If your GPS camera app is stuck on “Wait for GPS…”, shows an old location, or prints the wrong address, the cause is almost always one of the settings below. Work through them in order — most people are fixed by step 3.
The 9 fixes
- Turn on Location. Pull down the quick settings and make sure Location is on.
- Give the app location permission. Settings → Apps → GPS Map Camera → Permissions → Location → Allow only while using the app.
- Switch on “Use precise location”. On Android 12+, the same permission screen has this toggle. Without it, the phone gives an approximate position that can be a kilometre off.
- Go outside or near a window. GPS needs a view of the sky. Basements, metal roofs and dense buildings block it. In GPS Map Camera, “Old location — move to open sky” means the last good fix is stale.
- Wait 10–30 seconds. The first fix after a long time, or after travelling far, takes longer. Keep the app open.
- Turn off battery saver for the app. Settings → Apps → GPS Map Camera → Battery → Unrestricted. Power saving can pause location updates.
- Turn on Wi-Fi and mobile data. Even without a Wi-Fi network, scanning helps the phone find its position faster. Data is needed for the address and map.
- Check airplane mode and mock location. Airplane mode can switch GPS off on some phones. If you ever enabled a “mock location” app in Developer options, turn it off.
- Restart the phone. It resets a stuck location service more often than you’d think.
Still not working?
Open Google Maps: if it can’t find your position either, the problem is the phone’s GPS, not the camera app. If Maps works and GPS Map Camera doesn’t, send us a message from the app (Settings → Send feedback) — we answer every ticket — or see Support.
Once the fix is good, the guide How to take geo-tagged photos covers accuracy tips for rooftops and sites.
FAQ
Why does my GPS camera show the wrong address?
Usually the location is approximate (precise location is off) or old (no fresh fix indoors). Turn on precise location, step outside and wait for a fresh fix. The address comes from a map lookup, so on rare streets it can name a nearby road even when the coordinates are right.
Does the GPS camera need mobile data?
Not for coordinates and time — GPS works offline. Mobile data speeds up the first fix and is needed for the street address, map and weather.