GPS sensor lets you use your phone as a navigational device using apps such as Google maps and lets apps determine your geo-location. It is crucial to have good signal to get accurate location. So, read on to learn How to improve GPS signal on Android.
Before you start to optimize the GPS signal, it is important to understand what GPS actually is and how it works. It stands for Global Positioning System and was developed by the US army in 1973 and was released to public in 1995. There are total of 31 GPS satellites orbiting the Earth. Your device communicates with these satellites to determine your geo-location. The three most common factor that affects the strength of GPS signal are – the number of satellites at your location, the quality of your device’s hardware and the driver. Now that you have some knowledge about it, here’s how you can improve GPS signal on Android.
Toggle High Accuracy mode
Although this mode will drain a significant amount of battery, it insures you have the best possible signal. However, you can always revert back to normal mode or even turn GPS off when the work is done. To enable High accuracy mode, go to Settings > Location > turn on the service if needed > Tap on Mode > and finally select High accuracy. This mode will use your GPS as well as your mobile network and your Wi-Fi to determine your current location.
Keep GPS signal active
Android automatically turns off GPS when going from one app to another to save battery. If you don’t want to experience any decrease in GPS signal strength, I recommend using an app called GPS connected. This small app will keep your GPS signal active. Note that doing this will result in reduced battery life.
Diagnose your GPS hardware and software
There could be an issue related to your device’s GPS hardware or software. If that’s the case, you are probably not getting the signal strength you deserve. Using an app called GPS Essentials, you can determine if there is any issue in your GPS hardware or software. In the main menu, tap on Satellites and watch your device connecting to the satellites orbiting the Earth. If you see no satellites, the problem is your GPS hardware. Either there is some interference from metallic objects or your GPS antenna is not working properly. If you see the satellites but the GPS is still not working properly, then it is a software issue.
Refresh GPS data
It is possible that your device got ‘stuck’ to a certain GPS satellite even if it is not in range. You can easily fix this using the app called GPS Status & Toolbox. Using this you can clear the GPS data and make your device connect to the nearest satellite. To do so, tap on menu icon > tap on Manage A-GPS state > tap on Reset. Then, go back to Manage A-GPS state and then tap on Download. Your GPS data will be refreshed.
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