Computers Windows Internet

Yandex Navigator does not work. Causes. How to solve the problem? GPS does not work on Android - causes and solutions Jeepies navigator does not turn on on the phone

The presence of navigation modules on smartphones with Android OS allows you to use numerous navigation applications - they are used to lay walking, cycling and car routes, as well as to track your own location. Therefore, it is customary to give special preference to the presence of GPS / GLONASS chips. GPS not working on Android? It doesn't matter - first we will try to figure out the reasons, and then we'll talk about troubleshooting.

If GPS does not work on your Android smartphone, then the problem can be extremely commonplace - the navigation module is disabled. This is often faced by novice users who have not fully understood the device of Android smartphones. In order to enable navigation, you need to slide down the top curtain, behind which numerous labels, clocks and notifications are hidden, and find the “Geodata” item here - it should become active (green, bluish, etc.).

Now we can launch the navigation program and start using it. By the way, many navigation applications are able to notify users about the disabled reception of geodata. This is exactly what the popular Navitel application does - it will issue an appropriate warning and even send the user to the navigation enable menu. After that, it will be possible to start laying the route.

Have you turned on geolocation in your device settings, installed the necessary applications, but could not achieve any results? It is possible that the whole thing is your impatience. If this was the first launch of the GPS / GLONASS module, try waiting 10-15 minutes - during this time, the electronics will process information about the satellites visible in the area. All subsequent launches will be much faster.

You need to do the same if you arrived with the navigator turned off in another region, for example, from Rostov to Novosibirsk - the navigator needs to be given time to recognize its own location (similar to the initial "cold" start).

Here are a few more reasons for GPS not working:

  • You are trying to perform a cold start on the move (in the car) - stop and let the navigator think. Some chips are quite sluggish, so they need time and rest;
  • You are indoors - GPS does not work inside buildings (do not confuse with location calculation using cell towers and Wi-Fi zones);
  • You are in an unfavorable reception area - the sky is blocked by trees, nearby rocks or tall buildings. In this case, you need to get under a more open area of ​​​​the sky.

If the navigation still does not work, try contacting the service center.

GPS stopped working on Android, although it worked before? This behavior indicates the presence of some internal breakdowns.. If you are too lazy to go to a service center, try doing a factory reset.

Use the GPS Test app from Chartcross Limited to test satellite reception. If the geolocation function is turned on, the GPS chip is working, and you are outdoors, you will see points with satellites on the schematic sky map.

How to set up GPS on Android

Some users are wondering - how to set up GPS on Android? No special settings are needed here, but you can play around with the detection method:

  • High accuracy - in this mode, the location is determined using all wireless modules (GPS / GLONASS, telephone module, Wi-Fi);
  • Energy saving - Wi-FI networks and mobile networks are involved;
  • GPS Only – Only satellites are used.

The detection method is selected in the "Settings - Geodata" menu. For further work with navigation, you need the right software. You can choose the free Maps.ME app with offline maps or the paid Navitel app.

Bad GPS on Android? Set the mode to "GPS Only" or "High Accuracy", and then try to re-test the navigation operation - these are the most accurate modes.

If GPS does not work on Android, the reason for this can be both weather conditions and hardware problems of the device itself. In most cases, the user himself can restore the correct operation of the system without contacting a service center, but not always. Consider all the causes of malfunctions in the GPS and how to fix them.

GPS is a navigation system that uses satellites. With its help, all applications that use location to correctly display data work. These are Yandex Navigator / Maps and Google Maps, weather, automatic time zone setting, etc. Routes are still being developed using the system and the device is being tracked.

In some cases, this module stops working on the phone. There are many reasons for this - from weather to software. But all of them prevent the user from installing:

  • your location;
  • weather;
  • time zone and time relative to it;
  • traffic congestion, other warnings Maps.

Most of these problems disappear if the device is rebooted. The data is updated and the system starts working correctly. But if this does not happen, you need to know the exact cause of the problem in order to fix it.

Possible reasons

The most common cause of a malfunction in the navigation system are problems of this nature:

  • hardware;
  • software.

Often, when addressing the root cause of this type, the navigation system restores operation. If this does not happen, the source of failure may lie in extremely adverse weather conditions that disrupt the operation of many devices and equipment, not just GPS on smartphones.

Hardware

  • The first launch of GPS on a new device always makes you wait - for 10-15 minutes the system can download data and update, this is completely normal, but then it should work properly.
  • If the user of the device has traveled a considerable distance with the module turned off, its subsequent turning on also takes time - the system needs it to update the data and display up-to-date information.
  • If the device is in a vehicle and it is moving at high speed, there is a delay in updating the position data - the system needs time to get used to the trajectory of movement.

Indoors, navigation does not work because the signal does not catch well or there is no connection at all. This is due to a large amount of noise that interferes with determining the exact position.

