Back in 2016, we witnessed the inception of one of the most popular augmented reality mobile game, Pokemon Go. It is now four years old, but unfortunately, some of its errors and issues are still prevalent. One particular issue that has troubled both iOS and Android users till now is the “GPS Signal Not Found 11” issue. It is an augmented reality game where players use their device’s camera to catch Pokemons running around wild in the real world. So it is kind of given that we need the phone’s GPS to work correctly with this application. Otherwise, the game won’t function correctly. And this is precisely what has troubled many users of Pokemon Go, both on iOS and Android devices.
A player pulls out his phone to catch some pokemon in a new place, and all he sees is an error message saying that the GPS signal is not found. This can be frustrating, especially when you know that your device’s GPS is working fine with all the other applications on your phone. Without GPS, you cannot spin PokeStops, capture Pokemon, and even take part in Battle Raids. Luckily though, this is quite a common error that many users have experienced and also complained about in the official forums. There have been lots of discussions on this issue, and some discussions did reveal some tricks that worked for many users. In this article, we have listed down every potential fix that could solve the GPS signal issue on your Pokemon Go application, so if you are also one of the victims of the GPS signal issue, then follow this guide.
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How to Fix Pokemon Go GPS Not Found 11 Issue?
Pokemon Go requires an active internet connection along with a stable GPS signal so that it can communicate with its servers and show whichever Pokemons are running around you in real-time. So the GPS signal not working on this application is an absolute bummer. Now there are some known specific reasons for this error. Firstly, the issue could be simple, and your GPS could just be turned off at that time. And you need to manually turn on your device’s GPS if you have any application that requires it. But if you have turned it on, and it is working fine with apps like maps, then the issue could be with permissions. Any applications require the user’s permission to use the GPS, and if your Pokemon Go application does not have it, then it could be the cause of your signal issue.
Another reason why this could happen is that maybe you are using a rooted phone. Android users have the flexibility to root their devices and customize them entirely according to their preferences and taste. But developers of games and applications don’t like it. This is because rooted phones can run specific hacks or exploits that an unrooted phone just cannot. So that is why Pokemon Go might not run on a rooted phone, as the developers are very much concerned about the security of the game.
How to fix this issue on an Android device?
There are a few tricks that you can try to fix this swiftly on your Android device. Try all these fixes one after the other and see which one works out for you.
Restart the device:
As simple as it may sound, restarting an Android device does reset everything on your phone. So if for some reason your application is having issues, then a simple restart might be the fix for it. Restarting an android device works for several software related issues, mainly if you have not performed a reboot of your device in a long time. To do the restart, simply press on your power button for a while, and then you will see the “Restart” option show up on the screen. Tap on it and wait for a few seconds until your device completes its reboot. After that, check whether you face the same issue with Pokemon Go again. If you do, then move on to the next solution.
Turn your airplane off and on:
Turning on airplane mode on the phone temporarily terminates all kinds of network connections. Then turn it off restarts all those connections, and sometimes even fixes some connection issues. Now, this is a basic fix that works for all kinds of network issues on an Android device. So give it a try with your GPS issue on Pokemon Go too.
If these simple tricks did not resolve your issue, then try the next solution.
Disable “Mock Locations”:
Mock location is a setting hidden in the developer options.
- Open “Settings” on your Android device and go to “About Phone.”
- Here tap on the “Build Number” seven times, and you will see a pop up on your screen saying you are now a developer.
- Now go back and in the settings menu look for “Developer Options.” It might be directly on the settings menu, or inside some sort of additional settings section. If you can’t find it and you have the search feature on your settings menu, then just search for it.
- Here in the developer options menu, look for the option “Mock Locations” and make sure it is disabled. If you have an option “Select Mock Location App”, then make sure there are no applications on this list.
Disabling mock locations sorted out the GPS issue for many Pokemon Go players. But if it did not work out for you, then try the next solution.
Reset Location Settings:
One of the most basic fixes that you can try now is turning on your location services, which is equivalent to turning on your GPS.
- Open up “Settings” on your Android device and then tap on “Privacy and Safety.”
- Here you find the option Location. Tap on it and turn it on. Then tap on “Location Mode” or “Location Method” and choose “GPS, WiFi, and Mobile Networks.”
In some devices, you might not find a setting called Privacy and Safety. However, there will be some sort of a security option. Just tap on that and you will find the location setting there. And if you are using a new Android device, then the location setting might appear directly on the settings menu.
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Again, the “Location Mode” or “Location Method” will not appear in all Android devices. For some, turning on the location will automatically set your device to get your location information using the GPS, WiFi, and Mobile Networks. You won’t have a separate option for it. The main thing to remember for those Android users is to turn on the Location, and that will be enough.
Now, if even this trick did not solve your issue, then try the next one mentioned below.
Reset the network setting of your device:
Whenever we witness our devices getting slower, we do a factory reset, which erases all the saved data, and after everything starts again, it is like you are using the device for the first time. Now, this reset feature also comes in handy when your device starts acting unusually. Resetting everything irons out the issue. Now similar to the factory reset, which deletes all the data stored on your device, there is also a network reset on the same menu. Using the network reset option, you can clear out everything that is stored on your device regarding the network services. And this even includes GPS activity.
Open up “Settings” on your Android device.
