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To improve location estimates on Android, turn on Location Accuracy, allow Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning, and check that the app has permission to use precise location. These are separate controls: Location Accuracy affects the signals Android can use, while an app’s permission determines how precisely that app can access your location.
Turn on Location Accuracy
On Android 12 and newer, go to Settings > Location > Location services > Location Accuracy, then turn on Improve Location Accuracy. On Android 11 and older, go to Settings > Location > Advanced > Location Accuracy. Menu names and paths may differ by phone manufacturer. Google’s Android location settings guide documents these paths.
With the feature enabled, Android devices with Google Play services can combine GPS with information from nearby Wi-Fi access points and cellular towers, as well as available device sensors. Google says this can help the phone estimate location more quickly and accurately, particularly indoors or near large buildings where GPS may be unavailable or obscured. The available inputs vary by device and surroundings; the setting cannot guarantee a particular accuracy or fix a hardware fault. Google explains how Location Accuracy works.
Allow Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning
On Android 12 and newer, look under Settings > Location > Location services for Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning. On older versions, these options may appear directly under Settings > Location. Enable the scans if you want Android to use nearby wireless signals to help estimate location.
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Scanning is different from connecting to a Wi-Fi network or pairing a Bluetooth accessory: nearby signals can be used for location estimation even when the phone is not connected to them. The benefit depends on signals being available around you. Android Help describes the scanning controls.
Check the affected app’s location permission
On Android 12 and newer, open the affected app’s location permission in Settings and allow Precise location if the app needs an exact position. You can keep Location Accuracy enabled for the device but give a particular app only approximate location access. The system setting and app permission serve different purposes: enabling one does not automatically grant the other. Google’s guide covers Android location permissions, and its app-permission guide explains precise and approximate access.
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Choose the balance between location help and privacy
Location Accuracy is a device-wide feature. Google says that when it is enabled, the service periodically collects information about observed wireless signals and sensors to improve location estimates and location-based services. Google describes the use of temporary, rotating identifiers not associated with a specific person or account; its privacy explanation also lists possible processed data such as wireless-signal information, sensor data, IP address, device model, and settings preferences. Google’s Location Accuracy explanation includes further detail.
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If location is still inaccurate
These settings address how Android estimates and shares location; they do not identify the cause of a problem on a specific phone. Check the affected app’s permission and whether scanning is enabled, then consider whether the phone is indoors or surrounded by structures that could obstruct GPS. If the problem persists across settings or seems limited to one handset, consult the phone manufacturer’s official diagnostics or support documentation for that model.
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