Software

In order for the navigation system to work properly and correctly, it must be turned on and configured in a certain way. This will require:

  • make sure GPS is enabled on the device;
  • go to the “Settings” of the phone and enable location detection, after setting it up if necessary.

The location of the desired sections in the "Settings" may differ depending on the device, but the GPS or "Data transfer" icon is always available in the top quick access menu.

In order for the location to be reflected with greater accuracy, it is necessary to use all means for its determination - Wi-Fi, mobile networks and GPS. This must be specified in the settings.

The required section may be called differently, but in the search through the “Settings” of the device, it can always be found using a GPS request. The smartphone will show the most relevant results.

To enable geodata, you will need:

  • go to "Settings";
  • find the required section;
  • in the "Location" menu, activate the "Access" option and make sure that the definition is allowed.

Wrong firmware

If the user has installed applications, a third-party OS that is not suitable for use on an Android device, or the phone is received with a factory defective software type, it is necessary to take it to a service center to fix the problem. Otherwise, the device loses the ability to work correctly.

Due to incorrect firmware, the tablet does not see satellites, the smartphone does not determine the location, even if all the settings are correct and the functions are enabled.

If you decide to reflash your smartphone, do not try to do this with the OS version from another phone. If the gadget has turned into a "brick", perform a full data reset. The method is suitable for phones with damaged firmware. The GPS module will restore functionality after switching to the factory version of the OS.

Independent attempts to reflash a smartphone can lead to its complete shutdown and failure, since this requires certain experience and highly specialized knowledge.

If neither rebooting nor waiting helped, you need to check your GPS settings. In most cases, devices that end up with users after purchase are already configured and all available functionality can be used without problems. But sometimes failures occur that lead to resetting the settings or misinterpreting them.

In such situations, the settings should be checked and adjusted if necessary.

Automatic GPS setup

The automatically set GPS settings may not be as effective. For example, if the location is set to GPS-only or Internet-only, the device will not work properly.

Manual GPS setting

  • Go to the appropriate section on the device (“Location”, “GPS”, etc.).
  • In the "Location determination" column, select "By all sources".

Often this is enough to make the system work better and more efficiently. This way she can use all available means to correctly update the data.

It is worth noting that a rather narrow functionality of location settings is available to the user. Only a specialist can perform a deeper adjustment.

GPS can fail for various reasons, but they are all solvable if it's not a firmware issue. Usually, the user just needs to reboot the device to make it work. If this does not help, you need to check the settings you have installed to make sure they are effective.

Many Android smartphone users often complain about problems with GPS. Some argue that it can take forever for a smartphone to determine their location, while others may argue that GPS does not work at all.

Most often, users who have flashed their smartphone or owners of brand new Chinese gadgets face similar problems. However, some people note that they also have problems with GPS on new gadgets from trusted companies.

In today's article, we will take a look at the reasons why GPS on a smartphone may start to work poorly or stop functioning completely, and we will also consider several solutions for these problems.

Ok, let's talk about why the navigator and GPS on Android may not work well. There are several reasons for this:

  • deactivated GPS module;
  • disgusting custom firmware for a smartphone;
  • damaged GPS module;
  • inappropriate GPS Almanac;

GPS stopped working on Android? Try the tips below!

Solutions for GPS problems on Android

Activating the GPS module

So, let's start with the simplest solution, which you probably already came up with yourself. Before using the navigator on your smartphone, do not forget to activate the GPS module. When starting some navigators, this module can be activated automatically, however, in some cases, the user needs to do it himself. Make sure the GPS is enabled and try navigation again.

Firmware change

However, what if this module seems to be functioning, but geolocation still does not work? If you recently reflashed your smartphone, then the reason may just be the firmware. Read the reviews of other users about this firmware version and see if they have similar problems. Install some proven Android firmware on your smartphone, where GPS works fine.

Rewriting the Almanac

But what to do if the GPS module is working and you haven't reflashed your device? As we mentioned in the reasons, owners of Chinese smartphones often complain about poorly working GPS. For example, on the network you can find many users of Meizu smartphones with a similar problem. Let's assume that you have about the same device.

The reason for the problems with GPS in Chinese smartphones is that they often contain an out-of-date Almanac for our hemisphere. An almanac is one type of data transmitted by a GPS satellite that contains the parameters of the orbits of all other satellites. To fix the problem with GPS in this case, you will need to rewrite the Almanac. You can do this by following these steps:

  • activate A-GPS in the settings of your smartphone, and then GPS;
  • then enter the Android engineering menu by entering the code * # * # 4636 # * # * in the dialing menu;

    The note: if the specified secret code does not work, then you will need to find out the code for your smartphone on the Internet. Owners of smartphones with an MTK processor will generally need to use the MobileuncleTools utility.

  • as soon as you open the engineering menu, go to the tab called "YGPS";
  • now take a look at the "Satellites" and see if there are signs of a signal;

    The note: if they appear, then the theory with the wrong Almanac has been confirmed and you can continue to follow the steps below.

