How to Fix Samsung Galaxy S9 GPS issues

A quick look at your Samsung Galaxy S9 or the S9+ smartphone will confirm that it’s an impressive, premium device in every respect. Similar to many Android phones that come across software issues now and then, there are some in these phones too and here is how to fix Samsung Galaxy S9 GPS issues. Wireless connectivity issues, be it your Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS are usually related to one another. If you have more than just the global tracking problem, these methods could help you fix them all at once.

See also: How To Fix Samsung Galaxy S9 Battery Life Issues

How to fix Samsung Galaxy S9 GPS Issues

Method 1: Increase the Accuracy of your GPS System

Before you move on to more in-depth developer mode solutions or doing a hard reset for your phone, start with the basics. Increasing the accuracy of your GPS system is the first and foremost thing anyone should try, as it could solve your problem quickly.

1. Head to the Settings page on your Galaxy device
2. Scroll to find the option; Location
3. Tap to open the Location menu
4. Find High Accuracy Mode and turn it on so that it could start receiving better signals

Method 2: Toggle Your GPS Off and Switch it Back On

The method might sound really simple to attempt but trust us, you should definitely do it. A lot of things can be solved when you restart them and wireless connectivity is always on the top of the list.

1. Go to the Settings page
2. Scroll to find the option named GPS or Location
3. Switch it off and give it a couple of minutes and switch it back on
4. Alternatively, you can simply swipe down to get the notification bar on your Galaxy S9 device to toggle GPS off and then bring it back on

Method 3: Toggle Airplane Mode On and Switch it Off Again

Yet another simplistic solution to your GPS problem. The Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ users have continuously dropped complaints that the phones don’t work as intended with connectivity issues. Whether you have Wi-Fi or GPS issue doesn’t matter because this solution could work either way to fix it.

1. Swipe down the notification bar
2. Locate the Airplane Mode icon
3. Tap to switch it on and all your connectivity will immediately be turned off
4. Let it off for a couple of minutes
5. Tap on Airplane mode button again and switch all connectivity back on

Once you have followed and completed the steps, switch on your location sharing feature and check if it works. You will probably use it mostly on apps like Google Maps, WhatsApp, Uber or other services which requires location detection. The problem can also pertain to a particular app for which the steps are provided below for you to solve.

Method 4: Clear GPS Cache on Apps that Use Location Sharing

Majority of popular apps use location sharing and require a fully functioning GPS to work efficiently. They often tend to misbehave if there are other third-party apps that are meddling with the settings or may not work if the information stored in the cache is conflicting with newer software updates being rolled out by the developer.

1. Open the Settings page on your Galaxy S9 smartphone
2. Tap to open the option that says App or App Manager
3. Scroll to find apps like Google Maps and WhatsApp that use the GPS location tracking system
4. Once you find them, tap to open it inside which you will find an option named Clear Cache
5. Activate the feature so that all saved location and additional files are deleted

When you clear cache in specific apps, it will not delete the data you have stored in those apps or the files that are saved locally on your phone. Rather, it will only remove those system files stored in Cache memory to speed up the app’s response time and to reduce download data.

Clear the cache on all apps if you like to and restart your smartphone to be on the safer side. Wait for everything to load fresh. When the process is ongoing, it’s better to be on a Wi-Fi network or a stable 4G connection as your Galaxy S9 Plus phone might have to download files again, in order to work efficiently. Check if GPS works properly now.

Method 5: Factory Reset Your Phone and Check How GPS Works Before Installing Apps

Most common wireless connectivity and performance issues are caused by rogue third-party apps. If you frequently install many new apps and updates are being rolled out to existing programs, chances are high that they could be causing some issue. Factory reset is possibly the last resort, but it doesn’t hurt doing it much earlier, especially if you already have most of your data saved on the cloud.

1. Make sure your photos, messages and passwords are all saved on the cloud or with other third-party apps like Evernote, LastPass
2. Backup your data by going to apps, Settings and Cloud Accounts
3. Choose Backup and Restore option to back up your data
4. Open Settings
5. Head to General Management and Open Factory Data Reset
6. Tap on reset to continue and your phone will be wiped clean
7. If it requests your password, fingerprint or pattern, provide it before the reset process can be completed

After factory resetting your phone; which should be now as good as new, restart and check if GPS works fine. This is one of the most preferred how to fix Samsung Galaxy S9 GPS issues solution for this problem and it does work for most users.

Method 6: Make Sure Your SIM Card is Properly Placed and is Not Damaged

A small damage or a chipped off spot on your SIM card could affect the network connectivity or GPS capability of your Galaxy S9 Plus smartphone.

1. Use the SIM ejector tool provided with your Samsung Galaxy S9 to pop out the tray
2. Be extra careful when you do so to avoid damaging the phone’s metal surface or the tray itself
3. Remove the SIM out of the tray and check if it has any signs of damage
4. You can also try using a friend’s SIM or any other card to check if GPS works fine. If it does, the problem lies with your SIM and you should probably get a replacement
5. Put your own SIM back in the track and gently insert it into the Galaxy S9 phone
6. Switch on your device and check whether the problem has been solved

Method 7: Remove the Case, Accessories and Check in an Open Environment

An immediate and easy solution to check if your Samsung phone is working fine or not is to remove any third-party case that you might have applied over it. In order to protect their phones, most users would immediately buy the most stylish or the most rugged case that they could find online. While it is not a bad choice to do so, sometimes the material used in the case could be affecting your GPS.

1. Switch off your phone and remove the case it has
2. Remove any other accessories you have attached to your phone such as a metal ring or anything that could cause trouble
3. Move to an open location which is not your home or office hidden by walls
4. Try switching on the phone and the GPS to check if it works without any interruption
5. Use the function for a couple of minutes or at least an hour to confirm if it works

If your phone works totally fine, it is your third-party case that could have been causing the problem all along. It’s time to stop using it and buy a new one. You could even use the phone without a case at all, as the Galaxy S9 is one of the robust models and could easily withstand a small drop or a water splash.

Method 8: Update Your Phone and Apps to the Latest Software Version

Software updates are being rolled out like a chugging train these days as developers are busy fixing bugs, rolling out new features and making sure everything works fine. While the Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus may receive Android updates occasionally, it is essential that you install them all immediately, as soon as they are out. Similarly, updates rolled out for Google Maps, WhatsApp and other location-based apps should be done as soon as possible.

1. Tap to open Settings
2. Go to About Phone
3. Download Updates Manually and let your phone check for new updates
4. Install the updates if any
5. Now, visit the Google Play Store and Open Google Maps as well as other apps you might use
6. If it shows an Update button, make sure to install them and check your GPS one more time to see if it works fine

Conclusion

The final option would be to take your Samsung Galaxy S9 device to an authorized service center to get it fixed or get a replacement, in case the problem lies with the hardware. By combining all these methods, you should be able to know how to fix Samsung Galaxy S9 GPS issues and get your phone running great. After all, with such a cool design, kickass hardware, there’s hardly an equivalent available. All you need is to fix the GPS issue and your phone will be amazing to use every day.