My iPhone 7's GPS is not working in any GPS app

Question

Level 1

12 points

My iPhone 7's GPS is not working in any GPS app

I have got my new iPhone 7 last week. Yeaterday was the first day when I tried using Waze to give me directions to an address but it was constantly telling me that it is searching for the GPS signal.

I first thought that it's a problem with Waze so I've reinstalled it, toggled it's Location Services permission on and off, but nothing helped. I've restarted the phone, even restored it (yes. I've waiting around 2 hours to do that 😟 ).

But that didn't work so I thought that maybe Waze is the blame after all. So I've tried Apple Maps and Google Maps too. NONE of them could get my possition. And while my position was "fixed" in Waze, showing me at my home - yeah, Waze is always showing me as being home even though I am in another city - Apple Maps and Google Maps shows my position as jumping around randomly on the map.

I tried resetting my newtwork settings, my privacy settings, all of them. Nothing helped.

Is there maybe someone who has a fix, or do I have to go through the pain and try to get a replacement a week later I first got it? 😟

iPhone 7, iOS 10.0.2

Posted on Oct 1, 2016 7:48 AM

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Answer 1

MoonJ.

Community Specialist

Oct 2, 2016 11:35 AM in response to zeusent

Hi zeusent,

Congratulations on your new iPhone 7! I understand that you have been having some issues with it finding your location in multiple apps. I know it's important to be able to find your way when in a new area, so I'm happy to help.

Before we start, make sure that you have an up to date backup of your data:

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

You've already gotten a good start with the troubleshooting you've gone through. Since you are still having issues, it can help to determine if this is hardware or not by restoring the iPhone as new. This article has the steps to do that:

How to erase your iOS device and then set it up as a new device or restore it from backups - Apple Support

Thanks for using the Apple Support Communities. Cheers!

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Answer 2

Axxou

Level 1

9 points

Oct 2, 2016 12:39 PM in response to zeusent

I have the same problem: the GPS accuracy on my iPhone 7 is really bad.

I used to track my run with Strava with my iPhone 6 and realised it was not working anymore after I get my iPhone 7.

I thought it was the app but noticed other GPS-based apps were not working (Apple Maps, Google Maps, etc.).

Here is a photo of my iPhone 6 (left) compared to my iPhone 7 (right). Same condition (Wi-Fi off), same carrier, same OS version (10.0.2). Look at the horizontal and vertical accuracy, it's as if my iPhone 7 was not receiving any GPS signal (only carriers). I really don't know what's wrong and if it is a software or hardware issue.

I will try to get an appointment at an Apple Store asap.

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Answer 3

zeusent Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 2, 2016 2:00 PM in response to MoonJ.

Hey MoonJ!

Thanks for your reply. Now, as I've mentioned in my 1st post, I did restore my iPhone. Indeed, it was a restore to an iCloud Backup I made minutes prior the restore itself. Do you think it might be helpful to restore it as a new iPhone, thus throwing away all my settings, apps, and content?

And if I do that, then how will ever get my backup data back to my phone after that (I don't want to loose all my contacts, photos, messages, etc)?

Thanks!

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Answer 4

zeusent Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 2, 2016 2:13 PM in response to Axxou

Hey Axxou. It seems like we have the same issue, indeed. Here's a screenshot done with the same app with my iPhone 7:

Unfortunately I have no Apple Store in my country so I have to go through my carrier to get it serviced. I'll try having them checked out tomorrow and if I have any news I'll post them here. Meanwhile if you do anything about it would be awesome if you could let me know.

Thanks!

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Answer 5

norm123

Community Specialist

Oct 2, 2016 2:15 PM in response to zeusent

zeusent,

Thanks for the followup and additional questions. We're happy to help ensure you understand the process before moving forward.

The point of restoring it as new and testing without any of your data on the device is to ensure that we don't carry over any software issues that may be present in your backup.

If you find that your device is working fine when set up as new, then it is likely that something in the backup is causing issues. In this case, it would be best to keep your device set up as new and then sync your data back to the device using iTunes:

Sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iTunes on your computer using USB - Apple Support

Cheers!

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Answer 6

zeusent Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 3, 2016 3:07 AM in response to norm123

So, I've decided to restore my iCloud Backup to an old iPhone that I had lying around which I knew it had no problems with the GPS. After the restore everything went well so I've decided to take my new iPhone 7 to my carrier's point of service. They've concluded that I need a replacement and that the GPS unit in my phone was faulty. Now I have to wait for a new device since they were out of stock of units just like mine.

Thanks all for your help!

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Answer 7

Oct 14, 2016 11:57 AM in response to zeusent

I Had this same issue with my iPhone 7, did all the troubleshooting steps with Apple's phone support and it still didn't work so they gave me a new iPhone 7. I've had it for about a week now and it just started again. I don't know what else to do.

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Answer 8

zeusent Author

Level 1

12 points

Oct 14, 2016 12:09 PM in response to Nodnarb88

Oh man, that *****... I had to wait 2 weeks for my replacement to come in. I just got it today. I hope that it won't start all over again 😟 I find it weird that so many people have this problem but there is no report about it.

I do hope your will come back to life or that you get another replacement soon which won't do that anymore.

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Answer 9

jnobile

Level 1

4 points

Oct 27, 2016 2:42 PM in response to Axxou

Hey Axxou, did Apple resolve your problem and get you a new phone? I am having the same issue here and sent it into Apple..They are sending it back saying they couln't find an issue with the phone. None of my GPS apps work...they use cellular location only. My iphone6 works perfectly. I may have to pitch a fit in the store I guess....

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Answer 10

Oct 27, 2016 3:25 PM in response to jnobile

I Called Apple's phone support techs and went through their troubleshooting steps so they had it on record that I was having an issue (the steps are a pain in the neck.) Then when that didn't work they told me to go to the store and I got a new phone. It worked for a week, then didn't work for a week, and now it seems to be working. Don't know if that helps, but that's what happened to me.

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Answer 11

pandalou

Level 1

8 points

Oct 27, 2016 3:54 PM in response to Nodnarb88

Hi,

I'm having the same problems since I updated to the IOS 10.0.3 last week and have had a week of trouble shooting with Apple support which has got nowhere. I will have to contact them again tomorrow as the last full restore and new update 10.1 haven't worked. From the list of comments on here, I'm guessing nothing will work and I'm probably better requesting a new phone, despite the fact that apple support said there is nothing wrong with the handset, following a diagnostic thing they did over the phone - they assured me it was an issue with Apple software.

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Answer 12

Guebei1

Level 1

11 points

Nov 5, 2016 8:21 AM in response to zeusent

Hi

GPS reading signal on iPhone 7 and 7 s is very noisy also with any running app compare to the iPhone 6.

The distance on the iPhone 7 is 15% up to 20% longer than the real distance.

The data acquisition is reading the noise.

until now there is no solution.

so the I phone 7/s is not usable for distance recording.

regards guenther.

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Answer 13

Nov 17, 2016 3:46 AM in response to Guebei1

I've got an exchange for my iPhone 7 twice, but it's the same with the third phone: It's unusable with any running app (I've tried Strava, Runkeeper and iSmoothRun), recording up to 20% longer for long runs, and even 40-50% longer for walks in town. I've verified this with three different phones, and by carrying both an iPhone 6 and an iPhone 7 on the same walk.

I hope this can be fixed in software, otherwise my new iPhone 7 is basically a brick to me, correct GPS tracking when running is essential to me. And here I thought the iPhone 7 would be better suited for running than the iPhone 6 because of the water resistance 😟

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