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Android GPS Troubleshooting

Liz
  • Updated
If you're experiencing tracking issues, the steps below should solve the most common GPS problems encountered on Android devices. First, you will want to ensure you have enabled permissions for the app to access your location.
 
How to enable Location (GPS) on your mobile device:
  1. On your mobile phone, locate and tap on the Settings app.
  2. Tap Location.
  3. Toggle on Use Location. 
  4. Tap Location Services.
  5. Tap Location Accuracy.
  6. Toggle on Improve Location Accuracy
How to grant the mobile app Location (GPS) permission:
 
  1. On your mobile phone, locate and tap on the Settings app.
  2. Tap on Apps > Tap See All.
  3. Locate and tap on MapMyRun, MapMyFitness, MapMyWalk, or MapMyRide.
  4. Tap on Permissions.
  5. Ensure "Location" appears under the Allowed section.
  6. Tap on Location and ensure “Allow only while using the app” is selected. 
  7. Toggle on "Use precise location." When precise location is off, apps can access your approximate location. 
 
How to disable Power Saving mode on your mobile device:
  1. On your mobile phone, locate and tap on the Settings app.
  2. Tap Battery.
  3. Tap Battery Saver and make sure it is toggled off. 

How to ensure the mobile app continues tracking when the app is not in the foreground or when the screen is off:

When using our mobile app, we recommend disabling all power-saving modes, battery optimizations, and settings that automatically put apps to sleep. Mobile phones may attempt to reduce battery consumption when the screen is off. This includes pausing apps that are running and pausing GPS hardware. 

Steps for turning off battery optimizations vary from device to device. For information specific to your device model, visit this site. 

How to get a strong GPS signal:

1. Locate the GPS signal indicator near the top left corner of the map on the “Start Workout” screen.

 
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2. Ensure your mobile phone is used outside of buildings. The GPS hardware on your phone requires an unobstructed view of the sky.

3. Use a runner's belt or another thin phone holder to ensure your mobile phone's antenna does not have its signal blocked or interfered with.

4. When first starting the mobile app, you may need to physically move away from or disable your phone’s WiFi connection to encourage the GPS hardware on your phone to activate.

5. Ensure your phone’s battery is charged above 20%.

6. Ensure your phone is ventilated and does not get warm to the touch.

*Note: tall buildings, trees, lakes, rivers, and heavy clouds are known to negatively affect the GPS signal quality. Workouts that consist of moving in a relatively small circle (running around a track) are known to have lower tracking accuracy due to the turns and signal noise.

 
Additional Troubleshooting Steps:
 
Ensure you have an Internet connection for GPS.
For a mobile phone to be able to expedite the search for GPS satellite signals, an internet connection is needed. This allows your mobile phone’s GPS hardware to request the current satellite positions, allowing it to skip searching the sky on startup. Be aware that your phone may take longer to acquire a GPS signal when on the edge of a WiFi signal that has not yet switched over to a cellular network (for example, on the street or driveway just outside your home). 
 
Shut down and restart your mobile phone.
Press and hold the power button for 3 seconds and select restart. 
 
Prevent your mobile device from overheating.
When a mobile phone is too warm or overheating, the system may slow down or shut off services to protect the battery's health. To prevent this issue, ensure your phone is ventilated and not in direct sunlight. 
 
Check for a mobile app update:
  1. On your mobile phone, locate and tap on the “Play Store” app.
  2. Tap Search and type “MapMyRun,” “MapMyFitness,” “MapMyWalk,” or “MapMyRide.”
  3. If you see an “Update” button, tap it to install the update now. If you see an “Open” button instead, your app is already up-to-date.
  4. Tap the ⋮ icon (three vertical dots) to open a menu.
  5. Ensure the “Enable auto-update” box is checked.
Check for an update on the mobile phone's operating system:
  1. On your mobile phone, locate and tap on the Settings app.
  2. Tap System.
  3. Tap Software Updates
  4. Tap System Update
  5. Tap Download and install 
*Note: our app may show your location as a blue dot on the map. This may be an estimated location and does not confirm that your mobile phone has a GPS signal or that a GPS location fix has been obtained. Mobile apps may choose to estimate location by using cellular networks or Wi-Fi; these estimates may be sufficient for locating a nearby store or displaying vehicles on large roadways, but they are not sufficient for tracking workout activities like walking, running or cycling.
 
Additionally, Android only allows our app to turn your device's GPS hardware on and off. Our app does not have permission from Android to diagnose and fix issues. The quality and time taken to find a GPS signal is dependent on your Android device and its manufacturer.
 

Questions? If so, please submit a support ticket here, and an agent will reach out soon. 

 

 
 

 

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