Location GPS not working during navigation - iPhone 17 Pro

Just thought I would report back, have been using iOS 26.1 for a couple of days now on my iPhone 17Pro and gps seems to be working fine again.

I have a new 17pro max 2T with eSim, never dropped the phone, never gone into water either. Having the same problem with weak GPS signal, causing problem with map navigation. I've tried everything I can including updating software, restart, turning on and off airplane mode, location button, precise location button, wifi, reinstall the apps, network reset, reset the phone, removing phone case, installing different sim cards, dial *3001#12345#* to have a complete network signal table, ... nothing worked out. So, at last, I went to Apple genius bar to replace a new PCB Circuitry Board (they refused to replace a new phone), and I went to service provider and replace a physical sim card (though they say it's the same), and now, the phone is working with all maps. Having to pay the money, and still have to go through all these is ridiculous ... !

All very well, but DO YOU HAVE WI-FI TURNED ON ALL THE TIME! If you don’t navigation will be very spotty.

After years of using Android, I switched to iPhone, and it is so disappointing to see how poorly it is now that I have to restart my phone to restore GPS navigation. It happens all the time while I am driving, and all of a sudden, it freezes, and nothing works. The only solution was to turn the phone off and on again. All other devices work fine except my iPhone.

Please do not write comments about having clear skies or etc. to get a proper GPS signal. I know that, and I am comparing different devices in the same condition and place. This is something I have never seen and expected.

Bradley, do you happen to know if the iPhone 12 was still on iOS 18?

I think all the evidence here points to this being a problem that started with iOS 26 or 26.0.1 and has nothing to do with the specific iPhone model (other than the fact that the iPhone 17 series shipped with iOS 26). I’m having these exact symptoms with my 13 Mini and it only started around the time I updated to iOS 26. My friend’s 13 Pro still on iOS 18 is fine.

However, if your friend’s iPhone 12 was on iOS 26.0.1 or higher and GPS was working fine then my theory goes out the window.

For GPS to work correctly out-of-doors you need to have a clear view of the sky in all directions. Things like tinted windshields can block GPS signals, for example. In addition, GPS accuracy will be better if you have Wi-Fi turned on, even if not connected to a Wi-Fi network. Where the sky is obscured by tall buildings or thick foliage, or indoors, it is essential to have Wi-Fi turned on.

Also, go to Settings/Privacy & Security and make sure Location Services is turned on, and also the switches for whichever navigation app you are using is turned on.

You can check GPS coverage by downloading the free GPSdiagnostic app from the app store; it will show the signal strength for all satellites that the phone can “see” when out-of-doors. It should show a minimum of 3 satellites, and preferably 4 or more for greatest accuracy.

Greg Peabody wrote:

Short story we’re stuck with this until an update fixes it. Everyone is having the same issue despite service signal/ app being used, only temporary resolve is to restart the phone. Dear Apple we buy your products for reliability …fyi.

No, everyone is NOT having the same issue. Everyone is millions of users, and if millions of users have a problem you would see thousands of posts about it and news stories on every tech news site.

And this is a user-to-user forum, not “dear Apple”.

Perhaps a long shot:

Do you have a 3rd party VPN installed, even if you are not using it? If so, delete the VPN profile in Settings/General/VPN & Device Management/VPN, then restart your device. Don't just turn it off; delete the profile. If that fixes it, you can try reinstalling VPN, but probably shouldn't.

I contacted Apple support yesterday, and they suggested upgrading to ISO 26.1.

I didn't see any issues after the update.

For all you folks whose previous phones were working fine, I'd really like to know which iOS version the older phones were running. Had they been updated to iOS 26.x or were they still on iOS 18? If the latter, can you try updating them to iOS 26 and see if they start exhibiting these GPS problems?

This would really help nail down whether this is hardware or software issue.

For example, in my household we have an iPhone XS and two iPhone 13 series phones, only one of which is updated to iOS 26. And that's the only one exhibiting these issues, in side-by-side testing in the same car at the same time, on the same carrier. And that phone had no problems before updating to iOS 26. This points strongly to it being an iOS 26 bug and not just an iPhone 17 series issue. But a larger sample size would be nice to have.

its definitely an iOS 26 issue even after swapping devices and going back to a 15 the main constant is the new update basically breaking gps navigation or at the very least occasionally charting it off course like 100 ft in some random direction or just stopping completely and showing as if you aren’t moving

If this is in a vehicle, does it have tinted windows? Do you have a magnetic case on the iPhone? Does the iPhone have a clear view of the sky through the windshield?

Have you checked GPS strength outside (and inside) the car, with an app like GPSDiagnostic (in the app store)?

Updated my phone to 26.1 and the gps seems to be working fine now.

I have the exactly same issue. What version of iOS are you running? Do you have the problem in Carplay?

I’m on 26.1 RC and noticed the issue 2-3 days ago. In Carplay mode all the navigation apps work great. I do not see any possible solution of this… maybe the only way is an update from apple. I’ve already send a report thru the apple Feedback app, hope something is gonna change.

This makes the 17 Pro a useless brick with 1300€ pricetag. For me the navigation on my phone is being used everyday and without it i can’t do my job.

I had this happen twice yesterday. The issue occupied in both commutes where it just froze and didn't update my location. Was using waze when it failed but checked apple and Google maps and they were also not working. Power cycling resolved for that drive. I was using wireless car play at the time.

Short story we’re stuck with this until an update fixes it. Everyone is having the same issue despite service signal/ app being used, only temporary resolve is to restart the phone. Dear Apple we buy your products for reliability …fyi.