  • go to the "Information" tab and press the following row of buttons one by one: full→warm→hot→cold;
  • then you need to click on the "Start" button in the "NMEA Log" tab;

    The note: just this action will ensure the recording of a new Almanac corresponding to your region.

The presence of a GPS navigator in Android smartphones or tablets will not surprise anyone. A GPS navigator on mobile platforms also has an advantage - it can work without connecting to a satellite, but only by working with mobile towers, but in this case you can only get location coordinates. To determine your location globally, you will have to connect to satellites, as was the case with classic portable GPS.

GPS not working on Android

In fact, there can be a lot of reasons why GPS does not work on android, so we immediately exclude hardware failures (technical problems), only a service center will help here.

  • Wrong GPS setting. This happens most often. How to set up GPS on Android can be found here. You can test the correct GPS settings using the GPS Test app
  • GPS does not work after flashing. In this case, the GPS settings flies. How to return the settings - we read in the article at the link above, the article will have a video in which everything is described in detail.
  • The primary binding to the satellites is not made. In remote areas, this process can take a long time up to an hour. But for this, you need to put your phone or tablet on the street or on the windowsill. After binding, GPS will work faster.
  • GPS on android does not work indoors. More precisely, it can work, but rather weakly. For correct operation, the GPS module must be outdoors and see the sky.
  • Hardware problems. If, after all the manipulations with the GPS settings, the module did not show signs of life, then you should contact the specialists at the service center.

Android phones contain a GPS module that allows a large number of applications to determine the location, as well as navigate the terrain. The functionality of a GPS phone is superior to that of a standard external portable GPS. But they still need to be able to use it correctly so that there are no questions why gps on android does not work.

How GPS works on the phone

A little about how GPS works in a smartphone, so that it is clear what settings to set.

  • Android apps can find location using mobile network towers.

If you go to the Android phone location settings, you will see two options for determining the choice. One definition is called a network location. It is this option that calculates coordinates using mobile towers or via Wi-Fi. The advantages of this method include the fast speed of work, and the disadvantages are not an exact indication of the location. A slower way is satellite GPS navigation.

  • Android phones and tablets use Assisted GPS (aGPS).

This technology allows you to find out the satellite position using the network and at the same time receive data much faster.

  • Android GPS can work without mobile connection.

From managers of various mobile networks, you can hear that GPS does not work on android if it is not in the zone of mobile towers. Maybe, but this requires the correct setting of satellite navigation.

  • It takes time to determine the position for the first time (first binding) in areas that are too remote.

This process in different places can take from ten seconds to an hour. The first time is always longer, but the next time you connect everything will be much faster

  • Maps matter when Android GPS works.

If you open Google Maps without a network connection, the smartphone will give an error "This application requires an active data plan." This also happens with other applications, if the application uses internet maps, then a permanent connection to the network is required.

  • Android GPS needs to see the sky well.

Few know this rule. But those who have worked with portable GPS are familiar with this. Why is GPS not working? Everything from the fact that these positions are transmitted from satellites, which means that the transmission quality will be better if the signal is not interfered with by floor slabs of houses or meter-long layers of earth in the subway.

  • Android GPS drains the battery of your tablet or smartphone.

Everything is simple here. Want to extend the battery life of your smartphone? Then turn off the GPS module. This also applies to other modules. Of course, no one can say for sure how long the operating time will last after turning off, but in any case, it will not be out of place if you do not use GPS too often.

These are the basic principles regarding the question - how GPS works in a smartphone and tablet.

  1. Why doesn't GPS work?

If you, for example, bought your phone, and it came from China, then this article may be useful to you. After all, quite often people are faced with the problem of setting up GPS on their smartphone if the phone arrived, say, from another country. So you got your new smartphone, checked everything, but forgot about the GPS coordinates, and after a few days, turning on the navigator, you notice that GPS does not work on the new smartphone. It was so? If yes, then read on.

Why doesn't GPS work?

In general, everything is quite simple, here are a few possible problems:

  • Bad GPS module, which searches for satellites very poorly in an urban environment
  • A case that covers the smartphone's GPS antenna
  • Incorrect GPS.conf data in the smartphone system
  • Bad firmware.

Now let's decide for what reason your smartphone does not catch GPS. To do this, remove the cover, go to an open area away from tall buildings, turn on the GPS, open the GPS Test and wait a while. It may take even longer for your smartphone to connect, this is unacceptable for any GPS module in a smartphone.

See also: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S: Gadget software files revealed interesting details

Check if the official firmware is on your smartphone. To do this, go to the settings, make sure that your phone model is written there, and also look at all the settings for poorly translated text, usually manufacturers translate everything perfectly in their smartphone. If you see problems in your firmware, then visit the w3bsit3-dns.com forum and there you will definitely find the firmware for your phone and they will help you there, or download the official firmware directly from the phone or from the official website of the manufacturer.

