As a GPS tracking and location app, Life360 is not designed to stay in one place. It tracks your every move and provides accurate data on where, when and how fast you are moving. Either way, there are times when you want to get out of the network and hide your whereabouts from the rest of the circle.
The process is easier said than done because the app follows you everywhere and it's hard to tamper with. Leaving your phone in one place while you walk the streets is a logical thing to do, but then you deprive yourself of the device when you don't need it. Life360 is software like any other, and there are a few simple tweaks to keep it from breathing down your neck at all times.
Here are some tips to bypass the app software and keep it in one place.
1. Turn off Wi-Fi and Cellular Data
Closing your internet connection deactivates Life360 and the app usually displays your last location. The obvious downside to this method is that all other apps also lose connection, limiting notifications, messaging apps, and other services. In addition to not having an internet connection, other members of your group will quickly see that something is wrong. Plus, it might not be enough to usurp your whereabouts.
Fortunately, iPhone users can turn off cellular data from the Life360 app settings, while Android users will have to use other methods.
To turn off Life360 cellular data, iPhone users can go to their phone's settings and tap "Cellular". Turn off the switch for Life360. Until Wi-Fi is available, Life360 will not be able to report your true location.
2. Spoofing your location
To spoof your location, you need a VPN like ExpressVPN or a fake location app. For VPN integration, we recommend reading our guide on using a VPN with your phone. We won't recommend any fake location apps in particular, as there are plenty of good options on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. But keep in mind that most of these apps cost money and setup can be tricky. Moreover, they affect all other apps on your phone.
3. Use a burner phone
Getting a "burner" phone is probably the oldest trick in the book. This means that you have two phones and the âburnerâ device remains in place and the Life360 is installed on it. It is not necessary to change the settings. You leave one phone and take the other with you.
The trick here is to think outside the box. For example, if you have an iPad or iPod Touch, you can use that device as a "burner" or take them with you and make your smartphone the dummy.
4. Uninstall the app
Finally, the safest way to stay in one place is to uninstall the app. Then the map shows your last location. There's no tracking, but you'll probably have to reinstall it to avoid suspicion.
5. Disable background app refresh in Life360
This feature allows apps to run in the background and update information. Life360 uses GPS and motion tracking from your smartphone. For this reason, turning off the internet without turning off background app refresh may not keep you in one place.
This feature, for example, can be accessed through the Settings app on an iPhone and Android. Tap the Settings app, go to Life360 and go to the menu. Tap the button next to background app refresh to turn it off. This way you are 100% sure that the location will not be updated when Wi-Fi is off.
Android users will need to go to their settings, tap "Apps" and turn off "Allow background data usage" after tapping "Life360".
Android also offers a battery saving feature for many models. Tap "Device care" and turn off Life360 background refresh in battery settings.
6. Disable location and motion
Disabling motion and location tracking should be enough to keep you in one place. This means that you don't need to turn off Wi-Fi and cellular for the trick to work. However, it is always advisable to turn off background app refresh.
To put things into perspective, it gives you the option of having a long lunch or running an errand without telling everyone else around you. The app always displays the last saved location and stays there until the information is updated.
Additionally, you can set the location to "Ask next time" and the app will introduce a pop-up before it starts tracking you. This process was tested on an iPhone, but the feature name may be different on Android.
7. Enable Battery Saver Mode
Life360 uses lots of battery resources to monitor and report your location and movement statistics. Most of its functions turn off when your battery is below 20%. The same thing happens when you intentionally trigger battery saving mode. But there is a catch.
You will need to turn off background app refresh to ensure location is not tracked. It's unclear whether the app can override battery saving mode when you trigger it at 50% or 70% battery full.
Android and iPhone users have low power mode options. Android users can choose between high performance, optimized, medium and maximum power saving options.
Maximum power saving only allows your phone's essential processes to run, so that's probably the one you want to prevent Life360 from running in the background.
8. Disable Drive Detection in Life360
Launch the app, select Settings and tap on the Drive detection option; it should be right above the FAQ. You just need to press the button in the next window to deactivate the function.
Rather than keeping you in one place, this prevents the app from tracking your movements, speed, and location. This option can work great if you want to take a short drive, but other members of your circle will know that you have Drive Detection turned off.
There is also an option to disable location sharing; tap it in the Settings menu and disable the button. If you belong to a few different circles, you must repeat this for each. Again, the map shows your last location and a "Location sharing paused" message appears.
This situation is not ideal as it can arouse the suspicions of the circle administrator and other members. Therefore, you may need to resort to more creative methods.
In conclusion, keeping Life360 in one place is difficult but not impossible, and you should know that it pretty much disables all emergency services within the app. In other words, you should use these tricks sparingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I turn off my location, will it alert others?
Yes, other people around you will know if you've turned off Wi-Fi (which isn't a big deal with unlimited data plans. There's no need for Wi-Fi all the time) and if you have disabled your location. .
Is it easy to cheat Life360?
If you're the parent of a teen or a new driver, it doesn't get any better than Life360. Even the free option gives you their location and speed, and lets you set two locations for alerts (i.e. when the kid has arrived at school). Regardless of the benefits of this method, there are hundreds of TikTok videos showing teens how to bypass Life360's watchful eye. For those who aren't tech-savvy, tricking the app might seem complicated, but it's simple enough for anyone who uses technology on a regular basis.
Will Life360 work if the phone is turned off?
No, it will only show your last location and your last trip. But, it will also show that your phone is turned off. Super fun fact on Life360; it also displays your battery percentage, so simulating a dead battery may not work.
Can I use Life360 without cellular data?
You will need a phone number to log into Life360, but you do not need cellular data to run the app. If you chose to use the burner phone option we've listed in this article, all you need is a Wi-Fi connection and the ability to log into your Life360 account on the burner phone.
