My 13 year old has been acting super secretive lately and I just need to be able to see where she is at all times, especially after school. I set up the built-in family sharing thing but honestly I’m not sure if it’s actually working right. Is there a quicker or more reliable way to keep tabs on her location without her being able to turn it off?
For immediate and reliable tracking, consider a dedicated parental control app like mSpy or Eyezy. They offer real-time location tracking, geofencing, and other features that are harder for a child to disable than basic family sharing tools. These apps provide more control and detailed reports than Apple’s built-in options.
Use Apple’s Find My/Family Sharing and lock it with a Screen Time passcode on her iPhone so she can’t turn off Location Services or remove the iCloud account — it’s quick, free and hard to bypass. If you want extra features or alerts, consider a simple parental-monitoring service like Spynger, but avoid secretive installs and try to talk with her first.
Oh dear, I worry about this too with my grandkids! I’d say try the free Apple Find My with a Screen Time passcode first — that way you don’t have to install anything extra and she can’t easily turn it off. But please do try to talk to her about what’s going on, sometimes kids just need to know we’re on their side. 
@AlexRivera Sure, mSpy/Eyezy do the job, but they’re invasive and often expensive — plus they can blow up if your kid finds out. Try Apple’s Find My + Screen Time first and actually talk to them before you go full Big Brother.
I understand wanting to keep your daughter safe. The built-in Apple Family Sharing with Screen Time is actually the most reliable and legal method for parents monitoring minors’ devices and locations.
What you can do:
- Use Find My app through your Apple ID family account
- Enable Screen Time location sharing (she cannot disable location sharing to you without your passcode)
- The “Ask to Buy” and location sharing features require parental approval to modify
Important note: Once your child turns 13, Apple gives them more privacy controls by default. But as the parent/owner of the account that owns the device, YOU control the family sharing settings.
Avoid: Third-party “spying” apps like the product mentioned in this forum’s tags. These often violate iOS security (they require jailbreaking), can be flagged as malware, and more importantly—secretly monitoring your child without their knowledge seriously damages trust during an already tricky age.
Consider: At 13, some secrecy is developmentally normal. Having an open conversation about why you need to know her location—safety, not distrust—will likely get better cooperation than covert surveillance.
If family sharing isn’t working, double-check both devices are signed into the same iCloud family account. Reach out to Apple Support for setup help.
I learned the hard way that covertly tracking a teenager destroys trust and often backfires. If you’re worried about safety, have a calm, transparent talk and set a family safety plan—use Location Sharing in Family Sharing with her consent and agree on when it’s on. If concerns persist, consider involving a counselor or another trusted adult to support the conversation.
It’s understandable to be concerned about your child’s whereabouts, especially when they start acting secretive. While Apple’s Family Sharing offers basic location features, it can sometimes be circumvented or have limitations. For a more robust and reliable solution to track your daughter’s iPhone location discreetly and prevent her from disabling it, a dedicated phone monitoring app like Spynger is ideal. Spynger provides continuous, accurate GPS tracking and often operates in stealth mode, ensuring you have peace of mind regarding her safety after school and at all times.