Apple iPhone XR GPS Guide: How To Use And Manage GPS Settings On iPhone XR

This is a quick guide on how to get started in using GPS functions and managing GPS and location services settings on your iPhone XR. Read on to learn more.

GPS or Global Positioning System refers to a network system that mainly uses satellites in the outer space to provide and obtain accurate data for latitude, longitude and altitude dimensions. This system was originally launched for the US military and was later on restructured to be used by both civil and commercial markets globally, and it’s for free. Nowadays, GPS technology embedded into smartphones are often being used for navigational purposes. And here’s how to make use of this feature on your iPhone XR.

Apple iPhone XR GPS Guide: How To Use And Manage GPS Settings On iPhone XR

How to manage the GPS feature on your iPhone XR

If you would like to obtain specific map location along with specific directions, then you must enable your iPhone’s GPS functions first. In case you aren’t yet familiar of the entire process, you can refer to these steps:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Settings.
  2. Scroll down to and tap Privacy.
  3. Select Location Services.
  4. Toggle the switch indicator for the Location Services to turn it on/off.
  5. Tap on each app and select the app’s corresponding permission. Among the given options are as follow:
  • Never: This option disables the Location Services for the chosen app
  • While Using:  Location Services is only active when the app is currently running or open
  • Always: Allows Location Service at all time. This option though is only applicable to apps like Weather and Apple Maps.

To go back to the Home screen, swipe your finger upward starting from the bottom of the screen.

With Location Services enabled on your phone, navigating roads and reaching destinations are now made easier and faster.

How to Disable Restriction for the GPS service on your iPhone XR

If you are trying to enable the GPS service on your phone, but the GPS switch or indicator is greyed out, it denotes that the feature is restricted on your device. That said, check and ensure that restrictions are disabled so as to make the GPS switch active and clickable. Here is how to access and manage restriction settings on your iPhone XR:

  1. From the Home screen, go to Settings.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Select Restrictions. You will be asked to provide the restriction code if the Restrictions are enabled.
  4. Enter the correct code to proceed. If you don’t know the code or haven’t set up one yet, you can try to use the default codes 1111 or 0000. If the neither of the codes work, you would need to restore your iPhone using iTunes. But before you reset your phone, make sure that all your important files from the internal memory are backed up to iCloud or iTunes drive. Continue to the next step
  5. Scroll down to and select Location Settings under Privacy.
  6. Tap on Allow Changes to turn on the Location Services.
  7. Then, toggle the switch indicator to enable Location Services on your iPhone.

Once the restriction for GPS function has been lifted, you can now go back to the Privacy menu and turn on the GPS/Location services.

ALSO READ: How to fix App Store that’s not working on iPhone XR after iOS 13.2.3 update

How GPS and location services work when enabled on your iPhone XR

When using third-party apps on your phone that requires GPS access, you will be prompted with message, requesting permission to access your location. You may opt to accept or deny these requests for privacy and security purposes.

In the earlier days, users were able to use the GPS service using GPS receivers only. But with the advent of technology, modern devices including smartphones are now equipped with GPS enabled services that can be used for emergency calls, clock synchronization, directions, and other location services. Aside from smartphones, GPS is also made available for use in modern agriculture, surveyors, tectonics, exploration, geo-tagging, with its main task that is to provide quick and precise navigational information.

And that covers everything in this guide. Stay tuned for more comprehensive contents to be posted soon on the tutorials section of this site.

I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!

Leave a Comment