Geolocation stopped working on my iPad

Geolocation stopped working. All settings are enabled, Wi-Fi is stable, but geolocation does not work.



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPad Air, iPadOS 18

Posted on May 30, 2025 1:33 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 30, 2025 1:44 AM

I'd make an educated guess that you have a WiFi Only model iPad - and not a WiFi+Cellular model...


Only WiFi+Cellular models of iPad have GNSS/GPS capabilities - this being a function of the iPad Cellular chipset. WiFi Only models of iPad have no GPS capabilities with which iPad Location Services can derive location. This fundamental difference may significantly impact your ability to use mapping or other Apps that require accurate/precise location data - in particular if real-time positioning (e.g., a moving map) is required.


WiFi Only iPad models can only “infer” their location from a database lookup of neighbouring WiFi networks for which the geographic location is known, or the geographic location of your public IP address. For static applications in urban locations, where the location of IP public IP addresses and WiFi networks are known, an “inferred” location can be relatively accurate. However, in rural locations, or when using a Cellular/Satellite/VPN connection, location accuracy of an inferred location [if it works at all] may be very inaccurate.



6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 30, 2025 1:44 AM in response to Komatozzz

I'd make an educated guess that you have a WiFi Only model iPad - and not a WiFi+Cellular model...


Only WiFi+Cellular models of iPad have GNSS/GPS capabilities - this being a function of the iPad Cellular chipset. WiFi Only models of iPad have no GPS capabilities with which iPad Location Services can derive location. This fundamental difference may significantly impact your ability to use mapping or other Apps that require accurate/precise location data - in particular if real-time positioning (e.g., a moving map) is required.


WiFi Only iPad models can only “infer” their location from a database lookup of neighbouring WiFi networks for which the geographic location is known, or the geographic location of your public IP address. For static applications in urban locations, where the location of IP public IP addresses and WiFi networks are known, an “inferred” location can be relatively accurate. However, in rural locations, or when using a Cellular/Satellite/VPN connection, location accuracy of an inferred location [if it works at all] may be very inaccurate.



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Geolocation stopped working on my iPad

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