Setting up GPS by configuring the GPS.conf file

It is much easier to download the appropriate file and simply copy it to the system, after such manipulation the GPS coordinates will be displayed much faster. The search time for GPS satellites by a smartphone can be reduced to just a few seconds!

You need:

  • Root rights
  • File manager like Root Explorer or ES File Explorer
  • GPS.conf file, download here

Installing GPS.conf on the system:

  1. Open the file manager and transfer the downloaded GPS.conf to the /system/etc folder, confirm the replacement of the system file
  2. Set the permissions for the file as shown in the figure below.

3. Run GPS Test and select “Clear AGPS” in the settings, this will clear the cache of old data, restart your smartphone. Run GPS Test and check your GPS is working.

4. Preferably being in an open area.

How to set up GPS with FasterGPS

This program will edit your GPS.conf file by itself. For the program to work, you need Root rights, as well as permission to read and write data in the system partition.

  1. Install the FasterGPS app then launch it
  2. Select continent and region

Ready! the program itself overwrote the GPS.conf file. Now GPS coordinates will be available immediately after launching maps or games.

That's all. Everything should work out for you and the phone is set up for correct and fast GPS operation.

How to set up GPS on your smartphone

  • Go to "Settings".
  • Find "Location". The item may be called differently: on Samsung tablets - “Connections”, where you need to find the “Geodata” tab.
  • Turn on high location accuracy. To do this, the device will have to use all sources: cell towers, wireless Internet and satellite navigation.

The cheaper the phone, the worse satellite navigation works. This is because cheap models use old navigation chips with low speed and weak receiver. If through the settings it is not possible to make the navigator work more stable, then the matter is in the receiver itself, and you will have to come to terms with the disadvantage. But first, make sure that the setting really does not help: in most smartphones, the GPS module is disabled by default, and the device determines the location only by cell towers.

Prepare for the fact that with the activation of the satellite module, the power consumption of the device will increase. Owners of new smartphones will not notice the difference, but the older and cheaper the model, the more significantly the battery life will be reduced.

How to calibrate a compass

If you can not amplify the satellite signal, you can affect the operation of navigation in another way: set up a digital compass. On most smartphones, it is not calibrated, so the system does not immediately understand how the device is located relative to the cardinal points. As a result, satellite navigation may appear to be not working well.

  • Download and install the GPS Essentials app.
  • Launch the app and enter Compass mode.
  • If the compass does not correctly determine the cardinal directions, calibrate it: rotate the smartphone with the screen up, turn it from left to right.

The same application for Android will help you clarify how many satellites the built-in module accesses. Old and cheap modules request a limited number of satellites, but if there are more than a dozen satellites, the problem is definitely not in the chip. To check this, find the Satellites item in the application menu.

Finally, if all the previous methods have failed, there is one more remedy: resetting the navigation data. Problems can arise due to the long binding of the smartphone to certain satellites: the binding can be saved even when they go out of the field of view of the device. To reset the data, download the special Status & Toolbox utility, run it. The display will show information about the number of satellites and sensor readings. Go to the main menu and look for "A-GPS Status Management". A menu will appear in which you need to select the "Reset" option, and after the reset, the "Download" function. Through the same application, you can configure the compass if you have not been able to calibrate it before.

If, after all the above operations, the navigator does not work better, the only remedy remains: buy a new smartphone model with a high-quality satellite sensor.

Unsuccessful flashing

After not the most successful attempts to flash a gadget or specifically a GPS module, not only the system, but simply its individual parts, for example, geolocation, may stop functioning. It is also common to see GPS stop working on a Chinese device.

To fix this situation, you need to enable AGPS in the location and GPS settings. After that, you need to enter the engineering menu through the dialing window (the combination is different for all phones). If you can’t enter it, you will have to use any special program, but already with root rights. The procedure in the Android engineering menu:

  • on the Satellites tab of the YGPS tab, check if there is a signal, i.e. whether the phone or tablet is trying to find satellites at all;
  • go to the Information tab and there, in order, press the buttons full, warm, hot, cold (this is necessary to reset the previous settings);
  • on the NMEA Log tab, click start;
  • return to the Satellites tab and wait 5 to 15 minutes until the device finds the maximum number of satellites and the GPS signal bars turn green;
  • back to the NMEA Log tab, click stop.

This method is shown in more detail in the video.

Primary binding and calibration

It happens that the device is located in some remote area. In this case, it is advisable to put it in an open area for a long time and wait for the search and binding to take place. Sometimes navigation may stop working because the compass calibration is incorrect. Such a phone or tablet will be incorrectly oriented, resulting in a problem with the GPS on the device. For calibration, you need to download a special application, GPS Essentials. After installing and running it, you need:

  1. Click on the compass icon.
  2. Select a smooth, level surface, place your device on it, and remove all electrical appliances from it.
  3. Smoothly turn the device around each axis 3 times.

