GPS accuracy in Teamsly depends on the quality of the signal your device can get from satellites, Wi-Fi networks, and cellular towers. Understanding what affects accuracy can help you get the best results from location tracking.
How GPS Works
Teamsly uses your device's built-in GPS hardware to determine location. GPS accuracy is typically 5–10 meters outdoors in open areas. Accuracy can be reduced by physical obstructions, device settings, and environmental factors — none of which are specific to Teamsly.
What Affects Accuracy
Being indoors or underground — Walls, ceilings, and structures block GPS signals. Accuracy is significantly reduced indoors, in basements, and in tunnels.
Wi-Fi scanning being disabled — Enabling Wi-Fi scanning (even without being connected to a network) dramatically improves GPS accuracy. Teamsly uses nearby Wi-Fi signals as additional reference points to pinpoint location.
Battery Saver mode — Power-saving modes on both iOS and Android can reduce location update frequency or restrict background location access entirely.
Location permission set to "While Using" — If the permission is set to While Using the App rather than Always, location tracking stops the moment the employee switches apps or locks their phone.
Precise Location disabled (iOS) — On iPhone, if Precise Location is off, iOS provides only an approximate location rather than an exact GPS coordinate.
Dense urban areas — Tall buildings can cause "urban canyon" effects where GPS signals bounce off surfaces, slightly reducing accuracy.
Metal or thick phone cases — Some cases can partially block GPS antenna signals.
How to Improve Accuracy
Turn on Wi-Fi (even without connecting to a network) — this is the single most effective improvement for most devices
Set location permission to Always (iOS) or Allow all the time (Android)
Enable Precise Location on iPhone
Turn off Battery Saver while working
Step outside or near a window when clocking in
Remove thick or metal phone cases
What Happens in Low-Signal Areas
If an employee loses GPS signal mid-shift, Teamsly continues to record their route once signal is restored. This can cause gaps in the route where the path appears to "jump" from one location to another — this is normal behavior and not a Teamsly error. The timestamps and clock events are still recorded accurately.
💡 GPS stamp accuracy at clock-in and clock-out is generally very reliable outdoors. Route accuracy between events is more dependent on device settings and environment.
What to Read Next
Setting Up Location Permissions on iOS — Ensure iPhone settings are optimized for accurate tracking
Setting Up Location Permissions on Android — Ensure Android settings are optimized for accurate tracking
Troubleshooting GPS & Location Issues — Fix specific GPS problems
Need help? Click Book a Call in the top right of the app to talk with the Teamsly team.