GPS coordinates you can actually pass on
“I’m somewhere off the north trail” is not a position. A coordinate is. This screen shows where you are in three formats — decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds, and UTM — so you can give a rescue service, a friend or a coastguard the one they actually work in.
GPS is a receive-only satellite service. Your phone listens to satellites; it does not need to talk to a network to know where it is.
GPS is a receive-only satellite signal — it needs no data connection. Opening a coordinate in an online map afterwards does need one.
Why it matters
Three formats, one screen
Decimal degrees for apps, degrees/minutes/seconds for reading aloud over a phone or radio, and UTM for grid-based mapping. Switch without doing conversion arithmetic.
Copy, share, or dictate
Copy to the clipboard or share through any app on your phone. DMS is the format to read out loud — it is far harder to mishear than a long decimal.
Live speed readout
A large speedometer shows current GPS speed in both km/h and mph, useful when a vehicle dashboard is unavailable or unreadable.
Accuracy in view
Altitude and accuracy are shown alongside the position, so you know whether you have a tight fix or a rough one before you pass it on.
What it does, precisely
- Position in decimal degrees, DMS and UTM
- Copy coordinates to clipboard
- Share coordinates through any installed app
- Live GPS speedometer in km/h and mph
- Altitude and accuracy readouts
- Links to open the position in an online map (these need a connection)
- Coordinates included automatically in SOS alerts
Permissions
Requested when you first use the feature — never at install.
- ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
- Reads precise GPS coordinates. Requested when you open the location screen, not at install time.
- ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
- Requested alongside fine location as a fallback for approximate positioning.
Limits
Stated plainly so you know what this feature does not do — not just what it does.
- Needs satellite signal — a cold fix can take up to a minute outdoors, longer under tree cover or between buildings.
- Opening a coordinate in an online map requires a connection.
Answers
GPS location: common questions
Does GPS work without an internet connection?
Yes. GPS is a one-way satellite signal your phone receives; it does not require mobile data or Wi-Fi. A connection can help your phone find satellites faster on a cold start, but the position itself does not depend on one.
Which coordinate format should I give to a rescue service?
Ask them, if you can. If you cannot, degrees/minutes/seconds is the safest to read aloud because the numbers are short and distinct. Many mountain and maritime services work in it directly. UTM is common in grid-based land mapping.
Why is my location slow to appear?
A cold GPS fix can take up to a minute outdoors, longer under tree cover or between buildings. Standing still with a clear view of the sky is the fastest way to get one. Accuracy shown on screen tells you how much to trust the current reading.
Can I see my location on a map without a connection?
Yes, if you downloaded the map area in advance. The offline maps feature caches map tiles for a region you choose, and your GPS position is drawn on top of them with no connection needed.
Related features
- Offline mapsCache an OpenStreetMap region while you have a connection, then browse it with your position on top when you do not.
- SOS alertsA deliberate three-second countdown, then an SMS with your coordinates, a siren, and a location log.
- CompassA magnetic compass driven by your phone’s own sensors, with a calibration indicator so you know to trust it.
- For hikingCompass, coordinates, a downloaded map and an SOS that sends a position rather than a guess.
- For driversRoadside visibility, an exact position for recovery services, and SOS without unlocking.
- For travellersThe local emergency number, your medical details and a downloaded map — before you need any of them.
Related guides
- How GPS can help during an emergencyGPS is the most misunderstood tool on a phone. It works without a data connection, and knowing how to use it changes a search into a collection.
- What to do when you lose cell serviceLosing signal is not the same as losing your phone. A surprising amount still works, and there are specific things worth trying before you give up on getting a message out.
Get gps location and 10 more tools
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