After that, you need to try to connect again and, if necessary, repeat the calibration.

Problems with the device itself

If the gadget, checked and configured in accordance with all the rules, still does not catch satellites, only the service center will help you check the GPS settings and find the reason. It may be that the problem lies in the device itself.

Connection test

To find out if the GPS in your smartphone really does not work, you need to test the number of satellites found and the number of working satellites. For the test, we will use the GPS Test app. It is free and can be downloaded from the Google Play Market. It does not require Root rights, so your Xiaomi phone warranty will not expire. After downloading, you need to run it. A pop-up window will pop up granting location permission. Click "Yes" so that the program can turn on the Xiaomi GPS Tracker smartphone and start searching for satellites.

On the main window, everything is displayed in the form of a statistical chart. The green bars show the number of satellites that have the highest accuracy in transmitting your position. But here you need to look at the number of satellites used. If the number next to “In View” is 20, and next to “In Use” is 1-2, this means that the location tracker in the smartphone is not working properly and you need to either calibrate it or clean the contacts, which we will talk about later.

If nothing is displayed at all, make sure that GPS is enabled on your device, and how to do this, let's figure it out together! Also from the GPS test, banal attempts to turn it off and on may come up.

How to disable

It happens that the incorrect operation of Xiaomi GPS Tracker is associated with some kind of software error. It helps to simply disable and enable the tracker. To turn off GPS on your smartphone:

  • open the curtain or notification panel (swipe your finger 2 times);
  • find the icon with a card mark or just the name of the GPS and click on it.

This is the easiest way to disable GPS. If there is no icon, then how to disable GPS on a smartphone? You need to click on “Change” in the curtain and in the settings menu that opens, you need to find the “GPS” shortcut and drag it to the displayed options of the notification panel. Thus, using the curtain, you can turn off the navigation system.

Possible problems

If you do not catch GPS in your Xiaomi smartphone, you should definitely familiarize yourself with possible problems that may interfere with the search for satellites and the normal operation of the navigation system.

  • The problem is with the software part. There are some problems in the firmware or system files;
  • GPS is not calibrated from the software side, the servers of the navigation system of your country are not entered, due to which the signal in the navigator disappeared;
  • a problem with the hardware, namely with clogged antenna contacts or with a non-working GPS module.

Let's talk about the first problem. In this case, a full reset of the phone to factory settings can help in this case using the device settings or Recovery mode. Please note that all your files and data will be deleted, so make a backup copy of them so that you don’t lose anything valuable and important. If this does not help, you should resort to a more radical method of fixing problems with GPS - flashing the gadget to the official global firmware MIUI 8 or 9, as well as to high-quality custom firmware (LineageOS, RR, etc. - look at w3bsit3-dns.com).

The solution to the second problem will be in the next section. It consists in changing the GPS servers file, but the minus of the method is that it is required to obtain Root rights (read in our instructions). After that, you can use File Explorer or a special utility from the Google Play Store.

The third problem is cleaning the contacts of the GPS module or replacing the module (you need to go to a service center). If your GPS disappears, but you do not use it, then it is better not to carry out any manipulations with system files or disassemble the device so as not to damage anything for the sake of a function that is unnecessary for you.

F.A.Q.

Smartphone not picking up satellites? How to set up GPS on your smartphone?

F.A.Q.Smartphone not picking up satellites? How to set up GPS on your smartphone?

Good question. Today, many owners of Android smartphones are interested in this issue. Once upon a time when I bought my first Android device, I also encountered such a problem. I am a driver and the first thing I wanted from smart is, of course, navigation. I bought a phone, turned it on and immediately started looking for satellites. And what do you think? Waited 30 minutes and didn't get it. I already had the idea that the phone is defective, without a GPS module. In fact, everything is simple, I dug a little into the settings and this is what I found:

  • the first thing to do is enter the smartphone settings and find the “my location” item there;
  • then activate the GPS-module and click on the item "by GPS satellites". Checkboxes opposite the items "access to my geodata" and "according to network coordinates" can be omitted;
  • once you have entered the settings of your GPS, you need to check the box next to "GPS EPO assistance data", then click on the item "EPO parameters";
  • Now put a tick in front of "autoload". If you have access to the Internet, you can immediately download data on the position of the satellites.

That's all, now that the location data of the satellites is loaded, your smartphone will almost immediately find them.

What is EPO?

EPO (Extended Prediction Orbit) translated into Russian means - a system for predicting the position of the orbit of satellites. EPO is MediaTek's proprietary one of the innovations of offline server use based on A-GPS technology. The system provides a forecast of the position of the satellite's orbit for up to 30 days, which can significantly improve the user's experience during the first determination of the location of GPS satellites.

