My location looks wrong, or my photo was sent back

A location message that looks wrong won’t stop your photo. The GPS check is a hint for the reviewer, never a gate. It never rejects a photo on its own. A person looks at every photo, except GPS matches in chapters that approve those automatically. See How the GPS check works.

The app says my photo is far from the stop

The message reads “This photo looks about 2.3 mi from the stop”, with your real distance. Likely causes, in the order to check:

1. The photo carries an older location. The location saved inside a photo wins over your phone’s location. A photo you pick with Choose from library keeps the spot where it was taken. Go back to the stop and use Take photo there.
2. The stop’s pin sits away from where you stood. Each stop has a zone set by your chapter. A sign at the far end of a parking lot can read as outside it.
3. You shot it from the road. Some stops are hard to get close to.

Whatever the cause, you can still send the photo. Type the reason under Tell the reviewer why (optional), for example “The mural is on a private lot. I shot it from the road.” Keep it under 500 characters. The reviewer sees your note next to the photo, along with “Far from the stop” and the distance.

The app says there’s no location

You see “No location in this photo” or “Photo location is off.” The reviewer will judge your photo by eye, so this doesn’t hurt your chances. To bring the location back, check these:

1. You chose Not now. Below Take photo, tap the link that reads “Photo location is off. Turn it on.” Then take or choose the photo again. The choice is saved on that device.
2. Your phone is blocking location for your browser. In your phone’s settings, allow location for your browser, then try again. The app waits about 10 seconds for your phone’s location and sends the photo without one if it doesn’t get it.
3. The photo has no location in it. Some phones leave the location out of photos picked from the library. Use Take photo at the stop and stay there until the message shows.

My photo was sent back

That’s about what the reviewer saw in the picture, not the GPS reading.

1. On My card, tap the square with the red exclamation mark.
2. The stop page shows “Your last photo wasn’t approved:” and the reason. The reasons are: your bike isn’t in the photo, the sign or landmark isn’t visible, you aren’t in the photo, this doesn’t look like the right stop, or something else.
3. If the reviewer wrote to you, it shows under Note from the reviewer:.
4. Send a new photo with Take photo or Choose from library, then tap Submit for review.

Steps, and how to take back a photo that’s still waiting, are in Fix a photo that was sent back, or withdraw one. For a photo that passes, see Taking a photo that gets approved.

If the reason is “This doesn’t look like the right stop” and you were at the right place, send a new photo and use the note to say where you stood. Take a fresh photo each time. An exact copy of a photo already sent on the challenge is flagged for the reviewer.

When to ask for help

Ask your chapter’s activities officer or the challenge’s reviewer. They can see your photo, your note, and the GPS reading. For a problem with the app itself, write to hello@getkickstand.app.