top of page

GPS TROUBLESHOOTING

Troubleshooting GPS Issues

​

All of the apps from District Technologies use the inbuilt GPS system in smartphones to track fitness activity. GPS estimates your location on Earth by using signals from a set of orbiting satellites. The GPS system includes the chip in your device as well as the satellites above the Earth.

​

GPS Issues

​

GPS issues may occur during an activity, this can be caused by the phones operating system attempting to close the app to preserve memory and battery life.

In these circumstances the activity may report a different distance than you actually traveled, and unfortunately we cannot ‘fill in’ the missing data.

It is also common that different devices can show slightly different data for the same activity. This is because each device’s GPS chip performs differently.

Issues typically fall into three categories:

  • GPS drift: The GPS track generally follows the shape of the road/path but with much less precision.

  • Lost GPS signal: If the GPS signal is lost and later re-acquired the pre- and post-signal-loss points will be connected with a straight line.

  • GPS bounce: A 'jumpy' GPS signal can cause your activity to report more distance than you actually traveled since each 'zig' and 'zag' of your GPS track has to be accounted for with a straight line connecting them.

Thankfully, there are steps that can be followed to prevent these issues.

General GPS Steps

To ensure the best GPS ensure you do the following:

  • Have a clear view to the sky. Obstructions between the phone and the sky can affect the signal.

  • Ensure your device has data enabled.

  • Give it time - allow time for the GPS receiver to tune into the satellites before starting an activity.

  • Disable any battery saver settings including Power Saving Mode or Battery Management.

Also ensure that the app is granted the appropriate permissions. You can check this by taking the following steps:

  • iPhone

    • Settings > (App name) > Location > Always

  • Android

    • Turn the phone off/on.

    • Turn GPS off/on.

    • Go to Settings > Apps > (App name) > Permissions > Toggle Location ON. Be sure that you've allowed the app to use GPS in the background.

    • Check that your location settings are set to High accuracy:

    • Settings > Connections > Location > Locating method > High accuracy.

​

Device specific settings

​

The following provides further information on specific devices to optimise GPS settings and prevent the app from being closed.

  • HTC

    • Settings > Power > Battery optimization > Not optimized > All apps > (App name) > Don't optimize > Done.

  • Huawei

    • Turn Energy Settings to Normal and add (App name) to “Protected Apps.”

    • Settings > Apps > Advanced > Ignore optimizations > Allowed > All apps > (App name) > Allow.

  • LG

    • Settings > Battery & power saving > Battery usage > Ignore optimizations > turn ON for (App name).

  • Motorola

    • Settings > Battery > select the menu in the upper right-hand corner > Battery optimization > Not optimized > All Apps > (App name) > Don't Optimize.

  • OnePlus (using OxygenOS Settings)

    • Settings > Battery > Battery optimization > select menu at the top > switch to All apps list > (App name) > Don't optimize.

  • Samsung

    • Settings > Apps > select the menu in the upper right-hand corner > Special access > Optimize battery usage > All apps > Toggle OFF for (App name).

  • Sony

    • Settings > Battery > select the menu in the upper right-hand corner > Battery optimization > Apps > (App name).

  • Xiaomi (MIUI OS):

    • Settings > Additional Settings > Battery & performance > Manage apps battery usage > apps > (App name).

    • Settings > Additional Settings > Privacy > Location > ensure you are using High Accuracy for Location Mode and allowing location access.

​

Additional resources

​

​

If the above information does not help, we recommend the following:

  • Download a free app that provides detailed GPS operating information. “GPS Status” is a free app that can reset your GPS and download GPS data. It should report 5 or more satellites acquired, and an overall accuracy range of fewer than 30 meters if everything is working properly.

  • Consult https://dontkillmyapp.com/ for more information on how to optimise your phone settings

bottom of page