The settings that I told you about only apply to devices running MTK processors from MediaTek.

I hope the article was useful to you, and you were able to set up your smartphone.

What is GPS?

To learn how to optimize your GPS, it's helpful to understand how it works. GPS in English means "Global Positioning System", which was developed by the US Army in 1973, and in the 1980s it was adapted for civilian purposes. Initially, GPS used 24 satellites, but now it has 31 satellites.

Your smartphone communicates with these satellites through a GPS antenna, which is part of the hardware in most modern smartphones and tablets. This hardware communicates with the software using a special driver. Thus, there are three sources of errors for the GPS signal in a smartphone:

  • the number of GPS satellites at the current location;
  • the quality of the GPS antenna in the smartphone;
  • implementation of the driver in the operating system.


Turn on "High Accuracy" mode

To get the best signal, you must be prepared to use a little more battery power than usual. It's a necessary sacrifice and you can always opt out of it when you no longer need to use GPS. Enabling the mode indicated in the title is not difficult - to do this, follow a few simple steps.

So, go to your device settings, click on "Location" and make sure your location services are turned on. The slider key should be colored and located on the right.

Now the first item in the "Location" section should be "Mode", click on it and make sure the "High Accuracy" option is selected. In this case, not only your GPS, but also your Wi-Fi and mobile networks will be used to estimate your location. This method will consume more battery power, but will use all available methods to show you the most accurate location.


Find out if GPS hardware or software is causing problems

With GPS Essentials, you can diagnose whether poor GPS signal is caused by software or hardware issues. From the main menu of GPS Essentials, click on the "Satellites" icon, then watch your phone connect to satellites around the Earth. If satellites are not displayed, it may be due to interference from metallic objects around you, your smartphone case, or your GPS hardware is not working properly. If the satellites show up but your GPS is still out of order, then this is clearly a software related problem and you should look for information on how to fix the problem.


"GPS signal not found" in Pokémon GO: what to do?

So, what should be done first of all if the “GPS signal not found” error appeared in Pokemon GO. We'll start with the simplest methods. I recommend that you read the entire manual carefully and follow it exactly. If the error still persists, write in the comments, we will figure it out together.

Make sure GPS is on

Are you sure GPS is enabled on your smartphone? Check it! If location is enabled, you'll need to check that it's running in high accuracy mode (this option is called "all sources" on many smartphones). In different versions of Android, the interface is slightly different, but the principle is the same everywhere:

  • Go to phone settings
  • Go to the "Location" section (may be called differently)
  • Make sure the slider is in the "on" position
  • Select the "All sources" mode ("Use GPS, Wi-fi and mobile networks to determine the location")

Now the Pokemon GO game will use all possible sources to determine the location as accurately as possible. If you use only wi-fi and mobile networks to determine the location, then you may encounter the fact that your avatar will run around the map, or jump from point to point (or the coordinates will be determined incorrectly)

Disabling mock locations

In some versions of Android, the developer has disabled the ability for apps to hide that they are using fictitious locations ("coordinate spoofing"). Thus, when you start Pokemon GO, you may see a "failed to detect location" or "GPS signal not found" error. You need to disable mock locations in your system settings to get rid of the error.

  • Go to phone settings
  • Scroll to the bottom and click on "About phone"
  • Look for "Build Number", "MIUI Version" or something similar.
  • Click on it 7 times. After that, you will see a message - "You have become a developer"
  • We are looking for the "For Developers" item in the "Settings", go
  • The "Phantom Locations" item should not be ticked (untick!)

If this did not help you solve the problem, read the article further and try other methods.

Other methods to fix the "GPS signal not found" error in Pokémon GO

Most often, the above methods help to get rid of the “GPS signal not found” error. However, if the error still remains, then let's look at other options that can help:

  • Try restarting your smartphone
  • Try to go out into the open (on the street, for example, if you are indoors) and wait a bit - it is possible that the GPS will still find satellites
  • Turn off the power-saving mode on your smartphone and remove/disable all programs that are designed to save your battery power - they often care too much about battery life and interfere with the normal operation of the system
  • Use a mobile network instead of wi-fi (maybe you play in a cafe and use wi-fi). Although, sometimes, Pokemon GO does not work via mobile Internet
  • Turn on Airplane Mode and turn it off after a few seconds
  • Install the latest Pokemon GO Android update
  • Download "Google Maps", install and run. Download GPS Status & Toolbox, install and run. Then launch Pokemon GO. These actions sometimes help to get rid of the error.
  • Try disabling all permissions for the Pokemon GO app except location

If this does not help, then the last resort would be resetting your smartphone to factory settings or installing a stock version of the firmware from the manufacturer. You can also write to Niatic (developer) about your problem.

