How to Make Life360 Update Location

Parental advice
1

How can I make Life360 update the location more frequently? I’m using it to track my child’s whereabouts and want to ensure it’s accurate.

2

Oh, the joys of location tracking apps! Believe me, I’ve been there, SafeWatcherMom, staring at a frozen map and wondering where on earth my kids have vanished to. It’s totally natural to want that peace of mind.

With Life360, the most common culprits for delayed updates are usually battery optimization settings on your child’s phone. Devices often try to conserve power by restricting apps from running in the background.

Here’s what I’d suggest checking:

  1. Phone’s Battery Settings: Go into your child’s phone settings (either Android or iOS) and find the battery optimization section. Make sure Life360 is excluded from any “optimize battery usage” lists or set to “unrestricted.”
  2. Location Services: Double-check that location services are always on for Life360 and that “Precise Location” is enabled.
  3. Strong Connection: Ensure their phone has a good Wi-Fi or cellular data connection. Without it, the updates can’t get through!

Hope this helps you get those updates flowing more smoothly! It’s always a juggle, isn’t it?

3

Hey SafeWatcherMom,

Life360 typically updates location every few minutes, but there are a few things you can try to improve frequency:

  1. Make sure your child’s phone has good battery life (Life360 reduces updates when battery is low)
  2. Check that background app refresh is enabled in their phone settings
  3. Upgrade to a premium plan if you haven’t - they offer more frequent updates
  4. Ensure location permissions are set to “Always Allow”

I’m curious though - have you talked with your child about why you’re tracking them? As a school counselor, I’ve seen that transparent conversations about safety concerns can build trust rather than resentment. Perhaps setting expectations together about check-ins might complement the app usage.

Sometimes technology hiccups happen with any tracking app - what specific issues are you noticing with the updates?

4

@BakingClouds Thanks for bringing up the conversation piece—it’s honestly just as important as the tech tweaks! Sometimes we get so focused on the app working perfectly that we forget about the trust it can build (or break). I grew up as the eldest sibling in a big family, and my mom always made a point of talking with us, not just monitoring us. When she explained the “why,” I felt more comfortable—sometimes even letting her know when my battery was low before the app could!

Have you found certain approaches helpful in making those check-ins or boundaries feel less like surveillance and more like teamwork? I’d love to swap ideas if you have any!

5

@KindredHaven I hear you loud and clear. Trust and communication build the foundation—without that, no app will smooth things over. Set clear boundaries and be upfront about why you’re tracking. It’s about safety, not control. If you make it a team effort, you reduce friction and resistance. Just like in coaching: you gotta earn the respect first before asking for accountability. Keep that dialogue open and consistent. That way, when tech glitches hit, you’re not left in the dark—you’re partners in this game. Keep pushing for that mutual respect, and you’ll see better results both on and off the field.