iPhone Location Services Not Working: 8 Fixes to Help
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iPhone Location Services Not Working: 8 Fixes to Help

Are the location services not working on iPhone X, 11, 8, 7, or any other model? Read on and learn how to fix location services not working on iPhone in 8 ways.
author of this article Sep 07,2020 / Posted by Felix Baynham

"Someone please help as my iPhone X GPS is not working. I have tried using all the navigation apps, but my Google Maps or Waze GPS is not working on iPhone X anymore!"

This is a query recently posted by a concerned iPhone user who was facing issues with the location services on the device. Ideally, it doesn't matter if you own an iPhone 5s or X, the location services not working is a common issue that can happen on any phone. There could be all sorts of network, firmware, or even hardware issues behind this. Thankfully, the iPhone location services not working can easily be fixed by implementing some tricks that I have listed in this guide.

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Part 1: iPhone Location Services not Working: Why We Cannot Ignore This?

If the location services are not working on your iPhone X, 11, 8, or any other model, then you should be alarmed. The wrong GPS can alter the working of several applications and affect you in the following ways.

  • GPS apps like Google Maps or Waze would not work. Therefore, you won't be able to find the right directions to any place.
  • It will also not let you share your current location with others, which can backfire in an emergency.
  • Apart from maps, other prominent apps like Weather, AR games, dating apps, etc. would not work properly.
  • As a result, the Find My iPhone app might also stop working. This will make it harder for you to locate your lost iPhone.
  • If you use apps like Lyft, Uber Eats, Zomato, etc. then you won't be able to order cabs or food easily.
  • You will not get location-based notifications properly or they might disappear altogether.
  • Other paired devices like AirPods, Apple Watch, etc. might not be able to match with your iPhone.

Part 2: 8 Fixes to Deal with iPhone Location Services not Working

To help you fix the iPhone 7/8/X/11 location services not working issues, you can consider following these helpful suggestions.

Fix 1: Manually Fix your iPhone Location

If a minor issue has caused the iPhone X GPS not working issue, then you can fix it by using dr.fone - Virtual Location (iOS). It will help you correct your iPhone location manually via its user-friendly interface. Besides that, you can also use the application to spoof your location to wherever you want or even simulate your movement from one spot to another. It works smoothly with every leading iPhone model and does not need any jailbreak access as well. Just download the tool and follow these steps to fix the iPhone location services not working problem.

Step 1. Firstly, launch the dr.fone toolkit and from its home, you can just open the "Virtual Location" module.

drfone home

Step 2. Connect your iPhone to the system, trust the computer, and click on the "Get Started" button after agreeing to the terms of the application.

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Step 3. Now, the application will automatically detect your present location and would display it on the map. If not, you can click on the "Center On" button to mark your location correctly.

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Step 4. If your location won't get correct even now, then you can manually go to your present location. For this, click on the "Teleport Mode" (the 3rd option from the top-right corner) and enter your location in the search bar.

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Step 5. On the map, you can further move the pin and zoom in/out to place your location correctly. Once you have got your location right, just click on the "Move Here" button.

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Step 6. That's it! This will automatically change the present location of your iPhone to the specified one. You can now launch the Map application on your iPhone to check your present location as well.

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Fix 2: Update the iPhone Firmware

When was the last time you updated your iPhone's firmware? Well, if the iOS version running on your device has been outdated or corrupted, then it can cause issues like iPhone X GPS not working.

Step 1. To fix this, you can just unlock your device and go to its Settings > General > Software Update.

Step 2. Here, you can view the profile of the latest stable iOS firmware version. Just tap on the "Download and Install" button here to get the update.

Step 3. Now, maintain a stable internet connection, and wait as your iPhone updates.

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Fix 3: Fix Location Issues with Specific Apps

Apart from general firmware issues, there could be a problem with specific apps installed on your device as well. For instance, an outdated app or restricted settings can cause the iPhone 5s location services not working. To fix this problem, I would recommend these specific suggestions.

Step 1. Firstly, go to your device's Settings > Privacy > Location Services to view all the apps that can access your location. You can further tap on any app and make sure that you have granted it the permission to access the location services.