"GPS signal not found" on iOS in Pokemon GO

If you're experiencing a "GPS signal not found" error on an iPhone or other iOS device, then you can follow the tips above (except for Android-only ones). Moreover:

  • If you are indoors - try to go outside and wait a bit for the GPS to detect satellites
  • Turn on Wi-Fi even if you're not using it
  • Turn Airplane Mode on and off
  • Disable and re-enable cellular data. "Settings" - "Cellular" - "Cellular data"
  • Restart the Pokemon GO app
  • Disable and re-enable Location Services. "Settings" - "Privacy" - "Location Services".
  • Reset network settings (all Wi-fi passwords and other network settings will be deleted!). "Settings" - "General" - "Reset" - "Reset network settings".
  • Update GPS - open the quick notifications panel, and turn off the GPS. Wait five seconds and turn it on again.
  • Remove the back panel or case - sometimes the GPS signal is blocked by the protective case or back panel. Try to take them off and check the quality of the GPS signal.
  • Turn on Airplane Mode - open the quick notifications panel, and turn on the "Airplane Mode" option. Wait 15-20 seconds then turn it off.
  • Get outdoors - The GPS sensor works best in open areas. Check the GPS signal outdoors or on a balcony with direct access to the sky.

Let's start installing and configuring SeTracker 3. If you scanned the QR code on the instructions, a link to SeTracker will appear automatically, and registration will also automatically take place when scanning the QR code on the watch. If not, fill in manually. Download the SeTracker app at or .

We do not fill out the account and password yet, click the "registration" button. On the first screen, you need to select the Russian language and region - for Russia "Europe and Africa".

In the "ID" field, enter the ID code. Press the box and read the code on the back of the watch. Or manually enter the ID. The IMEI also contains an ID (xxxx1234567890x). then run the application. If REC CODE is specified, please contact us, we will give you an ID code corresponding to your REC code.

Now we fill in the fields "Login" (phone number of one of the parents or email), "Name" (child's name) and "Password". All alphabetic characters must be entered in Latin. After confirming the information, click "OK". The last procedure is to enter the specified login and password, log in. We see the following screen.

The menu is intuitive, but let's go through it in more detail.

First, go to "Settings" and enter in turn all the information:

1. SOS numbers. Enter 3 main numbers with "8", not "7" or "+7", which will be called when you press the SOS button. If the call is rejected by you, the watch will ring these 3 numbers in a circle until the call is accepted or rejected from the watch.

3. Mode of operation. Set the frequency of sending a call to the GPS tracker. The shorter the period, the more accurate the data, but the battery drains faster.

4. Do not disturb. Set intervals when your child will not receive incoming calls, such as school time. Although only those subscribers who are in the “allowed numbers” can call the clock, someone may forget that the child should not be called at this time.

5. SMS setting. Your number is indicated here. It will receive notifications about the removal of the watch from the hand and low battery.

6. Contacts. Here "permitted numbers" are indicated, that is, those from which a call can be received on the child's watch.

7. Phone. This is a "phone book" - a list of numbers with names who can be called from the watch (usually 10 numbers).

8. Language and time zone. We set “Russian” (so that the clock has Russian words) and set the time - for Moscow +3.00.

9. Sensor removal from the hand. Turn it on to receive notifications.

10. Remote shutdown. The child himself cannot turn off the phone with the ON button, this can only be done by you, in this setting item.

11. Restoring the default operating mode. This is a factory reset.

After filling in all the settings, we begin to use all the useful functions of the watch-phone.

1. Where is the child? On the map you will see where the child is at the moment. Indoors, the signal will not be as accurate (if the watch does not have a WIFI function), but the route history shows where the child is.

2. Voice messages. This is the voice and text messaging section. A text message (limited to 15 characters) can be written from a smartphone, only a voice message can be sent from the watch, and any can be received.

3. Health. Here you can set the pedometer by entering the child's weight and step length. Then you can view the distance traveled and the number of steps for a certain time.

4. Reports. This is the history of the route. Specify the date and time for which you are interested in the route of the child.

5. Geofence. Works like an "electronic fence". Set a label here with the selected radius of the circle. When "violating boundaries" you will receive a notification.

6. Awards. You can "like" your baby by sending a heart if you are happy with his behavior or if he got a good mark, for example.

7. Message. The history of notifications is saved here: about the removal of the watch, about pressing the SOS button and others

8. Alarm clock. Here you can set up 3 alarms, even if you are not at home from your smartphone or tablet, so that your child does not miss classes and workouts.

9. Where to find? If you lost your watch somewhere in the room, select this function in the Application and the watch will emit a melody by which you can find it.

