iPads aren’t typically anyone’s primary navigation devices. It’s hard to picture someone using a large tablet for Maps instead of a smaller, more convenient phone. However, iPads still rely on location services for apps like Weather and personalized browsing. You might not even realize how often your iPad uses these services until they stop working.
If your iPad running iOS 18 has location services issues, keep reading to learn what might be causing the problem and how you can potentially fix it.
What to Do if Location Services Are Not Working on iPadOS 18
The most likely reason for location services to not work on an iPad is a bug inside iPadOS. So, most of the time, the only actual solution is installing a new version of the OS. If that doesn’t help, there are still a few additional things you can try.
More details below.
1. Update iPadOS
A user discovered a bug in iPadOS 18.1 that causes location services to stop working on Wi-Fi-only iPads. The issue appears to be linked to a problem with a system process that manages Wi-Fi, which is essential for determining location on these models.
Since this is a system-level issue, troubleshooting options are limited. Fortunately, at the time of writing, Apple has already released iPadOS 18.2.1. While there are no confirmed reports yet that the bug has been resolved in the latest update, enough time has passed to be optimistic that the issue has been addressed.
To update your iPad, go to Settings > General > Software Update and check for available updates. Install the latest update, then check if the location services are working again.
If updating to the latest iPadOS version still didn’t resolve the problem with location services on your iPad Pro, try the additional solutions listed below.
2. Check Wi-FI Connection
Wi-Fi-only iPads don’t have traditional GPS capabilities. They instead rely on nearby Wi-Fi networks to obtain relevant location data. So, if your iPad is unable to properly connect to a Wi-Fi network, or a Wi-Fi network it’s connected to doesn’t work properly, there’s a high chance location services may not work either.
The first thing you should try is connecting to another Wi-Fi network. If everything works properly, the problem is the previous network. Research how to fix the issues with your particular router and/or internet provider.
If you’re still facing issues, despite switching to another Wi-Fi network, your iPad cannot connect properly. In that case, check out our guide on resolving Wi-Fi issues on iPads for more details.
2. Disable VPN
If you’re using a VPN, it could interfere with your iPad’s ability to determine its location. Some VPN services reroute your traffic through servers in different regions, which may confuse location services.
So, if location services are not working on your iPad Pro and you’re using a VPN, try disabling it. To disable your VPN, head over to its app and turn the VPN connection off.
With the VPN off, open an app that uses location to check if everything works now.
4. Reset Privacy and Location
If your iPad is running the latest iPadOS version and there’s nothing wrong with your Wi-Fi connection, try resetting the privacy and location settings. Doing this can help resolve issues caused by misconfigured permissions or software glitches.
Here’s how to reset Privacy & Location on your iPad:
- Open Settings.
- Go to General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset.
- Select Reset Location & Privacy.
5. Reset Network Settings
If none of the previous solutions helped, try resetting the network settings. This will bring all your settings back to their original state, potentially eliminating conflicts and misconfiguration. However, keep in mind that doing this will wipe all your network-related settings, including your Wi-Fi password and data plans. So, proceed only if you’re prepared to set all of these up again from scratch.
Here’s how to reset the network settings on your iPad:
- Go to Settings.
- Head over to General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset.
- Tap Reset Network Settings.
That’s about it. As I already mentioned, simply updating your iPad to the latest iPadOS version should resolve the problem with location services. If not, hopefully, one of the additional solutions did the job for you. If you have further questions or suggestions, let us know in the comments below.