Roseann913

Q: Find my friends app not working

All of a sudden Find my friends app is not working for me - it is only working when the other person signs in and it finds their location for that minute but once they get out of that app it shows their old location or says location unavailable.  Anyone kow why?

iPhone 5, iOS 6

Posted on Oct 13, 2012 6:38 AM

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Q: Find my friends app not working

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  • by Frozo,

    Frozo Frozo Nov 23, 2013 9:38 PM in response to buzzdriver
    Level 2 (274 points)
    iTunes
    Nov 23, 2013 9:38 PM in response to buzzdriver

    I am talking about when the app first came out. I wasnt inferring that I may be remembering wrong though, I am 100% sure that the app used to show your friends IN MOTION. But again, Im thinking that the constant uploading of the GPS data that was needed to do this may have been draining on the battery. Apple may have taken that feature out quietly, but Im not sure when it happened exactly (definitely before iOS7 though). If the friend's GPS position is now being broadcast between long intervals (which appears to be the case), there may be gaps when geofences aren't being triggered. This would make sense as far as the on-again/off-again success of alerts people seem to be having. But I'm no programmer, just trying to make sense of it.

  • by Stunt_Pilot,

    Stunt_Pilot Stunt_Pilot Nov 24, 2013 5:35 AM in response to Frozo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 24, 2013 5:35 AM in response to Frozo

    I'm with you Frozo. I used to be able to watch my friends dots move on the map in real time. Then, well before iOS7, not. But geofencing worked. Then iOS7 and  geofencing stopped working. I upgraded my 4S for a 5S two days ago. Tried everything to get FMF geofencing to work again. No joy. Yet.

  • by buzzdriver,

    buzzdriver buzzdriver Nov 27, 2013 11:22 AM in response to word2u
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Nov 27, 2013 11:22 AM in response to word2u

    I've got the FMF app to work correctly after much support calls, restoring iphone and properly setting up notifications. Seems a critical issue is to NOT force close the app. Which means sign in when requested but not "swiping away" the app thinking this saves battery power. Apparently it doesn't make a difference. Also when setting a notify me when 'friend' leaves a location, make sure to tap location(where they are) to drop the pin and set up the geofence, then tap save then done.Also to find a location where they will eventually arrive(or leave), tap the blank address bar and usually a list of previous addresses show. Pick one of these if needed but you can add any address and it will use that one if you want. Hope that is relatively clear as I'm trying to help those who may need it. I know I needed it!

    This have worked for me the last 5 out 5 times at a "notify me" when friend(my lovely wife) leaves a location, mostly work.

  • by Frozo,

    Frozo Frozo Nov 27, 2013 11:29 AM in response to buzzdriver
    Level 2 (274 points)
    iTunes
    Nov 27, 2013 11:29 AM in response to buzzdriver

    Well, glad you're is working again. For me sometimes it works and sometimes it doesnt. Honestly I dont think restoring your phone is a long term fix and you may very well just be having a lucky streak. I hope Im wrong for your sake though.

     

    Anyway, I NEVER force quit the app except for the few times I did it to trouble shoot this issue. My wife doesnt ever force quit anything, so this isnt really what's causing the issue, IMO.

     

    I've always set up the geofences exactly as you mentioned. Not sure there is any other way.

     

    I'd be curious how long you have success with this. Please keep us posted.

  • by word2u,

    word2u word2u Nov 27, 2013 12:04 PM in response to buzzdriver
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 27, 2013 12:04 PM in response to buzzdriver

    So, am I correct in saying...once you open the app, you never close it down?

     

    Wouldn't that drain the system due to using the location services?  (little arrow "on")

     

    Also,  what do you mean by "properly setting up notifications"...for I have it done in the "notifications" section..everything is right...from what I can see.

     


  • by jw154j,

    jw154j jw154j Nov 27, 2013 12:19 PM in response to word2u
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 27, 2013 12:19 PM in response to word2u

    The location arrow will disappear after about 30 seconds as that is the way iOS 7 works now. FMF only needs your location when you or a friend actively request it, not continuously. If you have a geo fence for yourself to notify someone else, then it will show the outlined arrow until the notification has been sent. (Location service still isn't running continuously, only when a significant location change is made)

  • by Doc Dougherty,

    Doc Dougherty Doc Dougherty Nov 27, 2013 9:36 PM in response to Roseann913
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 27, 2013 9:36 PM in response to Roseann913

    I have determined that an iPhone that is running IOS 6 continues to correctly report FMF geofence crossings to an iPhone that is running IOS 7, while an iPhone running IOS 7 will not report geofence crossings (or only does so intermittently). So there is at least some evidence that the problems are related to the OS version.

