How to take geo-tagged photos on Android

Short answer: install a GPS camera app such as GPS Map Camera, allow precise location, wait until the GPS status shows a good fix, and take the photo. The latitude, longitude, address, date and time are drawn on the picture and also saved in the file’s EXIF data.

What you need

• An Android phone with GPS (every modern smartphone has it).
• A GPS camera app — the steps below use GPS Map Camera, which is free and has no ads.
• A view of the sky for the first fix. Mobile data helps the fix arrive faster and is needed for the street address and map.

Step by step

1. Install and open the app. Get GPS Map Camera from Google Play. On first launch it asks what you will use it for — pick Site visit, Attendance, Delivery proof or Survey and the stamp is set up for you.
2. Allow camera and precise location. On Android 12 and newer, choose Precise, not Approximate, or the coordinates can be off by a kilometre or more.
3. Wait for “Ready”. The chip at the top of the camera turns green and shows the accuracy, for example “Ready ±4 m”. If it says “Wait for GPS…” or “Old location — move to open sky”, step outside or near a window for a few seconds.
4. Take the photo. Press the shutter or a volume key. The stamp — map, address, coordinates, date and time — is drawn onto the photo, which is saved to the GPS Camera album.

Need a different coordinate format for a form? Tap the coordinates on the camera screen to switch between decimal degrees, DMS, DDM, UTM, MGRS and Plus Codes.

Getting an accurate fix

• Go outside or to a window. Roofs and concrete block GPS signals. Rooftops and open ground give the best accuracy.
• Give it a few seconds. The first fix after opening the app can take 5–30 seconds; mobile data and Wi-Fi speed it up.
• Turn off battery saver for the app. Aggressive power saving can delay location updates.
• Use the accuracy gate. In Settings you can make the app warn you, or refuse to take the photo, when accuracy is worse than a limit such as 20 m.

Still not getting a location? Work through our 9 fixes.

Checklist before you submit

• The subject is clearly visible, and the stamp doesn’t cover it — use “Below the photo” if it might.
• The address and coordinates match the place you are reporting.
• The date and time are right (the app warns when the phone clock looks wrong).
• The portal’s own rules are met — some government schemes require their official app, so check before you upload.

FAQ

Can I take geo-tagged photos without internet?

Yes. GPS works without mobile data, so the coordinates, date and time are stamped offline. The street address and map need a connection.

Does the normal Android camera geotag photos?

Most Android cameras can save the location inside the photo file (EXIF) if “Save location” is on, but they don’t print it on the picture. Offices that ask for a geo-tagged photo usually want the location visible on the image.

How accurate is a geo-tagged photo?

As accurate as the phone’s GPS fix — typically 3–10 metres outdoors with a clear sky, worse indoors. GPS Map Camera shows the accuracy and can print it on the stamp.