster, swipe down twice from the top of the screen, tap Edit, and drag the Location tile into Quick Settings. Google's Android help notes that apps also have their own location permission settings, so check that your maps app is allowed to use location.
Toggle location off and on, then test outdoors
Turn location off, then turn it back on. On iPhone, use the Location Services switch from step 1. On Android, use the Location tile in Quick Settings. Then take the phone outside, open your maps app, and give it time. Apple says GPS accuracy depends on the number of visible GPS satellites, and that locating all of them can take several minutes, with accuracy improving gradually. Keep a clear view in several directions. Apple names walls, vehicle roofs, tall buildings, and mountains as obstructions that block the line of sight to GPS satellites, and says the phone uses Wi-Fi or cellular networks to find its position until the satellites are visible again. GPS.gov lists the factors that decide the accuracy you get, which are satellite geometry, signal blockage, atmospheric conditions, and the design and quality of the receiver. On iPhone, Apple also says to make sure the date, time, and time zone are right. Go to Settings, then General, then Date & Time, and turn on Set Automatically.
Restart your phone
Restart the phone next. Google's location accuracy page lists a restart as the next fix when your location is still wrong. On iPhone X and later, press and hold either volume button and the side button until the power-off slider appears. On iPhone 6, 7, 8, and SE (2nd or 3rd generation), press and hold the side button on its own. Drag the slider, wait 30 seconds for the phone to turn off, then press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo. On a Pixel 6 or later, press and hold the power button and the volume up button for a few seconds, then tap Restart. On a Pixel 5a or earlier, press and hold the power button for about 30 seconds, or until the phone restarts. On other Android phones, follow your maker's instructions. When the phone is back on, open your maps app outdoors and check whether it finds your position.
Turn on the other signals your phone uses for location
Your phone does not rely on GPS satellites alone. Apple says Location Services uses information from cellular, Wi-Fi, and GPS networks and Bluetooth to work out your location. Google says Android's Location Accuracy service uses Wi-Fi access points, cell towers, and GPS, along with sensors such as the accelerometer and gyroscope, to estimate your location more quickly and accurately, particularly indoors or near large buildings. First, turn off Airplane mode if it is on. Google's Maps help lists that as the fix when your location is out of date, along with turning on mobile data or Wi-Fi. On Android 12 and later, open Settings, then Location, then Location Services. Turn on Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning, which Google says let the phone scan for nearby Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth devices to help apps get better location info. Then tap Location Accuracy and turn on Improve Location Accuracy. With it off, Google says the phone uses only GPS and its sensors. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Wi-Fi, and make sure Wi-Fi is on. Then do the same in Settings, then Bluetooth.
Good to know: If you switched Wi-Fi or Bluetooth off in Control Center on an iPhone, that is not what is breaking GPS. Apple says a Control Center toggle only disconnects you from networks and accessories, and both stay available to Location Services. Only the switches in the Settings app turn them off completely.
Calibrate your compass
GPS finds where you are, and the compass tells the phone which way you are facing. Google Maps shows that direction as a beam from the blue dot. If the beam is wide or points the wrong way, calibrate the compass. Open Google Maps (on Android or iPhone) and move your phone in a figure 8 until the beam narrows and points in the right direction. Google's location accuracy page says you only have to do this a few times. If Maps shows a low accuracy message beside a wide blue circle, tap the message. Google says it explains the issue, suggests a fix, and offers to calibrate. To calibrate with the camera instead, go outside, tap the blue dot, tap Calibrate, and follow the on-screen instructions. Point the camera at buildings and signs across the street, not at trees or people. Depending on Street View coverage where you are, Maps may or may not open the camera calibrator, so use the figure 8 when it does not.
Turn off battery saver mode
Google's GPS troubleshooting page says some phones have a battery saver feature that turns off GPS when the battery is low. Some do it only in particular situations, such as when the battery is low and the screen is off, or when Google Maps is in the background. Google's location accuracy page also lists turning off battery saver, or Low Power Mode on iPhone, as the fix when your location jumps around on the map. On a Pixel, go to Settings, then Battery, then Battery Saver, and turn it off. On iPhone 15 and later, go to Settings, then Battery, then Power Mode, and turn off Low Power Mode. On iPhone 14 and earlier, Low Power Mode is in Settings, then Battery. If your iPhone has Adaptive Power, which Apple lists for iPhone 15 Pro and later models, turn it off on the same Power Mode screen before a drive on a low battery, because Apple says it turns on Low Power Mode when the battery reaches 20%. If your battery is low and you need GPS, plug the phone into a charger or a portable battery pack instead of turning battery saver back on.
Heads up: Battery settings can also hold back a single app. On a Pixel, go to Settings, then Apps, then See all apps, tap your maps app, tap App battery usage, and turn on Allow background usage. Google warns that an app allowed to run more in the background can use more battery than needed.
Update the software, then test the GPS signal itself
On iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update. On Android, open Settings and tap System, then Software updates. Install any update, restart the phone, and test GPS outdoors again. Then find out whether the problem is the phone or the app. Google's GPS troubleshooting page suggests installing a third-party GPS status app, which shows whether the phone is receiving a GPS signal. Google recommends a status app rather than a different navigation app, particularly on Android, because another navigation app might use location signals other than GPS. It also notes that Google Maps showing your location while you are not navigating does not prove the phone has a GPS signal, because Maps needs a GPS location for active navigation. If the status app gets a signal while your maps app still will not, the app is the problem. GPS.gov notes that in many cases a device's GPS hardware is working fine and its mapping software is at fault. Delete and reinstall the maps app before you reset any settings. If the status app cannot get a signal outside under a clear sky with the phone fully charged, Google says the phone may need to be repaired. Try steps 8 and 9, the last software fixes, before you book the repair.
