GPS Accuracy Checklist for Android and iPhone

Improve location accuracy by checking permissions and signal conditions first, then testing the phone in a known open area. Do not reset every setting at once; changing one layer at a time makes the cause easier to identify.

Android checklist

1. Open Settings → Location and turn location on.
2. Open the navigation app's permissions and allow location while using the app. Enable precise location when navigation requires it.
3. On Android 12 or later, open Location → Location Services → Location Accuracy and review Improve Location Accuracy.
4. Turn off Battery Saver for a controlled test.
5. Turn on Wi-Fi or mobile data and leave Airplane mode off.
6. In Google Maps, tap the blue dot and use Calibrate when offered.

Google explains that Android Location Accuracy can combine GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular signals, and device sensors. It also describes the associated privacy processing in Android Location Accuracy Help.

iPhone checklist

1. Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services.
2. Select the map app and allow access while using it.
3. Turn on Precise Location for turn-by-turn navigation.
4. Confirm Wi-Fi or cellular data is available for map and traffic information.
5. Close and reopen the app, then restart the iPhone if the position remains stale.
6. Install current iOS and app updates.

Apple's Location Services instructions explain app-level access and the Precise Location control.

Run a clean accuracy test

Stand safely outdoors with a broad view of the sky. Remove magnetic accessories from the phone, open the map, and wait briefly for the uncertainty circle to shrink. Compare the blue dot with a known landmark. Then walk a short straight path and check whether the heading follows you.

What not to do

• Do not calibrate or change permissions while driving.
• Do not assume a wrong business pin is a GPS failure.
• Do not leave broad background access enabled for every app just to improve one navigation app.
• Do not factory-reset a phone before trying permission, restart, update, and open-sky tests.

If accuracy is still poor

Test a second navigation app in the same location. If every app fails, the cause is more likely device, signal, or operating-system related. If only one app fails, reinstalling that app may be reasonable after saving any needed data. Persistent failures in open sky may require the phone manufacturer's support.

Related guidance

• Match the symptom to a likely GPS cause
• Fix a correct GPS position with a wrong arrival pin
• Finish navigation setup before driving

Reviewed July 19, 2026. Privacy and battery tradeoffs should be reviewed before enabling broader location access.