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Why Google Maps Could Fail to Determine Your Location on Android

If you want Google Maps to work properly and provide navigation to a certain destination, the app needs to know where you are and be able to follow you every time you use it.
Google Maps navigation 7 photos
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As such, one of the essential prerequisites for Google Maps is an active GPS connection, which the sat-nav uses to determine your location and then display turn-by-turn guidance to your address.

It's not a secret Google Maps occasionally struggles with the GPS connection, but this typically happens in areas with large buildings around, in tunnels, or in underground parking places where the GPS signal is blocked.

There are many reasons that could lead to a “GPS signal lost” error message in Google Maps, and today we're highlighting the three that most people don't typically think about when seeing this warning.

First and foremost, if your phone battery is low, there’s a good chance the Android power management system has kicked in, possibly killing the GPS connection as well. In some cases, a more aggressive battery management configuration does not allow Google Maps to run in the background, so if you typically use the app with the screen locked, a low battery level could also block it from establishing the GPS connection.

The only way to fix this is to change the power-saving options on your Android device and give Google Maps full access to the location regardless of the battery level.

Then, Google Maps could be blocked from getting a GPS signal if you put the phone in the lower side of the dashboard. This could sound odd to some people, but depending on where you place the mobile device in the car, the GPS signal could get weaker down to the point where it’s gone completely. The best way to make sure the signal strength is as good as possible is to keep the phone on the dashboard or the console, close to the windshield.

This leads us to the third reason that you probably never thought could cause GPS connection problems. Some car window films could sometimes include a metallic base, and this is always bad news for GPS applications. The signal strength could be significantly reduced, so if you installed such an upgrade in your car, the GPS signals could eventually be blocked from reaching the cabin. Fixing this is kind of difficult, but if you place the mobile device closer to the windshield, it should still be able to connect to a satellite and get enough signal to let Google Maps work properly.

One easy way to figure out if the GPS connection is working properly on your phone is to download a GPS status application. This one is among the most advanced right now, and not only that it provides an insane amount of information but also lets you calibrate the sensor on the Android device.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
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Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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