[Solved] How to Fix iPhone GPS Not Working

Updated Dec 05,2018 | by Micky

iPhone’s GPS feature gives us much convenience. With GPS, you can use navigation Apps to locate your current position, play Pokemon Go, and also, inform your favorite Apps where you are.

However, sometimes iPhone GPS may not work properly. The issue iPhone GPS not working can occur now and then. Some of the most often met issues are as follows:

1.       No GPS signals found.

2.       Location can’t be updated by GPS

3.       Wrong locations are shown.

4.       Wrong direction by the compass.

5.       Apps can’t find your location.

So, in the following tutorial, I will introduce several basic but practical methods to troubleshoot the problem of iPhone GPS not working.

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If the problem of GPS not working on iPhone occurs, you might as well check your current location first. If you are in a sealed place, especially a metal building, the radio signal will have a hard time penetrating the walls and in this case, the GPS on your iPhone doesn’t work properly.

Try finding somewhere open to receive a better signal.

To enable the feature of GPS, you must follow the steps below.

Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Toggle the option on.

For each App, there will be 3 options as follows:

1.       Never: The App will be permanently stopped from getting your location data.

2.       While Using: The App will get your location data only after it’s launched.

3.       Always: The App will receive your location data no matter it’s opened, closed, or running in the background.

If the date and time zone are not set properly, then, iPhone GPS can’t work as it should have.

Go to Settings > Date & Time > Choose the Option “Set Automatically”.

If none of the methods above work out, maybe it’s time to reset the iPhone’s network and location settings.

Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings/ Reset Location & Pricacy.

After it’s finished, reboot your iPhone and try again to see whether GPS works now.

If iPhone GPS doesn’t work properly, one of the easiest solutions is to force restart your iPhone because the problem might be caused by some sort of software glitch.

See How to Restart iPhones in Different Models

Force Restart An iPhone 6S, SE, or Earlier

Long press the home and power buttons simultaneously until you see the Apple logo appear.

Force Restart An iPhone 7 or 7 Plus

Long press the power button and the volume down button simultaneously until the Apple logo appears.

Force Restart An iPhone 8 or X

1.       Quick hit the volume up button.

2.       Quick hit the volume down button.

3.       Long press the power button until you see the Apple logo appear.

4.       Wait for your iPhone to reboot.

If you can’t figure out what caused the problem of iPhone GPS not working and can’t find a solution either, to restore the iPhone should be your last choice. In this way, you can make the iPhone what it looked like when you bought it.

Tips: Remember to back up the iPhone before starting the restoring process.

1.       Connect your iPhone to PC and launch iTunes.

2.       Click on the iPhone icon on the upper left.

3.       Choose “Restore Backup”.

4.       Select a backup you want in terms of its date and size.

5.       Follow the onscreen guide to finish the rest steps.

Bottom Line

In this article, we’ve discussed how to solve the issue of iPhone GPS not working from different aspects. Which way is better? Just have a try on your own.

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