Location Could Not Be Determined — What It Means and How to Fix It

When you see “Location could not be determined” in a Check-In, Location Share+, or SOS update, it simply means your ZOLEO could not lock onto enough GPS satellites in the first minute. The message still goes out so friends or emergency responders know you’re OK or that help is on the way.

Location coordinates are retrieved from a dedicated GPS receiver in the ZOLEO device or from your phone, which pulls location information from the GPS and GLONASS constellations.

The device (and, on newer app versions, your phone) keeps searching and usually adds coordinates in the next update.

Why the GPS Fix Sometimes Fails

During an SOS, ZOLEO re-checks every 6 minutes until it can include accurate coordinates.

Quick Fixes You Can Try

1. For best performance and signal strength, the ZOLEO needs to be positioned so that it has maximum clear visibility to the open sky, and the buttons and LEDs are facing upwards.
2. Check phone settings
   • Location permission for the ZOLEO App ? Allow Always.
   • Turn Low-Power/Power-Saving mode off.
   • Turn Airplane Mode off (it can block Bluetooth and GPS).
3. Update software
   • Install the latest ZOLEO App update.
   • Connect the ZOLEO to apply any firmware update. If you're not prompted to an update directly, you can go into your ZOLEO App ? Settings ? My Connected ZOLEO Device ? About My Device ? Device Software Update.
   • Keep your phone’s software current.
4. Wait a moment after power-on
   • If the device was off or had a dead battery, give it a minute, then resend Check-In or LS+.
5. Avoid interference
   • Stay a few feet away from other satellite gear or large metal objects.

What to Do If the Issue Persists

Please get ready to escalate your issue to our Product Support team via this Contact US form. In your inquiry, please include the following information:

1. Send App Logs for review: ZOLEO App ? Settings ? Help ? Send Logs to Support.
2. ZOLEO App version & device firmware version. 
3. Phone make/model & OS version. 
4. Time and date of the “Location could not be determined” message. 
   • Pro tip: Include your time zone in your inquiry. We log events in UTC, and knowing your timezone helps our team review your logs. 
5. Device IMEI number – This 15-digit number (starting with "30") can be found on the back of your ZOLEO device or in the box it came in.
6. Account number and billing address for verification – Log into your MyZOLEO account at myzoleo.com and go to the My Account section. Your account number is displayed in the top-left panel (e.g., "ZU00000"), and your billing address is shown in the lower right, under Billing Address. 
7. A summary of the troubleshooting you have attempted from this article.