How to fix 'GPS signal not found' error in Pokémon Go

By Daniel Bader
last updated

Pokémon Go is one of those games that requires not only a strong internet connection at all times, but a connection to a GPS tower for full enjoyment. Here's how to make sure you're always connected.

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How to fix 'GPS signal not found' error in Pokémon Go

If you're getting an error about not having a GPS signal when opening Pokémon Go on your iPhone, you there are a number of steps you can take.

  • Switch Airplane mode on, wait a moment, then turn it back off. This resets all the radios and can sometimes get GPS to reset with it.
  • If you're indoors, try to step outside, even for a moment, until the error goes away and your game resumes. This will allow the GPS satellite to locate your phone and synchronize with the game world.
  • If you're outdoors but still can't find a stable GPS signal, make sure that Wi-Fi is turned on, even there are no Wi-Fi network to connect to. (Wi-Fi mapping is part of Apple's location services.)

How to turn on Wi-Fi

  1. While in Pokémon Go, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to enter Command Center.
  2. Tap on Wi-Fi symbol. Make sure it highlighted.
  3. Swipe down again to get back to the game.

Still getting a GPS error? Close the app and reload it

Sometimes a quick close and re-opening is all that you need to reconnect to find a GPS signal and get back to the game.

  1. Return to the Home screen, if you can, by pressing the Home button.
  2. Open a new app, and take a few minutes to do something else. (Or better yet: Explore the area where you've been searching for Pokémon without your eyes glued to a screen!)
  3. Double-press the Home button to enter the multitasking screen.

  1. Swipe to the Pokémon Go card.
  2. Tap on the Pokémon Go card to reenter the app.

Still can't solve the GPS issue?

If, after going outside, turning on Wi-Fi, and closing and reloading the app you are still getting a 'GPS signal not found' error, it may be a problem with Niantic's servers. Give it some time: the app is incredibly popular, and the servers may just be overloaded.

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Daniel Bader
Daniel Bader

Daniel Bader is a Senior Editor at iMore, offering his Canadian analysis on Apple and its awesome products. In addition to writing and producing, Daniel regularly appears on Canadian networks CBC and CTV as a technology analyst.

