Enable GPS programmatically Android (without navigating to the location settings)

Question

How to enable GPS programmatically, as it does happen in the official Google Maps app by just clicking on the 'turn on' option on the pop up screen (without navigating to location settings)?

Answer 1

The Google Maps app is using what is now available to us as SettingsApi the Play Services SDK. You can use SettingsApi to inquire as to whether your desired LocationRequest can be fulfilled with whatever location providers are enabled. If it cannot be fulfilled, and Play Services thinks that the user can change this, you can ask for the dialog that you see Maps display pop up.

Using SettingsApi is not especially simple. Here a sample app for that. Using ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS, as suggested in Laurenswuyts' answer, is much simpler to implement.

Answer 2

That's because they are using the Settings API in the play services as described in Commonsware's answer, which is a bit difficult. You are better off with the "old" method:

Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_LOCATION_SOURCE_SETTINGS);
startActivity(intent);