Life360 is the family location sharing app. It aims to provide its users peace of mind by tracking the precise, real-time location of family members.
Although it does a great job this way, there are times when you would still want some privacy.
What happens to Life360 when your phone is off? Does it still track your location? Are there ways that I can go invisible while still using my phone?
Read on to learn more.
The answer is NO.
Once you turn off your phone, Life360 is turned off and stops working as well.
It won't be able to track your location in real time. Your circle members will only be able to see your last known location.
Life360's premium members can store location data for up to thirty days, while free members can have two days.
They will not be able to track your current location unless your phone is turned back on.
YES.
People in your circle will get notified that your device is turned off, or there is no network from your side with a "No network or phone off" message next to your name.
Putting your phone on Airplane mode instantly turns off your phone's wireless systems, such as GPS and Wi-Fi.
In this way, you won't be able to connect to the Life360 app and your location won't be displayed to other Circle members.
Even if you're still logged in to the Life360 app, your location won't be seen by other members if your GPS tracking services are turned off.
This is a quick way to hide your location while still being online.
This is also applicable to other social media apps that track your location. Try turning off location services for both individual apps and on your phone's settings.
When logged in, you can be contacted by your Circle members. Even if you hide your location, they will still see that you're online and connected to the Life360 app.
By not logging in, you're deemed invisible and won't be bothered by notifications from the app itself.
A phone with a dead battery is similar to turning off your phone. Although you can't use your phone, you'll be logged out from the app and your current location won't be tracked in any way.
Though it's important to take note that your last known location will still be recorded by the app.
For the Life360 app to accurately track your location, both Wi-Fi and GPS services should be turned on.
If your phone has a poor network connection, however, it will not give out precise location data. This also means that the app will not track your location in real-time.
If this happens, members of your circle will just be able to see your last known location or no location at all, similar to turning off your phone's location features.
Switching your phone off for a long time just to stop Life360 from tracking you is not a practical option, but when it's on, the Life360 app will keep tracking your device's location and battery.
So, how can you stop being tracked while your phone is active and other circle members won't get notified?
One of the available solutions for this is by using MockGo iPhone location changer.
It is an iOS GPS changer that can fake your current location by changing it to a different area.
This way, you'll remain active on the app while hiding your real location.
MockGo is compatible with all iPhone devices and iOS versions. Here are the steps on installing and using MockGo:
Step 1. Download and install MockGo on your computer.
Step 2. Then connect your device to the computer.
Step 3. Select the place you like, and click the Search button.
Step 5. Click Move Here, and you'll be teleported to the location you specified.
You can also choose between a one-stop mode and a multi-stop mode to simulate a movement.
Pick a mode of transport between cycling, walking, or driving. The app will simulate the speed of these movements. Then click Move Here.
After going through these steps, your device should be moving according to the planned routes.
As much as Life360 is a great way to keep track of your family and friends, for most teenagers, it is intimidating to have someone tracking your every move.
Teens may therefore want to turn off Life360 is they don't want their parents to track them. The following are some of the main reasons a teenager may feel the need to turn off Life360:
A quick way to know if someone has turned off their phone is by calling them.
If you're redirected to voicemail or encounter a busy dial tone, then their phone is likely turned off or the battery has died.
But you can also know their status through the Life360 app.
When you open the app, you'll see your Circle or private group on your home screen.
Swiping down on your screen, you'll see the members of your Circle. A status will be displayed under their names depending on their current location.
If they're on your Geofence locations or specific locations that you have set up, it will be displayed there as well.
You can also see if someone has their location services disabled, or if their phone is turned off.
If you have your location on, the Life360 app will also display your phone's battery percentage under the profile icon.
So if someone in your Circle is low on battery, you can all be notified.
Life360 is a great app overall for family location tracking. It gives an assurance that everyone in your family or personal Circle is safe.
It does this by tracking their real-time location to confirm where they're headed, along with details such as battery percentage.
But privacy is important in an individual's lifestyle, and having someone to keep an eye on your phone's location data the whole day can feel invasive.
By considering these tips, you'll be able to use your phone freely without anyone stalking your routes.