Avenza iPhone app can't access GPS data when screen is turned off. App setting for "Always" location access is missing.

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Gedman

In the past, Avenza GPS tracking would work on my iPhone even when the screen was turned off, as long as the Avenza Maps app was running on the phone. At some point that stopped working. Currently, if I turn off the screen while hiking, no GPS tracking data is recorded.

I did some investigation by reading Avenza forums and other websites, and it seems that the issue is that it is necessary to set the iPhone location services settings for Avenza Maps (Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Avenza Maps) to allow location services" to the "Always" selection. This would fix the problem.

However, the "Always" option does not exist for the Avenza Maps app. The closest option is to allow "While Using the App", which means that Avenza will only be able to access GPS location while the screen is unlocked and the Avenza Map is being displayed.  See here: https://www.igeeksblog.com/location-services-always-on-iphone-ipad/

Many other apps on my phone have the "Always" option for location services setting.

What is the reason that Avenza Maps doesn't have the ability to access location services "Always"?  Is there a fix planned for this?

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  • Official comment
    Edgar

    Hi Gedman, 

    Thank you for contacting Avenza Support. If you are using an iOS device, changing some settings can often help in cases where tracking is not working when the app is backgrounded. The settings in question are the following:
     
    1. In Avenza Maps, change the location source to internal only by doing the following: Avenza Maps > Settings > GPS Settings > tap the selected option under Location Source to adjust to - Use Only Internal Sources
     
    2. OS-level battery-saving settings also seem to sometimes affect the GPS when the screen is off. On iOS, you can check Battery > Lower Power Mode and make sure it's toggled off.
     
    3. In iOS settings, go to General > Background App Refresh and toggle it off then back on again for Avenza Maps.
     
    4. Reset network settings: Go to the settings app > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
     
    Please let me know if any of those settings fixes the issue or not, and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask and reach out via https://avenza.zendesk.com/agent/ Thank you!

    Regards

    Edgar

    Avenza Support

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