Pokemon GO "GPS signal not found" error: How to fix, possible reasons, and more

Pokemon GO GPS signal not found error fixes and possible reasons (Image via Niantic)
Pokemon GO GPS signal not found error fixes and possible reasons (Image via Niantic)

Pokemon GO is currently one of the most celebrated AR games in the industry. In it, players can explore integrated maps and interact with real-world locations. The title requires stable internet and GPS access to smoothly enjoy the gameplay.

The developers at Niantic have added several software and meta updates over the years so that Pokemon GO can run smoothly on both IOS and Android devices. Despite these efforts, since it is still a live-service game to an extent, there are bound to be various errors and bugs.

Trainers mostly face internet and GPS connectivity issues since the is directly dependent on them. Currently, many players are facing the error "GPS signal not found." In this article, we have discussed the potential causes and fixes to this problem.


A guide to fix "GPS signal not found" error in Pokemon GO and possible reasons for it

1) Enabling GPS is crucial to run the game

There might be numerous reasons for your phone to display the error of "GPS signal not found" in Pokemon GO. While there is a strong chance that a hardware dysfunction might be the cause, the problem is more than likely in your device or app’s settings.

The game specifically demands GPS access as it strongly requires assistance. However, it cannot directly access your location as it requires permission to locate or track your whereabouts during gameplay. This means you can easily turn your location services on or off at any time.

Turning off or deactivating the GPS will significantly affect gameplay, and you won’t be able to catch any Pocket Monsters.

Many players have been facing the same issue, and the first thing to check is your device’s location services. Sometimes they get turned off, which can result in an error.

How to check GPS and turn it on

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To inspect the status of your device’s location services, you must navigate to the device’s settings - Privacy for IOS or Location for Android. You will need to switch on and restart the app before trying to play the game again.

Failure to give Pokemon Go permission to use the GPS services will still show an error message. You must navigate to your device’s settings again, go to the list of apps, select Pokemon GO, and then grant it permission to use the GPS. This might solve the issue related to the location services being turned off on the device.

If all the permissions are on and the game is still unable to access the GPS, you can try toggling the Airplane mode on your phone. Doing so can fix any network-related errors, but if it still doesn't work, you can try rebooting or restarting your device.


2) Make sure power-saving mode is off

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Sometimes, the issue also occurs due to a device's inbuilt battery-saving feature. Many now come with it out of the box, placing restrictions on the use of several battery-draining services. One of these can be the use of GPS, so it could easily meddle with Pokemon GO’s requirement for location tracking. Turning off the battery saver might help in solving the error.

You can try using these ideas to fix Pokemon GO's GPS connectivity issue. While they may work for one individual, it's not guaranteed for another player. Go through all these options and see what works for you.