GPS or Global Positioning System allows the user to track his/her location on a map using apps like Google Maps or others. You can also check out the coolest restaurants, movie theatres, destinations, or route to the destination you want to go and much more. Nowadays, more and more people are relying on GPS rather than asking someone or getting wrong directions from others or any other reasons. You just need to turn on GPS on your phone and track your location, it’s that easy. But what if the GPS is not working? In this extract, we are tackling the Alcatel GPS problem that hundreds of users have complained about and the question arises, how to fix it?
How To Fix Alcatel GPS Problem?
Method #1: Turn off the phone
GPS not working? Why don’t you turn off the phone? It is possible that when you turned on GPS, it didn’t start due to some software glitch during the startup and it’s annoying when something like this happens. In such case, you can simply reboot the device and check if you can turn on and access GPS on your phone.
Method #2: Toggle Location aka GPS
Reboot didn’t work? Tap on the GPS or Location icon on your phone and then tap on it again to turn it off. Repeat the same for few times and this must be enough to kickstart the GPS service on your phone by forcing the GPS to commence.
Method #3: Toggle Flight Mode
Although the underlying explanation on how and why these method works is still a question but many users have found it useful to toggle the flight or airplane mode on your device to kickstart GPS. This involves toggling the flight mode ON and keep it active for 10 to 20 seconds and then, turn it off. This must restore any temporary glitch and must allow the users to access GPS right above.
Method #4: Remove obstacles
GPS works on radio waves emitted and received by the GPS antenna to and fro satellites and cell towers as smartphones use AGPS which involved signals from the latter too. But when there is any obstacle or interference between the antenna and the cell towers which could be many, the signal is disrupted and the results shown on your screen might differ greatly. You can use this method to get accurate results if you have been getting inaccurate results due to interference. Simply move towards windows or say open spaces. But firstly, you need to get rid of the phone case that might be the culprit. You can remove it and check the GPS service to figure out if its the culprit or not.
Method #5: Check the power saving mode
Power saving mode is a phenomenal app on your smartphone as it enables the user to save energy that would otherwise be used by apps that will drain the battery sooner than usual. But the catch is, when the power saving mode is enabled, it also turns off wifi and GPS and other features since these require high-energy. Check if the GPS problem that you are facing is due to power saving mode or not. You can turn it off to check if the GPS is available and working properly or not.
Method #6: Change the GPS Settings
Many people search the internet in order to understand how to fix the Alcatel GPS problem as it either shows an inaccurate or incorrect location. You can fix the same by heading towards the Settings » Location. Now, tick all the box that allows users to utilize GPS satellites and other services in order to strengthen GPS signal. Further, they need to choose the ‘High Accuracy’ Mode under Settings » Location » Mode which although required higher input from the battery, but it also relieves the user for his/her GPS problem by providing more accurate results on the go.
Method #7: Clear App cache
Cache files are bits of data files that are stored by the system with information on user’s last session on the phone. But when these cache files get corrupted or damaged in any form, they cause blunders and issues like performance anxiety in smartphones, the phone gets slower, the screen begins to freeze or flicker or the services such as wifi and GPS begins to be affected and thus, it must be dealt with soon when the signs of these issues are visible.
You are required to clear cache memory of Google Maps and GPS app on your phone in order to tweak the GPS to work properly. You can go to Settings » Apps and find these two apps and clear the cache files to get rid of it. Another way you can get rid of cache files from your phone is to clear it by going to the Settings » Storage » Cache Memory.
Method #8: Wipe Cache Partition
This particular solution will delete cache partition which is residual cache files. For this, you need to slide into the recovery mode for which, the entire procedure is as followed. Firstly, you need to turn off the phone and wait for a few seconds. Now, press the power button and volume Up button together and don’t release it until you see an Android logo on the screen or the menu to boot into various modes where you can select ‘Recovery Mode’. Here, you can use volume buttons to scroll the menu and power button to select. Choose the option ‘wipe cache partition’ and then, ‘Yes’ and that’s all.
Method #9: GPS Status and Toolbox App
The app available on Play Store is an all-in-one app that lets the user visit Google Maps, calibrate the compass, check if the satellites are intercepting signals with the device or not. This app which helps you find the culprit causing this Alcatel GPS problem on your phone where if the satellites are shown on the screen, it is possibly a software issue if the GPS isn’t working. On the contrary, if it fails to find any satellites and display it on the screen, the GPS antenna or other hardware related to the GPS is damaged or any object is causing interference in the signal.
Method #10: Enter the Safe Mode
Safe mode is a diagnostic mode that enables the developers and users to narrow down the affected apps which could be either a third party or the bloatware or pre-installed apps.
Method #11: Uninstall unwanted apps
There are millions of apps available on Google Play Store and people usually download a bunch of apps to use of which, many are those that they will never use or even check it out. These are unwanted apps which lie dormant on the system which consuming the resources which could otherwise be used for useful apps like GPS. You need to narrow down the apps on your phone by curtailing those which aren’t required. You can disable the bloatware which isn’t easy to uninstall by users.
Method #12: Update Google Maps and the Android OS
You need to keep a tab on the available updates for both Google Maps and the Andriod firmware and keep it updated to ensure there are no bugs or errors which is a common case with outdated apps. Grab the information on available Android software updates at Settings » About Phone » Software Updates. To check for any app updates, go to the Play Store and slide into the option ‘My apps and games’ to check out the list of available updates.
Method #13: Reset the device
Note that resetting the phone will wipe off all the data stored on your phone permanently. Before proceeding with it, check if you need any data and take a backup. Then, follow the given procedure to reset the phone into its original factory settings. Switch off the phone. Press the power button and volume up button together and hold it. Release the keys when an Android logo is displayed on the screen or when a menu prompting the user to choose the options to boot into where you need to select ‘Recovery Mode’. You are required to scroll down the menu and select ‘wipe data/factory reset’ and then, confirm and set the method in motion. The system will reset by itself and then, you are required to reboot it and check it out if the GPS problem is sort or not.
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