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Q: iOS 7 Location Based Reminders aren't working

I am having trouble getting location based reminders to work on iOS 7 on my iPhone 5. I have allowed for it to use my location and refresh in the background. Reminders with set times and dates work without any problems. Any ideas about how to fix this problem?

iPhone 5, iOS 7

Posted on Sep 23, 2013 10:58 AM

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Q: iOS 7 Location Based Reminders aren't working

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  • by JdRule,

    JdRule JdRule Sep 26, 2013 2:24 PM in response to bbmckibben
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 26, 2013 2:24 PM in response to bbmckibben

    I am noticing the same problem with my iPhone 5 running iOS 7.  This issue just started with iOS 7. I've tried all the Reminder troubleshotting tips on the Apple Support page and nothing seems to help. 

  • by JdRule,

    JdRule JdRule Sep 26, 2013 4:22 PM in response to bbmckibben
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 26, 2013 4:22 PM in response to bbmckibben

    OK, SOLUTION!  Chances are, you have an Outlook (Exchange) mail service synced to your iphone.  Mine was my work email.  This is what's causing the problem.

     

    If you go to Settings>Mail,Contacts,Calendars>select the Exchange/Outlook email you have set up> turn Reminders OFF for that email account.

     

    I did this and my location reminders work perfectly again.  I tested it leaving work and arriving home.  Both worked again!

  • by okenter,

    okenter okenter Sep 27, 2013 4:25 PM in response to JdRule
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 27, 2013 4:25 PM in response to JdRule

    Nope, this didn't work for me.

  • by CaptinTom,

    CaptinTom CaptinTom Sep 27, 2013 11:55 PM in response to bbmckibben
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 27, 2013 11:55 PM in response to bbmckibben

    I’m having the same trouble. Followed jdRule’s solution and no joy here either..!

  • by christianfromhessen,

    christianfromhessen christianfromhessen Sep 28, 2013 12:38 AM in response to JdRule
    Level 1 (93 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 28, 2013 12:38 AM in response to JdRule

    Locationbased Reminders only work if you haven't disabled "Background App-Regresh" You, Knowledge the One everybody tells you disabled because of the Batterylife. You could enable it only for the reminders.

  • by CaptinTom,

    CaptinTom CaptinTom Sep 29, 2013 3:51 PM in response to christianfromhessen
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 29, 2013 3:51 PM in response to christianfromhessen

    Brilliant, thanks Christian, all working now..

  • by GeekBoy.from.Illinois,

    GeekBoy.from.Illinois GeekBoy.from.Illinois Sep 29, 2013 4:03 PM in response to bbmckibben
    Level 4 (2,814 points)
    Sep 29, 2013 4:03 PM in response to bbmckibben

    What problems are you having with location based reminders?  I have set reminders for when I arrive at 3 different locations and they all worked as expected.  In fact I had forgotten that I had set one of them since I set a reminder last Saturday to remind me when I got to work, but it popped up on Monday morning when I pulled into the parking lot at work.  I also used one to remind me to do something when I got home form work one day, and that one also worked as expected.

  • by laurentfromcupertino,Solvedanswer

    laurentfromcupertino laurentfromcupertino Sep 30, 2013 2:45 PM in response to bbmckibben
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Sep 30, 2013 2:45 PM in response to bbmckibben

    In iOS7, currently, location-based reminders won't fire if the Reminders app is explicitly terminated by the user. That is if the user removes it from the Multi-Tasking application list (brought up with a double-press of the Home button).

    Also, Background App Refresh needs to be on for Reminders for location-based reminders to fire.

     

    So, in order to have location-based reminders to work on iOS7, you need:

    - Reminders to be either in the foreground or in the background (after launching Reminders, you can press the Home button and use other apps)

    - The general switch under Settings > General > Background App Refresh set to ON

    - The Reminders switch under Settings > General > Background App Refresh set to ON

  • by Todd Berliner,

    Todd Berliner Todd Berliner Oct 1, 2013 6:57 AM in response to laurentfromcupertino
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Oct 1, 2013 6:57 AM in response to laurentfromcupertino

    Thank you Laurentfromcupertino.  That is a big bug in the Reminders app. I hope Apple fixes it soon since I don't want to have to remember to keep Reminders open in order to receive my location-based reminders.

