There are a few common reasons why your live location may not be updating properly:
Your Location Services Are Turned Off
The most obvious reason your live location isn’t working is because your device’s location services are turned off. To enable location services on an iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Make sure location services are turned on and that the app you’re using has permission to access your location. The process is similar on Android – go to Settings > Location and turn location on. Check the app permissions to make sure it can access location.
Your GPS Signal is Weak or Obstructed
Your device relies on GPS, cell tower triangulation and wifi to determine your exact location. If you’re indoors, underground, or in an area with poor signal, your live location may not update properly. Buildings and other structures can interfere with GPS signals. Moving closer to a window may help pick up a GPS signal again and update your live location.
Your Internet Connection is Unstable
A stable internet connection is required to transmit your live location to other people in real-time. If you have a weak cellular signal or unstable wifi, your live location updates can lag behind or fail to send. Make sure you have at least 3G cellular data coverage or a strong WiFi signal for the best live location performance. Data interruptions or “jumps” in your live location are usually caused by internet connectivity issues.
The App is Not Optimized for Live Location
Some apps are better optimized than others to handle real-time location tracking and sharing. Google Maps, Life360 and Glympse are examples of apps with robust live location capabilities. If you’re having issues with another app, check for updates, uninstall and reinstall the app, or try a different app known to have stable live location sharing.
Your Device’s Battery Saver Mode is On
To preserve battery life, most smartphones have a battery saver or low power mode. While enabled, this often restricts apps from running background tasks like live location. Check your battery settings and turn off battery saver/low power modes. Make sure the app you’re using has permission to run in the background.
Outdated Device Software
Make sure your device is running the latest OS and app versions. Older versions may have bugs that affect live location performance. On an iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update to update iOS. On Android, go to Settings > System > Advanced > System Update. Also update the apps you use for live location to the latest releases.
Server Issues
For live location to work, apps rely on servers in the cloud to transmit and broadcast real-time location data. Occasionally, disruptions on the server-side can prevent your location from updating properly. Try force quitting and restarting the app, turning your device off and on again, or switching to a different app to rule out any temporary server problems.
Incorrect App Settings or Permissions
Double check that you’ve enabled all required app settings and permissions for live location:
- Location access enabled
- Background app refresh enabled
- Cellular data enabled
- Notifications enabled
Revoke and re-grant location permissions if needed. Also check the app’s settings for any live location or background settings.
Out of Storage Space
Your device needs available storage space to cache location data and run apps smoothly. If you’re completely out of storage, this can sometimes interfere with live location functions. Try deleting unused apps and media to free up space.
Poor Cellular Coverage Area
Cellular signal strength plays a major role in live location updating. If you’re in an area with weak LTE/4G coverage, or limited to 3G or 2G speeds, your location can’t update as frequently. Move to an area with better cell signal if possible. WiFi can help supplement poor cellular connections.
Restrictive Company Network
If you’re on a corporate or school network with restrictive firewall policies, certain ports and connections may be blocked that can interfere with live location services. Try a personal hotspot or different WiFi network without such restrictions.
Disabled or Malfunctioning Sensors
Smartphones rely on internal sensors like the accelerometer and gyroscope to help determine location and movement. If these are disabled or malfunctioning, it can prevent accurate live tracking. Try resetting all sensor settings to defaults to see if that helps.
Outdated Carrier Profile
Carrier profiles help smartphones interact properly with cellular networks. On an iPhone, old profiles can sometimes cause connectivity issues. Go to Settings > General > About and check for a Carrier Settings Update to get the latest profile.
Incorrect Date & Time Settings
Precise date and time settings are important for GPS functionality. Make sure “Automatic” date & time are enabled on your device. Incorrect manual settings can interfere with live location services.
Disabled Airplane Mode
Airplane mode disconnects all wireless connections, which prevents live location updating. Make sure airplane mode is disabled and cellular data/WiFi are connected.
Poor Weather Conditions
Heavy rain, dense cloud cover, and other weather phenomena can temporarily disrupt GPS signals and cell tower connections, potentially affecting live location accuracy. Move indoors or wait for weather to improve.
Incorrect Privacy & Security Settings
Some device security settings like VPNs, firewalls and MAC address randomization can sometimes interfere with live location services. Try temporarily disabling these to see if it helps your live location work better.
Heavy Location Usage in Area
Heavily populated areas like stadium events or festivals can overload cell towers with excessive device connections. This can temporarily limit bandwidth available for live location updates.
Interference From Nearby Electronics
Other electronic devices like microwaves, wireless speakers, and Bluetooth gadgets can emit radio interference that degrades GPS or cell signals needed for live location. Move away from potential sources of interference.
Out of the Geo-Fenced Area
Some live location apps only work in certain geographic areas. If you move outside the defined region, your location updates may stop. Make sure you’re within the specified area.
Excessive Distance Between Users
Trying to share live location over extremely long distances can be difficult for apps to support. For optimal performance, stay closer to the person you’re sharing location with.
Temporary Technical Issues
Like any technology, apps and services can suffer occasional technical glitches that could disrupt live location. Try again in a few minutes to see if the issues persist. Reach out to the app developer if problems continue.
Incorrect App Account Settings
Ensure your app profile or account settings are properly configured for location sharing. Features like “Share My Location” may need to be enabled in your account settings within the app.
Disabled Background App Refresh
On iOS devices, background app refresh allows apps to update content while not in active use. If disabled, live location can’t run in the background. Enable it in Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
Disabled Always-On Display
On some Android phones, disabling the always-on display can restrict background processing needed for live location. Re-enable it in your device display settings.
Reach Maximum Number of Shared Locations
Some apps limit how many people you can share live location with at once, like 4 or 6 people. Try reducing the number of recipients.
Conclusion
With so many potential issues that can disrupt live location services, it may take some trial and error to determine exactly why it’s not working properly in your case. Methodically go through the various troubleshooting steps like checking for app updates, restarting your device, moving to an area with better signal, and adjusting app settings and permissions. Compare different live location apps to see if another one works better. If problems persist across different apps and situations, your device itself may require service or repair.
Hopefully by reviewing the various factors that can interfere with live location monitoring, you’ll be able to pinpoint the specific problem and get your live location working smoothly again.