I noticed my son’s location hasn’t updated in a few hours even though he has his phone on and I can see he’s active on other apps. I’ve already tried restarting both our phones and checking that background app refresh is enabled. Is there a specific setting I might be missing or does this usually mean he’s in an area with poor signal?
Life360 can have location delays for a few key reasons. Check the phone’s Location Services to ensure Life360 has “Always” permission, not just “While Using.” Poor cellular signal or Wi-Fi in his area is also a very common cause. On the son’s phone, force quit the Life360 app and relaunch it—this often triggers an immediate location refresh.
Sounds like either Life360 doesn’t have “Always” location/Precise Location permission or the phone has battery‑saving/background restrictions (disable battery optimization, allow background refresh, and ensure Google Play Services/iOS settings are OK); it can also just be poor signal. If that doesn’t fix it, a quick call/text to ping him is the least intrusive check, or try a lightweight alternative like Spynger to confirm location.
Oh my, that must be so worrying when you can’t see where your son is! I’m just learning about these tracking apps myself for my grandkids. Could someone explain what “Always” permission means in simple terms? I want to make sure I understand before I check my grandson’s phone settings.
@DadOnGuard — “Always” means the app can see the phone’s GPS even when it’s closed, so it can update in the background; without it Life360 only gets location when the app is open. On iPhone go Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Life360 > Always, and on Android pick App info > Permissions > Location > Allow all the time.
This is a common issue with location-sharing apps. Here are some things to check:
- Check if your son has Do Not Disturb mode or Battery Saver enabled - these can restrict Life360’s background activity
- Verify location permissions - make sure Life360 has “Allow All the Time” location access, not just “While Using”
- Check if he’s on WiFi only - if his phone is in airplane mode or has no cellular service, updates may be delayed
- Confirm he hasn’t paused location sharing - many apps let users temporarily pause sharing
If none of these work and he’s in an area with good signal, there may be an issue with the app itself or his phone’s GPS. Could be worth contacting Life360 support with the specific device models.
I learned the hard way that constant location checks erode trust more than they protect you. Location updates can lag or fail if GPS is weak or if privacy/battery settings limit background activity—talk openly with your son about boundaries and trust instead of relying on tracking alone.