     

    Personally, I regret upgrading to ios7.  Between the problems with location-based reminders, new problems with the promiximity sensor in ios7, and the new "clean" look (which is less legible than the older ios because the consistent color palette makes my apps and folders look too similar), I feel this is the first downgrade in my iPhone.

  • by bbmckibben,

    bbmckibben bbmckibben Oct 1, 2013 7:01 AM in response to laurentfromcupertino
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 1, 2013 7:01 AM in response to laurentfromcupertino

    Thanks for the info, Laurenfromcupertino. I'll try to remember not to kill the app until it gets fixed. I hope it's soon.

  • by Todd Berliner,

    Todd Berliner Todd Berliner Oct 1, 2013 7:39 AM in response to laurentfromcupertino
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Oct 1, 2013 7:39 AM in response to laurentfromcupertino

    I spoke to Applecare about this problem, and, after testing, the rep agreed that it is a bug in ios 7.  She suggested reporting the problem to Apple on its complaints page.  If many of us report the same problem, it is liable to be fixed sooner. 

     

    The complaints website for the iphone is http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html.  Select "Bug Report" from the drop down menu.

  • by climber12we,

    climber12we climber12we Oct 1, 2013 8:35 AM in response to bbmckibben
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 1, 2013 8:35 AM in response to bbmckibben

    In iOS 7 location based Reminders no longer function unless the Reminders app is running in the background.

     

     

    If I ask Siri to remind me of things when I arrive or leave a location she confirms the request by saying "Here is the reminder for when you get home, should I create it?"  I then confirm and she says ,"I'll remind you". She doesn't mention that Reminders needs to be active in order to remind me.

     

     

    If this is intended behavior in iOS 7 this is a major step backward in terms of intuitive functionality and ease of use. I mean, I'm asking Siri to remind me of stuff because I'm probably not going to remember to do something. Why should I have to additionally remember to have Reminders running in the background to receive a Reminder notification? Very counter intuitive.

     

     

    Steps that I have taken to try and resolve issue:

    • Restore as new iPhone and manually install all apps

    • Make sure that Siri is accessing my correct home and office location through my contact information.

    • Made sure Reminder is in my Notification Center and all notifications types are turned on in the Notification Center

    • Make sure the Do Not Disturb feature is not running either manually or scheduled

    • Make sure Siri is on and has "my info" correct

    • Make sure Background App Refresh is on and that it is turned on for Reminders

    • Make sure a sound has been selected for Reminders in the Sounds settings

    • Make sure Location Services are turned on gloabally and that it is turned on for Reminders and Siri specifically.

    • Make sure all System Services are turned on

    • Make sure I have cell signal when I arrive at places I am supposed to be reminded at

     

     

    Still doesn't work!!

  • by climber12we,

    climber12we climber12we Oct 2, 2013 7:52 AM in response to bbmckibben
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 2, 2013 7:52 AM in response to bbmckibben

    Update:

     

    I have found that Reminders WILL notify me, even if the app is NOT running in the foreground or background, ONLY IF the reminder is based on time (not location).

    Reminders based on location will not work unless the Reminders app if running in the background. I spoke with two Senior Technical Advisors yesterday and they both agreed that this should not be happening. They put in bug tickets with the iOS Engineers and urged me to put in a bug report as well. You can put in your own bug report here:

    http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

  • by laurentfromcupertino,

    laurentfromcupertino laurentfromcupertino Oct 2, 2013 2:18 PM in response to bbmckibben
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Oct 2, 2013 2:18 PM in response to bbmckibben

    Also of interest:

    "Note:

    It's typically unnecessary to force an application to close unless the app is unresponsive. You can view all recently used apps by double-clicking the Home button. These apps are not open; they are in a suspended state.

     

    Additional Information

    If you close an app that has been configured to receive background notifications, it will no longer receive them until it has been reopened."

     

     

    "If you close an app multitasking interface, it won't be able to refresh in the background.”

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