Open the “General Management” or “System” settings menu, and you will see the “Backup & Reset” option here. Tap on it, and inside it, you will find the option “Network Reset” or “Reset Wifi, mobile & Bluetooth.”
Tap on “Network Reset” or “Reset Wifi, mobile & Bluetooth” and then confirm your action. Once this is complete, the network services on your device will get a full reset, including your GPS service.
Now on some devices, “Backup & Reset” might not be together in the same option but be in two different options. In such a scenario, you will find “Network reset” inside “Reset.”
If even resetting your network services did not fix your issue with Pokemon Go, then try the next solution.
Changing Permissions for Pokemon Go:
As mentioned above, Android applications require permission to access certain features on the device. This includes location permission, camera permission, microphone permission, and more. So if your Pokemon Go application does not have permission to access your location, then this could be the reason behind your issue too.
Open up “Settings” on your Android device.
Tap on “Apps” or “Applications” and scroll through the list of applications on your device till you find Pokemon Go.
Once you find it, tap on it, and inside it, you should see the option “Permissions.” Tap on it.
Here, turn the toggle on for Location and then exit settings. If you are using an Android 1o device, then choose “Allow all the time” or “Allow only while using the App.”
Now try playing Pokemon GO again and see whether the issue is resolved or not. If it still exists, then you should give the next solution a try too.
Improve GPS accuracy:
Now, this is like the best solution to solve the issue. If none of the fixes mentioned above worked for you, then this surely will. By default, the accuracy of our device’s location is set to low. You can improve it or increase it using this method, and this even sorts out the GPS signal issue with Pokemon Go. Many users have reported that this particular trick worked for them. So follow the instructions given below carefully, and your issue should be resolved after this.
Open Pokemon Go on your Android device.
Then go to your location settings menu in Settings and turn off the toggle for “Improve Location Accuracy.” You will find this toggle inside “Google Location Accuracy.” If you don’t have this feature on your device, then simply turn off your location.
Minimize Pokemon Go and then open up Maps on your device. Remember, you should not close down Pokemon Go completely, or this trick won’t work.
Now inside the map application, tap on the small icon that closes in on your exact location at that very moment.
You will see a prompt asking you to improve your GPS accuracy by performing a small movement with your phone. Or you might simply see a prompt asking for your confirmation to access the high accuracy of the location. Tap Yes to this option.
Once the GPS accuracy is improved, go back to your Pokemon Go application. You should not see the GPS signal not found error anymore.
Upgrade Pokemon Go:
If for some reason, you are using an older version of Pokemon Go, then your application will have issues connecting to the server of the game. In that case, try updating Pokemon Go to the latest version.
Now at least one of the tricks mentioned above will fix your GPS signal issue with Pokemon Go on an Android device. But if you are an iPhone or iPad user, then try the fixes mentioned below.
How to fix this issue on an iOS device?
If you see this issue on an iPhone or iPad, then there are some fixes that you can try to resolve this issue. They are quite similar to what we have mentioned already in the Android section. Only the interface would be a bit different here. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Turning on Location Services:
Without GPS, Pokemon Go cannot work correctly. And to use the GPS on your device, you will have to turn it on manually.
Open up the “Settings” app on your device.
Now in the Settings menu, tap on “Privacy.”
Inside it, you will find “Location Services.” Tap on it.
Now make sure to turn on the toggle for “Location services” if it was not already turned on in the first place.
Now below, you will see a list of applications that need your location information. Scroll through that list until you find Pokemon Go, and once you do, just tap on it.
Choose the option “Always” for Pokemon Go here.
Now try opening Pokemon Go again and check if you see the same issue still. If you do, then go to the next solution,
Force Quit Pokemon Go:
Forcefully quitting an application and starting it again refreshes it. It is a simple trick, but you should give it a try if simply turning on location did not work for you.
- Double-tap the home button or scroll up to open the App Switcher.
- Then hold the Pokemon Go app and swipe it off from that screen. This will altogether terminate the application.
Now try starting your application again and see if the same GPS signal issue pops up back. If it does, then try the next fix.
If none of the methods mentioned above worked out for you, then you can try resetting the network configuration of your device. This simply refreshes everything that your device has stored up regarding the network configuration. This trick works for many network issues on an iOS device. And since GPS is also a network service, you should give this a try too.
Open up the “Settings” app on your device.
Now in the Settings menu, tap on “General.”
Inside it, you will find “Reset.” Tap on it and then select “Reset Network Settings” in the next menu.
If even this did not work out for you, then surely, your accuracy is low. So just try the next method, and it should work for you.
Now we have already mentioned this method in the Android section. You can just scroll up, and you will see everything you need to do to improve the accuracy of your GPS. Both iOS and Android are different, but this method works quite similarly to both of them.
Just tap on the icon on Map that closes in on your exact location. When the high accuracy prompt shows up, follow the instruction accurately to turn on high accuracy, and this should solve your GPS signal issue with Pokemon Go.
So we have looked at every possible fix for this issue both for an Android and an iOS device. So one of these fixes will surely sort your GPS issue with the Pokemon Go application. Make sure to comment down below which method among these worked out the issue for you. Also, if you have any questions or feedback, then mention it in the comments, and we will get back to you. Remember to check out our other articles on iPhone tips and tricks, Android tips and tricks, PC tips and tricks, and much more for more useful information.
