GPS is one of the most used features on a smartphone and with GPS problem, things could get complication overnight. This is because we use GPS or Location to trace our own location on a map if we are lost, it enables ordering food or cabs via auto location detection while allowing users to search for ATMs, attractions, nearest food joint or hotel or station or route to the destination and a lot of others. In fact, Google Maps allow checking out live traffic without any mishap reported by other users as well using its crowdsourced reporting feature. This is why GPS problem could be complicated and thus, needs a state-of-the-art arsenal to resolve it. Presenting the methods that you can utilize to fix GPS problem here in this explicit troubleshooting guide.
How do GPS works?
To summarize, GPS or Global Positioning System is a congregation of more than 30 geostationary satellites that constantly stay in contact with the GPS receivers on the Earth by the mean of the signal broadcast. When a phone or any GPS receiver turns on to detect its own location, it grabs signals containing crucial details from at least three to four satellites that allow accurate pinpointed location-based results. A smartphone can use both GPS satellites and cell towers to detect its location accurately. However, in case if any of the systems are not working properly or damaged or if the software aspect of the device fails, GPS problem is imminent so here’s how you can fix it.
How To Fix Teclast GPS Problem?
Restart the Teclast smartphone
The first thing you could do to resolve the GPS problem is a reboot. This is because software failure or crash is a literal thing and can happen at any given instance. When you restart a system, you are essentially pulling the plugs that powers all components and therefore, the system shuts up just like that. Upon boot up, all the temporarily hoarded resources are free to be used and it essentially fixes any temporary software glitch that might have occurred when you tried turning on GPS.
Turn on Airplane mode
Although it doesn’t have anything to do with GPS signals, etc, but it comes handy whenever there is a network-related issue such as problems with the cellular connection, etc. The method will probably put a system in a restricted mode disabling all incoming and outgoing networks temporarily and could you the system a push to enable proper working of GPS without any further ado.
Enable High-Accuracy mode
Consider this, if the GPS is working properly but showing an incorrect or inaccurate location on a map which could be slightly or awkwardly different from your original location, you can turn on High-accuracy mode which is when the GPS system using extra battery backup to allows the phone to detect user’s location accurately.
Are there any interferences/obstacles?
GPS signals are definitely pass through objects because that is how you get to detect your location while sitting in your home on the 30th floor of a 60-story building in a dense skyline and miles below dense clouds. But sometimes, the obstacles are merely near and as simple as a phone case or cover or even doors, a person standing next to you, a glass window, etc. The resolution for this problem is to get away from any suspected obstacles and check if the GPS is performing better or worse.
Buy an external GPS antenna
If you wish to increase the strength of GPS signal reception, you will have to visit any of the e-commerce site or wherever you can source an external GPS antenna. Based on the instructions on how to install it, you will be able to increase the strength of the signal received which means you no longer have to worry about GPS problem anymore at least in the majority of the cases.
Clear all the forms of cache files
As you’ll be needing to clear app cache of AGPS, Google Maps, we decided to take preventive measure and delete all types of cache files right away. For app cache, you need to dive into the Settings app and go to Apps » Downloaded. You can delete cache files for every app here, however, you’ll lose credentials for the said apps too and you will have to log in again. Next, go to the ‘All’ section and find AGPS or GPS and delete app cache here too. Finally, proceed by deleting storage cache on the way that you’ll find in Settings » Storage » Cache Memory.
Update Google Maps
Google Maps is undoubtedly the most used map tool on Android smartphone although there are various alternatives available too. This is a generic method where you need to update any and every map tool that you use because there is a possibility that the app is performing inefficiently as it is outdated or it is probably because a bug is causing the app to behave abnormally.
Update all apps
Now that you have to update Google Maps or its equivalent, go through with it and update all the apps because as said, outdated apps can be a big problem on your device and thus, mustn’t be kept outdated. You can do the same simply by diving into the Settings app and select ‘My apps and games’ where you must receive a list of all the apps installed along with update button against all apps. You can also select ‘Update All’ which performs the way it sounds, it updates all the apps at once.
Upgrade or rollback the software
Finally, the last remaining piece of software that you haven’t updated yet is the firmware. Since Android OS doesn’t update too often, you can either look if there’s an update available or rollback to the previous stable version or you can download and install custom ROMs like LineageOS that extend support to Android smartphones releases a few years ago too which is something Google wouldn’t do.
Calibrate the compass
Apps like GPS Status & Toolbox or GPS Essentials have a feature called compass which is how you can calibrate the compass on your device to point in the right direction when searching for your location on a map. Many smartphones have this ‘8’ tracing calibrating technique while some might need this third-party app to do the same but the results will improve if the GPS problem you are facing is if the GPS shows off-centered or slightly inaccurate location on a map like Google Maps.
GPS Status & Toolbox
Open Google Play Store from the app drawer and you must be able to spot the ‘GPS Status & Toolbox’ or ‘GPS Essentials’ app that you need to download. You know that you need at least four satellites to pinpoint your location on a map. This app contains a feature that allows you to check how many satellites the GPS receiver mounted on your device can read. Based on the instructions the app conveys, the number of apps should be adequate and at least more than three or so but if not, it is quite possible that the hardware portion on your device is to be blamed but if it is visible, then the fault could be in the software portion of your device that you can rectify using restore factory method prescribed below.
Perform a restore factory
This is a handy but irreversible method that erases all types of data from the system and gives factory settings that you saw when you bought the phone for the first time. Since it is not easy to retrieve any lost data after this method, you need to take a backup beforehand and proceed with the procedure listed below.
Step 01: Start by turning off the device at once.
Step 02: Use two fingers to press power plus volume up simultaneously so that the device can intercept it as a command to boot into the recovery mode.
Step 03: You can release the buttons once the phone reboots and shows an on-screen Android logo.
Step 04: You need to hit ‘wipe data/factory reset’ from amidst the menu and finally, confirm the said action by selecting ‘yes — delete all user data’ and that concludes the procedure.
Get help!
The final recourse is to visit a service center preferably an authorized service or lease you can take an expedient step of visiting a third-party service center where the device’s warranty will be nullified if applicable. Anyhow, this is the place where you’ll get a resolution for the said GPS problem if nothing in this explicit troubleshooting guide helps you and that hints towards a possible hardware issue which you couldn’t have fixed by yourself unless you have previous experience of dismantling, fixing, and reassembling the device.
