Q: Find my Friends doesn't work after IOS 7 update

iOS 6 didn't have Background App Refresh behavior either.  Even if you have Background App Refresh enabled on iOS 7 if you force quit the app (swipe up from the app in the multitasking bar) then Find My Friends will not respond to background location requests until you launch it again.

Unless an app is frozen, there is no reason to force quit an app in the first place.  If memory gets tight, iOS will automatically kill off any background apps to free up memory.  There is no need to micro-manage it as a user.

Same issue.

It seems to be something with the Find my Friends app itself.

Using the Find my iPhone app to find the same person works perfectly.

Same problem. I've tried it all with 5 phones including 4, 4S, 5, 5c and 5s.  All having the same problem.  Here's hoping Apple addresses this issue.

Same problem here. When the app is killed, my contacts cannot see my location anymore.  It was definitely not the case with old iOS.  It's not as useful now, definitely needs to be fixed ASAP.  Users got used to FmF working in any case, killed or not killed and that's how it should be.

See my similar post https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5353991

Will definitely send feedback to Apple

I did not upgrade but my kids did...I am having the same problems and did most everything everyone else has done. This glitch is frustrating because I use it for my kids to see where they are on the road to avoid texting/calling while driving. I do have their apple password and did sign in to their find my iPhone to see their location until this is fixed. When I did this and then went back to FMF it did show their location. I hope they fix this ASAP!

paul.go wrote:

 

Apple did update their help section on the app. I found this trying to figure out why my Find Friends wasn't working after the update to iOS 7. 

 

"Find My Friends is turned on in Background App Refresh (in Settings > General in iOS 7). When Background App Refresh is turned off, Find My Friends can’t use Location Services in the background. If Background App Refresh is turned on, but you quit Find My Friends via the multitasking interface, location updates won’t be sent to your friends until you open the app again."

 

Hopefully Apple will update this as it was not this way prior to iOS 7. Killing the app didn't prevent your location from updating in iOS 6 as I constantly killed the apps running in the background and never had this problem till the update. Hope this helps! Just make sure to not kill the app as of now and to tell everyone you follow not to kill their app and locations will continue to refresh. Otherwise it won't update locations till the app is opened again.

Sudden changes like this draw me closer to Android.

I always closed all my apps from the multitasking screen, and this was never an issue with Find my Friends. Going by the extract from Find my Friends help section, this is an intended change. Knowing Apple, it will be perminant too.

This same behavior is happening in our fam on the 4, 4s, and 5.

Same problem here in Brazil.... Does anyone know how to report this kind of bug to Apple?

Same problem in The Netherlands. FMF app needs to be started so someone can "find" me after upgrading to iOS7.

Very dissapointed with this new update. I find the app pointless if locations don't show when the app has been closed. Most of my friends close apps running in the background, therefore it is of no use! This was once one of my favourite apps, now it is something I will probably no longer use

Got the same issue.

Disabled and enabled all concerned Options.

Re-installed the App.

Changed related Mail address.

Problem stays the same.

Same issue here on two iPhone 4S.

I am having the same issue as everyone else.

The workaround of having the app running all the time is unacceptable. That would mean i would have to constantly check all my family members phones to make sure its running. If they accidently or intentionally kill the app, i would have to call/msg and ask them to run it again? That completely defeats the purpose!

unfortunately with ios7 update this app has become useless

Same problem in France with iPhone 5, 4s, 4 and iPad4...

Same issue here on a 4S. Location is only shown if the app has been opened.

The strange thing is that it is working ok on a 5S location is always updated even with the app forced closed and not opened during days.

Both phones were working fine before the ios7 update.