28 Comments
  • GPS Error on Pokémon There are AR least three errors in this article. Bader wrote, "…is one of those games that requires not only a strong internet connection at all times, but a connection to a GPS tower for full enjoyment." There is no such thing as a "GPS tower." GPS signals come from satellites; cellular signals come from towers. Bader wrote, "This will allow the GPS satellite to locate your phone and synchronize with the game world." There is no GPS satellite. There are at least 24 GPS satellites. And the satellites do not locate your phone. Your phone uses the signals from at least four satellites to locate itself. Bader wrote "(Wi-Fi mapping is part of Apple's location services.)" Wi-Fi does not provide location services. Only GPS and cellular provide location fixes. Mr. Bader has lost all credibility in my eyes because he doesn't seem to understand this technology, and he shouldn't be using terms he doesn't understand. Sent from the iMore App
  • https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201357 "Location Services allows location-based apps and websites (including Maps, Camera, Safari, and other Apple and third-party apps) to use information from cellular, Wi-Fi1, Global Positioning System (GPS)2 networks, and iBeacons3 to determine your approximate location."
    ...
    "1. iOS devices without a cellular connection use only Wi-Fi for Location Services (if a Wi-Fi network is available). Some third-party apps rely on a Wi-Fi connection for region monitoring. If a device is passcode locked, this feature may be limited or inaccurate." Please don't correct with incorrect information.
  • He was wrong about the WiFi location information, but he was right about everything else. His 'AR' should have been 'at'. -- Posted via Titanium Galaxy S7 edge --
  • jakeair wrote: "There are AR at least three errors in this article"....last time I checked, there is no "AR" after "are" for that sentence to make sense. Sent from the iMore App
  • You sir are a ****. No one cares for these little errors. They have no effect on the information the public gets because it really has no effect on the end user. All the end user sees is GPS, Wi-FI, do this to make it work. Understanding the rest means nothing, he just tried to go into detail. I see you're just trying to sound smart by using Wikipedia. I just hate people that pick apart other people's mistakes with the intention of destroying them instead of helping them. You could have just messaged the person directly with your comments instead of trying to point them out to the rest of the world like a royal douchbag. Then, he could have edit and fixed the misguided information with your advice. At least that is how the people with actual intelligence would do.
  • Or something as simple as 360 Security blocking it and i just had to turn it off from there.
  • Fixing the GPS issues is the same as fixing it on any mapping app. Make sure your location services are on (and permitted by the app), and that you're actually in a place where you can get GPS signal
  • This is the reason why one can't find anything useful on the Internet, most of the help written out there is written by two types of idiots: the ones who run with the first thing that works for them and the ones who just say the obvious and blame back on the user. Let's start with the second kind of *****, DannyJKK for example. For anyone out there, open Google Maps in your phone. Does it get your location? Does it move when you move? Your GPS works, end of story. Now to the first kind of *****, the author himself. Do the Google Maps test. Does it work? The problem is with the Pokemon Go servers or the app itself which we all know either one or the other or both are sh*t beyond proof. Stop beating yourself, this article is useless, the problem is with Pokemon.
  • Then there's the third kind of *****. The one who goes online to insult others. What I said is completely true unless you've broken the GPS chip in your phone, and the "cannot find GPS" error is nothing to do with the Pokemon servers, it's simply an error message provided client-side by the app when your phone can't get a GPS signal. Trust me I've spend many many years fixing technical issues and 95% of the time it's an issue caused by the user. Of course there are server issues with Pokémon Go, but this has nothing to do with the GPS
  • Then what you are saying is most of the gadgets here have broken GPS chips? Then why are other GPS apps working fine but Pokémon Go? Have you not thought that maybe this thread was posted because the error is quite weird?
  • iMore posts articles like telling you how to "send an email". They put up things that are the most basic stuff to most users, this is just another article similar to those
  • These tips things don't work. I get GPS in google maps and Ingress just fine. I get these errors even when Google Maps is running in the background, as some have suggested. I've turned off location spoofing. I've had this issue for two days now, and in various locations.
  • I hope this works for you. Situation: GPS Not found Error keeps occuring. No matter what you do to try fixing it. Troubleshooting:
    1. Turn off Locations, Turn on Locations failed
    2. configuring Locations settings (Device only, Wifi or high accuracy) all fails
    3. Restarting Phone failed to restore GPS
    4. Turning off Airplane mode and then on again failed.
    5. Removing GPS specific 3rd party apps and Removing any form of spoofing applications and restoring any spoofing configurations failed.
    6. Resetting GPS Data failed.
    7. Booting into a working TWRP and going to wipe > advanced wipe > Cache to clear all Cache data for all Apps actually resolved my issue. After booting up the phone i opened google maps and clicked on my location it found my location and obviously you gotta re-calibrate. Launched pokemon go after a few seconds of being on an empty map the pokestops and gyms started appearing. As to what version of TWRP and installation of TWRP you can find videos on youtube to help. Good luck!
  • My iPhone 6 has had issues with GPS for awhile and don't know why but my iPhone can only find me well when I'm connected to Wifi otherwise 80% of the time the phone doesn't know where I am does anyone have any theories on why? Sent from the iMore App
  • You either haven't got GPS turned on (I doubt it but I believe there's a toggle somewhere), or your GPS chip is faulty. You should be able to get a location pretty quickly if you're outside
  • Probably something with the GPS chip because it didn't use to be like this. Sent from the iMore App
  • Really precious advice - go outside to catch gps fix - are they pay you from article or sign maybe?
    Sometimes when I read advices like this here (there is more of them) I think you must have really good laugh from your readers. Sent from the iMore App
  • A lot of people think the GPS signal works just like the phone signal, where it should work indoors. The solution for a lot of people is actually just to go outside
  • GPS can work indoors, but it works "better" outdoors..
  • True :)
  • u ain't just like kidding :)
  • The only time I ever got a GPS error in Pokémon GO is when I purposely put it in AirPlane mode to "see what would happen" and when I took it off, the GPS went right back to working again. As for the image at the very top of this page, who the heck lets their phone get down to only 1% battery?
  • You should let your battery drain completely at least once a month, then recharge it to full to keep the battery calibrated. Apple provides instructions on how to best look after your battery
  • Yes but why would anyone play the game at 1% is what I meant. You could have found a rare Pokemon and then BAM your phone is dead and you don't catch it.
  • *chuckles* welocme to the world of technology. I always wondered why no one playing Pokemon Go out heavy rain... No GPS signal..
  • Firstly, just to clarify, I am in no way technically minded whatsoever, I know very little on the subject, but I came across this thread after Googling "why can't i get a GPS signal on Pokemon Go indoors?" because I get a signal everywhere apart from my desk at work which is on the ground floor of a two storey building in a rural area, it just permanently displays the red "no GPS signal" banner . I'd just like to report that I opened the Google Maps app, which successfully identified my location, but still no joy with Pokemon, but then I put my phone right up against the window for a minute and all of a sudden it picked me up and now even back at my desk it is still working. So, for me, moving the phone as near to outdoors as possible for a moment has worked.
  • People are still playing this? I thought for sure something shiny would have distracted them by now. Sent from the iMore App
  • Are you sad that you're still seeing Pokémon Go posts? I knew the hype wouldn't die down that quickly :)