10. Settings. At any time, you can correct phone numbers and other information in the settings.

To set up mom's phone on number 1 and dad's phone on number 2

You need to send 2 messages from your phone to the watch (without spaces with commas):

1. We make the parent’s phone the main one, “log in”, so to speak. Sending SMS:

pw, 123456, center, phone number # (if you received “center, ok” in response, go to step 2, if not, send another message with a different password)

pw, 523681, center, phone number # - we are waiting for an answer. The answer should come "center, ok"

2. we send the second SMS (or the third, for someone like)

Checking and configuring GPS using the app

Out of all the apps we tried, GPS Test turned out to be the simplest and most effective. This program can quickly help you find all the satellites in your area, pre-configure them and, possibly, use other functions.

Developer: Chartcross Limited

Features of GPS Test for Android

  • Shows information about visible satellites;
  • Shows the active satellites currently in use;
  • Gives accurate geolocation data;
  • Shows exact coordinates;
  • Gives the time zone data at the location;
  • Indicates the position of the satellites in the sky;
  • Can serve as an electronic compass;
  • Provides a variety of data, ranging from time and date, ending with altitude;
  • Gives information about sunrise and sunset times at the location where the device is located.

How to check the status of a GPS navigator using GPS Test

We open the application, and if we see the inscription “3D Fix“ in the upper left corner, then the navigator is working correctly and performs all its functions without the slightest problem. Shows "No Fix"? Unfortunately, there are problems with the device and its coordinated work is impossible.

Constant switching between the above modes may also be due to poor conditions for obtaining a GPS signal. This is caused not only by being indoors, even inappropriate weather conditions, such as rain or strong winds, can affect.

Shows "off"? Everything is easier here. The receiver is simply disabled. To enable it, we perform an easy procedure: open "Settings", go to the "Location" item. A new menu called "Location Services" opens. There are three modes in total:

  1. "According to network coordinates"
  2. "GPS satellites"
  3. Auxiliary data.

For the most accurate determination of the location, for example, in a car, we recommend that you activate all the items at once. Of the networks, Wi-Fi works best, of course, but if the conditions do not allow it (being on the street, etc., as is usually the case), use the mobile Internet.

Using this program, you can find out a lot of useful information about your phone and its additional features.

Setting up and adjusting GPS through the engineering menu

This method will help to check the quality of the established standards, which show how well the GPS on the phone works.

  1. To do this, you need to move to the engineering menu. Enter the code (where we usually write the subscriber's number) *#*#3646633#*#*;
  2. Next, you need to find the YGPS item (or something similar);
  3. As a result, a map should appear, on which there will be many yellow dots. They may not appear immediately.

It is these points that indicate the number of satellites that have been found. If you measure the time from the beginning of the scan to the full load of all the satellites found, the quality of the installed GPS will become known. Later, this data can be compared with other devices, for example, by borrowing from a friend.

Car owners often complain that the navigator does not see satellites. The reasons for such a deviation can be very diverse, for example, a violation of the firmware of the device or physical damage that led to a partial failure of the device. When using the Navitel software, users often encounter firmware failures. You can reboot yourself.

Among the list of the most common reasons due to which the device may not see the satellite, the following factors are distinguished:

  • incorrect operation of the navigation almanac;
  • device firmware violations;
  • serious damage that led to the failure of the gadget.

Problems in connecting the device to the satellite may also arise due to the presence of pronounced structural features of some windshields of the vehicle. In this case, you need to try to establish a connection outside the machine.

Almanac failure

The functioning of the device implies its correct functioning in 3 modes:

  • cold start;
  • warm start;
  • hot start.

In cold start mode, the device does not have up-to-date data on its own location. That is why the connection can take a sufficient amount of time.

A cold start for Navitel devices can take up to 15 minutes. During this time, the gadget receives updated data for the almanac, information from satellites about the boundaries of the orbit.

When using warm and hot start, the internal memory of the device contains up-to-date information about the almanac.

Important! The period of correct display of the almanac is no more than 3 months, therefore, after this time, all data must be updated.

A long shutdown of the device can be the result of an almanac failure; to restore the basic functions of the gadget, it is often enough to boot when using a cold start. Prolonged disconnection of the gadget may lead to the failure of the device. In such cases, reinstalling the current software helps to correct the situation.

The device does not catch satellites due to firmware failure

What to do if the navigator does not catch satellites? Quite often, such problems arise against the background of failures in the operation of serviceable software.

Important! There are many reasons why Navitel software crashes. The most common is long-term use.

To restore the functions of the device in full, a flashing is required. Manipulation can be done independently or seek help from a service center. Navitel software can be easily replaced by yourself by downloading the current version.

Maps of current versions will allow you to use new functionality that is often not available for older versions of firmware.

Receiving antenna failure

If the navigator stops finding satellites, the reason may lie in the failure of the receiving antenna. In order to catch the signal, the antenna needs to be replaced. If the navigator does not see satellites, the meaning may lie precisely in the failure of such an element. Repair in this case will be quite expensive, especially if the antenna is soldered to the board.

Navigator Navitel, like any other, can stop catching satellites suddenly. In this case, the user should try to establish the source of the breakdown. If serious damage is found, contact the service center.