  • by Manicbobo,

    Manicbobo Manicbobo Dec 8, 2013 6:29 AM in response to Roseann913
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2013 6:29 AM in response to Roseann913

    I have tried everything listed by everybody and geofencing is not working on any of our 5 iPhones in the family - 4, 2-4s, a 5 and a 5s all with ios7.  Everything went belly up a couple of days after the ios7.2 update.  I had hoped the FMF update would cure it but that's a big Phffffft. All the phones have the track this device checked also.

  • by word2u,

    word2u word2u Dec 13, 2013 12:51 PM in response to Manicbobo
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 13, 2013 12:51 PM in response to Manicbobo

    In this ongoing fiasco of FMF...all of a sudden, yesterday, I FMF sent me notifications of location changes of my wife.  So I continued asking for these changes...and I got them all day long (about 5+ of them).  Today...NOTHING...    Hummmmm....issue on the Apple side of things?  Server issues???   Anyone else have this sort of thing happen?

  • by Manicbobo,

    Manicbobo Manicbobo Dec 13, 2013 1:49 PM in response to word2u
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 13, 2013 1:49 PM in response to word2u

    Mine was doing that for awhile. I would get all our notifications hitting from 5 fones all one day then nothing for a few days then hit everyone & every request.  Today I got one from my daughter leaving the house, not not arriving at work. Driving me nuts considering I spent an hour plus on the phone with support trying this and that...

     

    APPLE NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS.

  • by rafael71,

    rafael71 rafael71 Dec 23, 2013 5:44 AM in response to Roseann913
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 23, 2013 5:44 AM in response to Roseann913

    If you’re not receiving alerts

    Your friend might be in a location with poor cellular coverage. Also, make sure your friend:

     

    Isn’t hiding

     

    Has turned on Location Services (in Settings > Privacy) on his or her device

     

    Hasn’t turned off Find My Friends in Background App Refresh (in Settings > General). When Background App Refresh is turned off, Find My Friends can’t trigger alerts in the background.

     

    Hasn’t quit Find My Friends via the multitasking interface. If your friend quit Find My Friends via the multitasking interface, Find My Friends can’t trigger alerts. Ask your friend to reopen Find My Friends. For more information, see the Apple Support article Troubleshooting Find My Friends.

  • by Frozo,

    Frozo Frozo Dec 23, 2013 5:57 AM in response to rafael71
    Level 2 (274 points)
    iTunes
    Dec 23, 2013 5:57 AM in response to rafael71

    rafael71, your points have already been considered in this thread and confirmed not to be the issue.

  • by Martin S Taylor,

    Martin S Taylor Martin S Taylor Jan 16, 2014 1:15 PM in response to Frozo
    Level 1 (24 points)
    Jan 16, 2014 1:15 PM in response to Frozo

    My 2p worth:

     

    Often FMF won't update to tell me my friends' location. It will go for 30 minutes and insists on telling me where my friends were 30 minutes ago. Clicking the little 'refresh' icon does nothing.

     

    But using Siri works immediately. "Where is <my friend>?" and FMF immediately updates and gives the correct location.

     

    Geofencing is a waste of time - it never works.

     

    Martin S Taylor

    iPhone 5S, iOS 7.0.4

     

    <Edited by Host>

  • by Stunt_Pilot,

    Stunt_Pilot Stunt_Pilot Jan 17, 2014 9:25 AM in response to Martin S Taylor
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 17, 2014 9:25 AM in response to Martin S Taylor

    I found my FMF started working again about 4 weeks ago. I delayed posting here because I wanted to be sure. Compared to what it used to be in iOS 6 I have delayed geofence notifications, some of the time, and no near-real-time tracking any more, ever. I have a 5S and I am able to recieve geofence notifications from 5, 5S, 4 and 4s iPhones. It is my experience that it doesn't matter whether I turn background app refresh on or off on my phone. I still get geofence alerts. (?) As others have said: Location Services must be on of course (both phones), no hiding and you need to keep the app running (both phones). So, in summary, it works again but a bit slower than before. Good luck and thank you.

  • by Doc Dougherty,

    Doc Dougherty Doc Dougherty Jan 17, 2014 9:08 PM in response to Stunt_Pilot
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 17, 2014 9:08 PM in response to Stunt_Pilot

    Today I tried to replicate the results of Stunt_Pilot (above) without any luck.  iPhone 5 to iPhone 5 both on iOS 7. Both with FMF running.  I can see the location, but get NO geofence notifications; not on-time, not late, not ever.  However I still (on my iPhone running iOS 7) get timely geofence crossing notifications from an iPhone that is still running iOS 6.

     

    I tried the trick of asking Siri where my friend is and verified nearly instantaneous and accurate updates of their current location. I like that a lot --- THANK YOU!!

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