Life360 Not Updating Location on Android? Check These Settings
Fix stale Life360 locations on Android with a focused checklist for the right phone, background battery settings, permissions, and connectivity.
Documentation-based guide · Official sources checked October 4, 2026 · Not a hands-on product test
In this guide
If Life360 is showing an old location on Android, start with the phone sending that location. Check its connection, location permission, and background battery restrictions. Repeatedly refreshing the viewer's map will not fix a setting on the other phone. Ask that person to check their own device if they want to keep sharing.
This guide is based on Life360's support documentation. Kinlumo has not performed a device or battery test. A stale location alone does not establish why someone is unavailable.
Match the symptom to the first check
Use this as a troubleshooting order, not a diagnosis:
| What you see | Start here | What to compare afterward |
|---|---|---|
| One person's location is old | Their phone's connection and permissions | The displayed update time |
| Location changes only when the app opens | Background battery restrictions | Behavior after locking the screen |
| A recent position looks imprecise | Precise location and location settings | The point and its timestamp together |
| Several people appear stale | Your own connection and the affected phones | Whether another viewer sees the same issue |
Write down the starting symptom. Changing six settings together makes it harder to learn which one mattered.
1. Check the basics on the sending phone
Life360 recommends an up-to-date app, a working cellular connection, and one active device per account. Turn off Airplane mode and check that location is enabled. If the phone recently ran out of battery, open Life360 after charging it. Its Android accuracy checklist also calls for precise location and checking power-saving and data-saving settings. Life360 accuracy checklist
Ask the person to open an ordinary webpage as a quick connection check. Record whether the location changes while Life360 is open. This is a suggested diagnostic step, not proof that every background setting is correct.
2. Remove Life360's background battery restriction
Life360's documented Android path is:
- Open Settings.
- Choose Apps, then Life360.
- Open Battery.
- Remove the restriction or select Unrestricted.
Names can vary by Android version and manufacturer. Use the app's battery settings rather than changing every app on the phone. Official background restriction instructions
If updates return only while the screen is on, that is useful information for support. It does not prove a deliberate pause. Background access may affect battery use; Kinlumo has not measured that trade-off.
3. Review location permission separately
Battery access and location permission are different controls. Life360's permission guidance calls for location access that permits background operation and precise location, where available. Check the permission page for Life360, not only the phone's overall Location switch. Life360 permission settings
Do this on your own device or with the device user's participation. Someone who no longer wants to share should use their sharing controls, rather than be treated as a technical problem to fix.
4. Test one ordinary journey
After making a change, agree on a short test with another Circle member. Note the time, lock the screen, and compare the next displayed update after normal movement. Do not use a promised refresh interval as the pass condition: this guide establishes no universal update schedule.
A useful result is that the original stale-location behavior no longer occurs under the same conditions. If it persists, send Life360 support the phone model, Android version, app version, symptom, and settings already checked. Avoid repeatedly reinstalling without a clear reason.
Common questions
Does an old location mean someone stopped sharing?
An old timestamp alone is insufficient evidence. Connection and device settings are among the documented issues to check. Talk to the person before interpreting the map.
Should I disable every security app?
No blanket change is needed for this checklist. Start with Life360-specific permissions and battery settings. If support identifies a conflict, understand the change before making it.
Which phone should I troubleshoot?
Start with the phone whose position is stale, while also confirming the viewer has connectivity. If multiple people are affected, collect that pattern before assuming one device is responsible.
For broader setup decisions, read how to choose a family location-sharing app or location sharing for couples.
Kinlumo is not affiliated with Life360.