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Step 2. Besides that, you can consider updating the malfunctioning app by visiting the App Store. For example, if Waze GPS is not working on iPhone X, then go to its App Store page and update it. You can tap on the "Update" tab on the App Store to view the available upgrades for your installed apps.

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Step 3. In some apps, you also get an option to manually correct your location. In WeChat, you can go to Profile > Region and select your present location. Also, if you use Bumble, then you can write to their technical support to correct your location.

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Fix 4: Make Sure That Location and Cellular Data/WiFi are Enabled

Needless to say, if the iPhone location services are not working on your device, then you need to ensure that all the settings are marked correctly. If you are away from the home network, then the cellular data services should be enabled.

Step 1. For a fast access, you can just go to iPhone's Control Center (by swiping up the home screen) and make sure the options for GPS, WiFi, etc. are turned on.

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Step 2. Apart from that, you can also go to the specific settings on your iPhone to turn these services on. Just go to its Settings > Privacy > Location Services and make sure it is enabled.

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Step 3. You can also go to your iPhone's WiFi settings and make sure you are connected to a stable connection. Similarly, go to its Settings > Cellular to turn on the Cellular Data option. Furthermore, make sure that the Low Data mode is switched off to avoid GPS issues.

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Fix 5: Turn On and Off the Airplane Mode

Sometimes, even a minor thing can help you fix the location services not working on iPhone X problem. You might already know that the Airplane Mode can automatically disable all the network connections on your device. Once we reset it, we can also fix issues like the iPhone X GPS not working issue.

Step 1. You can just swipe up the home screen, go to the Control Center, and tap on the Airplane icon to turn it on.

Step 2. Afterward, wait for a while, and again tap on the Airplane icon to disable it.

Step 3. If you want, you can also go to your device's Settings to first turn it on and disabling it after a while.

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Fix 6: Restart iPhone and Calibrate the Map

Another smart way to fix the location services not working on iPhone X would include a simple restart. Once your phone restarts, you can calibrate the accuracy of the map to further fix it.

Step 1. Firstly, just long-press the Power (wake/sleep) button on your device to get the Power slider. Swipe it on the right to power off your iPhone now.

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Step 2. Now, long-press the Power button again to switch on your device and launch Maps or Google Maps on your phone.

Step 3. Tap on the center button to further calibrate your location. If you want, you can also move your phone in the inverted-8 direction to further fix its accuracy.

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Fix 7: Reset Network or All Settings on iPhone

If you think that a change in your phone's settings has caused the iPhone location services not working, then this would be an ideal fix. In most of the cases, resetting the network settings would be able to fix it. Otherwise, you can reset all settings to further diagnose the problem.

Step 1. Simply unlock your device and go to its Settings > General > Reset to get various options to reset your phone.

Step 2. At first, tap on the "Reset Network Settings" option and confirm your choice.

Step 3. If that won't fix it, then tap on the "Reset All Settings" option and enter your phone's passcode to confirm it. The device will automatically be restarted with factory settings now.

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Fix 8: Make sure that Date, Time, and Time Zone are Correct

Last, but most importantly, you should ensure that the present date and time settings on your iPhone are marked correctly. If you have just restarted your device or there is an issue with its battery, then it can mark the date or time incorrectly, causing the iPhone X GPS not working problem.

Step 1. To fix it, just go to your phone's Settings > General > Date and Time and make sure it is marked correctly.

Step 2. To make things easier for you, you can just turn on the option to set the date and time automatically.

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Step 3. Furthermore, you can also tap on the Time Zone option and enter your present location to correct your time zone.

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That's a wrap, everyone! I'm sure that after reading this guide, you would be able to fix the location services not working on iPhone X/11/8/7 or other models. The easiest way to mark your location correctly would be by using a reliable application like dr.fone - Virtual Location (iOS). Additionally, there are a few other fixes that I have implemented to fix the iPhone X GPS not working. Feel free to give them a try and let me know in the comments below if you were able to fix the iPhone location services not working issue or not.