Android location troubleshooting guide
We have created this guide to help our Android users resolve location issues on their devices.
We recommend performing these steps if you’re having troubles with the Meescan app and its automatic location identification.
Note: This guide will refer to Meescan. If you are using a version of the Meescan app that is custom branded for your library or school, please use the name of the custom branded app instead.
Basic Troubleshooting
There are numerous factors which can affect the quality of a device’s accuracy. The device model, operating system, cellular network, weather conditions, and construction of the buildings around you can block the GPS signal or decrease its quality. Additionally, please note certain cell phone covers and cases can block GPS signal on your device.
Please review the steps below to eliminate the most common causes of location issues.
- Open the Google Play Store on your device.
- Search for the Meescan app or find it under “My Apps.”
- If there is an “Update” button present, then there is a newer update available. (If only “Open” and “Uninstall” are present, there are no available updates.)
- Consider allowing Auto Updates on your device to never miss an update. (In the Google Play Store, select “Settings” -> “Auto Update Apps” -> and choose whichever option is most convenient.)
In odd cases, there may be an issue with the installation of the Meescan app and therefore we recommend uninstalling and then reinstalling the app.
- Go to your phone’s settings.
- Select “Location” or “Location Settings” (depending on the Android operating system).
- Select the “High Accuracy” mode.
The Meescan app needs permission to access location from your device. As of Android version 6.0, this permission is requested the first time you use the app on your device. If you do not grant the app permission to use your device’s location, then the app will not be able to operate correctly.
To make sure Meescan has permission to use the location on your device, please go to your Phone settings -> Apps -> Meescan -> Permissions.
(Note, location of app permissions may differ from device to device.)
It is beneficial to restart your device every now and then, as rebooting often helps in solving issues.
In some cases, it may help to activate and deactivate the “Flight Mode” to get GPS working again.
In some cases, the quality of location services can be affected by your Time and Date settings. If this is currently manually set, please consider changing it so that it is set automatically for the most accurate and up to date information.
Battery / Power Saving & Protected App Settings
By default, Android limits the power consumption of individual apps. This feature is usually called “Battery Optimization,” “Power Optimization,” or “Energy Settings.” Although the description might indicate that this setting only affects the apps when they are idle, we found that disabling the optimizations can have a profound impact on speed and accuracy of location services.
It is strongly recommended that you disable the battery optimization for the Meescan app. Note, making this change only affects Meescan and not the rest of your device apps.
Please note that the location of this setting differs from device to device.
Since the location of this setting differs from device to device, the best way to find it is to start the “Settings” app on your device and search for the terms mentioned above. You should be able to locate a page where you can disable the battery optimizations for individual apps. Depending on your device, these may be labeled as “Protected Apps,” “Disabled,” or simply “Don’t Optimize.” If you’re not able to find this setting on your device, you can try an internet search for “Android disable battery optimization on [your device model].” You can also reach out to our support team and we will do our best to assist you.