How do I improve my GPS location accuracy?

In this article, learn how to troubleshoot and improve the accuracy of GPS coordinates captured by your mobile device.

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Overview

This guide will help you to reset your GPS Data Cache which will allow your device to capture new GPS coordinates. 

Topics include:

Android Devices

Deleting GPS Cache
Calibrating Device Compass (when supported)
Validating GPS Coordinates Captured in the Mobile App

iOS Devices

Additional Reasons Why GPS Locations May Be Inaccurate

Android Devices

Deleting GPS Cache

1. Download and open the “GPS Status & Toolbox” app from the Google Play store.
2. Tap on the screen to show the 3 lines at the top left of the screen.
3. Tap the 3 lines.
4. Tap “Manage A-GPS State”
5. Tap “Reset”
6. Close the app

Calibrating Device Compass (when supported)

1. Download and open the “GPS Essentials” app from the Google Play store.
2. Tap Compass
3. Pick up your device and rotate it vertically three times, while keeping the phone flat. Make sure you do this slowly.
4. Next, flip your device from front to back vertically three times.
5. Finally, flip your device horizontally three times from front to back.

Once finished, your device should be noticeably more accurate when capturing GPS information.

Validating GPS Coordinates Captured in the Mobile App

1. Begin a process that includes a Capture GPS Location step.

2. When the GPS Location step captures the Latitude and Longitude, write these numbers down.

3. Open Google Maps on the mobile device / phone.  You should see a blue dot at your current location. 

4. Touch and hold the blue dot.  A red pin will appear at or near the blue dot.  When this happens, the current Lat/Long will appear at the top of the screen in the search bar. 

5. Compare the GPS coordinates from Google Maps with the GPS coordinates from the GPS location step in the Idencia mobile app.  

NOTE:  The GPS location step in the Idencia mobile app will display 3 decimal places, but 7 decimal places are actually being saved.  You will only be able to compare the first 3 decimal places with Google Maps.

iOS Devices

Below is a link to an open source article with both simple and advanced steps you can take to improve the GPS accuracy of your iOS device.

Low GPS accuracy? Let's fix it!

Additional Reasons Why GPS Locations May Be Inaccurate

Many things can degrade GPS positioning accuracy. Common causes include:

• Satellite signal blockage due to buildings, bridges, trees, etc.
  Indoor or underground use
  Signals reflected off buildings or walls ("multipath")

Far less common causes may include:

• Radio interference or jamming
• Major solar storms
• Satellite maintenance/maneuvers creating temporary gaps in coverage
• Improperly designed devices that do not comply with GPS Interface Specifications

In many cases, a device's GPS hardware is working fine, but its mapping software is faulty. For example, users are often misled by:

• Incorrectly drawn maps
• Mislabeled businesses and other points of interest
• Missing roads, buildings, communities, etc.
• Incorrectly estimated street addresses

Here is a great article from GPS.GOV that provides great information on common GPS location issues:

https://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/