Google Maps showing the wrong location on Android? How to fix it

By Abu Bakar Saadat · Reviewed by Saadat Rafiq · 2 min read · 5 steps · Published 7 October 2026

Device

Android

Shown on

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G (SM-A576B), One UI 8.5, Android 16

App

Maps

Real screenshots

5 of 5 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Check that Location is on

   Open Settings and tap Location. The switch at the top must be On. App permissions below shows which apps may use it.

   Done

2. 

   Open Location Accuracy

   Tap Location services. Location Accuracy is one of Google's entries; ours said On. The same page has Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth scanning, which also help.

   Done

3. 

   Switch on Improve Location Accuracy

   With it off, only GPS and the phone's sensors are used, which is slower and less exact indoors and between tall buildings. The page explains what Google collects when it is on.

   Done

4. 

   Read the card in Maps

   Tap the blue dot in Maps. When the fix is poor, Maps shows Location accuracy is low and suggests connecting to Wi-Fi and turning on mobile data. Its Settings button opens the phone's Connections page.

   Done

5. 

   Turn on Wi-Fi or mobile data

   On Connections, switch on Wi-Fi. Our test phone had Wi-Fi off, which is exactly when Maps showed the warning.

   Done

About this guide

The blue dot sits in the wrong street, jumps around or shows a wide blue circle. On Android that usually means the phone is relying on GPS alone.

The screenshots are from Google Maps 26.31.02 on a Samsung Galaxy A57 5G with Android 16 and One UI 8.5, in dark mode. Maps looks the same on other Android phones; only the phone's own Settings screens differ by brand.

Good to know

If the blue beam points the wrong way, Google Maps Help suggests moving the phone in a figure 8 to calibrate the compass. On Maps 26.31.02 our blue dot sheet offered Enter compass mode but no Calibrate button.

Still wrong? Restart the phone and see Google Maps keeps stopping or won't load.

In short: Settings, Location on; Location services, Location Accuracy on; Wi-Fi on.