Reset location settings, then network settings
Write down your Wi-Fi passwords before you reset network settings, because you will need to enter them again for every network. On iPhone, use the lighter reset first. To put all your location settings back to the factory default, Apple's Location Services page says to go to Settings, then General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone, tap Reset, then tap Reset Location & Privacy. Apps then stop using your location until you grant them permission again, so expect a few prompts afterward. If that does not help, reset network settings. On iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone, tap Reset, then tap Reset Network Settings. Apple's iPhone User Guide says this removes all network settings, including previously used networks and VPN settings that were not installed by a configuration profile or device management, and resets the device name to iPhone. On a Pixel, open Settings, tap System, then Reset options. Tap Reset Bluetooth & Wi-Fi, then tap Reset settings at the bottom. Google says this deletes your saved Wi-Fi connections. The same menu has a separate Reset mobile network settings option for the cellular side. On other Android phones, search Settings for "reset" to find the same options. Afterward, reconnect to your Wi-Fi network and test GPS outdoors. Neither of these resets erases your content. On iPhone, Apple's content warning on the Reset screen applies only to Erase All Content and Settings, the option in step 9.
Heads up: Do not tap Erase All Content and Settings on the iPhone Reset screen. Apple warns that it removes all your content. It is the last resort in step 9, after a backup.
Factory reset the phone as a last resort
A factory reset erases everything on the phone, so do it only after every step above and only after a backup. Google's own advice is to try other solutions first when you reset to fix a problem. Back up first. On iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, tap iCloud Backup, then tap Back Up Now. You can also back up to a Mac with the Finder or to a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app. On Android, open Settings, tap Google, then All services, then under Backup and restore tap Backup, then Back up now. Before you reset an Android phone, make sure you know its Google Account password and its screen lock PIN, pattern, or password, because Google says you must enter them to restore your data afterward. Google also says to charge the phone to at least 70% and keep it connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data, because a reset can take up to an hour. Then reset. On iPhone, go to Settings, then General, then Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap Erase All Content and Settings. If you have an eSIM, Apple lets you erase it or keep it, and says that erasing it means contacting your carrier to reactivate your plan, so keep it. On a Pixel, go to Settings, then System, then Reset options, then Erase all data (factory reset). On other Android phones, Google points to the maker's support site for the exact steps. After the reset, set up the phone as new and test GPS before you restore your backup. If GPS works on the fresh setup but breaks after restoring, an app or setting from the backup is the cause. In that case, set the phone up fresh again and reinstall your apps one at a time instead of restoring from the backup. If GPS still does not work after a factory reset, contact the phone's maker or a repair shop, and tell them the GPS status test from step 7 found no signal.
If GPS works outdoors but not in your car, FAQ 1 below covers window film and where to put the phone. If your position is right but the arrow points the wrong way, repeat the figure 8 from step 5. If GPS drops out only when the battery is low, go back to the battery settings in step 6. Once GPS works again, download offline maps for any area with weak coverage before you go, as FAQ 3 below explains. For trips into the backcountry, carry a way to navigate that does not need a signal at all. Our guide on how to use a compass covers the basics.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
Two things in a car can get in the way. Google says certain car window films that reduce glare have a metallic base that blocks GPS signals from reaching your phone. Apple lists vehicle roofs among the obstructions that block the line of sight to GPS satellites. Move the phone closer to the windshield, such as into a dashboard or windshield mount, so the roof blocks less of the sky, and check whether the signal improves. If it is still weak and your windows have a tinting film, find out whether the film is metallic. The installer or the vehicle paperwork can tell you, and metallic film is the kind Google says blocks GPS.
GPS.gov puts a typical GPS-enabled smartphone at 4.9 meters (16 feet) under open sky, and adds that accuracy worsens near buildings, bridges, and trees. It does not put a number on how much worse. GPS.gov names the common causes as signals blocked by buildings, bridges, and trees, use indoors or underground, and signals reflected off buildings or walls. When the satellites are blocked, Apple says an iPhone uses Wi-Fi or cellular networks to find its position until they are visible again, and Google says Android's Location Accuracy service draws on Wi-Fi and cell towers too, which is why step 4 turns those signals on.
No. GPS satellites broadcast their signals, and your phone only receives them. Your maps app does use data to load the map, traffic, and search results. To navigate without a connection, download the area before you leave Wi-Fi. In Google Maps, search for a place, swipe right in its place sheet, then tap More, then Download offline map, then Download. In Apple Maps on iOS 17 or later, search for the place, tap it in the results, then tap Download, or tap More and then Download Map. Apple says offline maps include turn-by-turn directions and arrival times, and that they are only available in select areas.
Apple says locating all visible GPS satellites can take several minutes, with accuracy improving gradually over time. Give the phone those minutes outdoors with a clear view in several directions, and on iPhone check that the date, time, and time zone are set automatically (step 2). On Android, Google says Location Accuracy (step 4) helps the phone estimate its location more quickly, particularly where GPS is obscured. If the phone still cannot get a signal outside after several minutes, run the GPS status test in step 7.
We could not find a page from Apple, Google, or GPS.gov that addresses phone cases. GPS.gov lists signal blockage among the common causes of a poor position, and Google says a metallic window film is enough to block GPS in a car, so test any case with metal in it. If your case has a metal plate for a magnetic mount or a metal card holder, take the phone out of the case, test GPS outdoors, and compare. If the signal improves without the case, switch to a case without the metal part.
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