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How to Expand and Contract Location Radius in Life360 Family Tracking App

Life360 is a popular family tracking app that allows users to share locations, set up place alerts, and keep tabs on loved ones. One of the key features of Life360 is the ability to establish a location radius – a geofenced area that will trigger notifications when a family member enters or exits. Knowing how to configure these location radiuses is important for customizing alerts and monitoring zones. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to expand and contract location radiuses in Life360.

An Overview of Location Radiuses in Life360

Life360 allows users to establish custom locations known as “Places” which have defined geographic boundaries. Common places include Home, Work, School, etc. Each place has a radius – a circular geofence boundary measured in feet/miles that triggers alerts when crossed.

Here are some key things to know about location radiuses in Life360:

  • Minimum Radius: The minimum radius for a place in Life360 is 250 feet. You cannot set a radius smaller than this.
  • Maximum Radius: There is no official maximum radius in Life360, but a very large radius (over 1-2 miles) may result in overlapping locations and inaccurate notifications.
  • Customization: You can set unique radiuses for each saved place depending on your monitoring needs. Larger radiuses cover bigger areas but may be less precise.

Expanding the Location Radius

Here are the steps to increase a location radius in the Life360 app:

On Mobile

  1. Open the Life360 app and tap the “Places” button at the bottom
  2. Select the place you want to edit by tapping it
  3. Tap the pencil icon in the top right to edit the place
  4. Drag the radius circle wider on the map to expand it
  5. Tap “Save” when finished

You can expand the radius to over a mile, but keep in mind larger radiuses may overlap other places and impact notifications. Start small and expand gradually as needed.

On Desktop

  1. Log into your Life360 account online
  2. Click the dropdown menu and choose the circle you want to edit
  3. Click “Places” and select the place you want to modify
  4. Click the pencil icon to edit the place
  5. Enter a new larger radius in feet/miles or drag the radius circle wider on the map
  6. Click “Save Changes” when finished

Contracting the Location Radius

If you want to decrease the size of a place’s radius, follow these steps:

On Mobile

  1. Open Life360 and tap “Places”
  2. Select the place and tap the pencil icon
  3. Drag the radius circle smaller on the map
  4. Tap “Save” when the radius is adjusted

On Desktop

  1. Log into Life360 and access the circle’s places
  2. Click the place you want to edit
  3. Reduce the radius number to make it smaller
  4. Drag the radius circle on the map to reduce it
  5. Click “Save Changes”

Remember that Life360 requires a 250-foot minimum radius, so don’t reduce it smaller than that threshold.

Why Adjust Location Radiuses in Life360?

There are a few key reasons you may want to expand or contract a place’s radius in Life360:

  • Improve Alert Accuracy: Expanding a radius can reduce false exit/enter notifications, while contracting it can make alerts more precise.
  • Account for Geography: Increase a radius to cover a larger rural property. Decrease it in dense urban areas.
  • Child’s Independence: Give responsible teenagers more space by growing the radius and reducing nagging exit alerts.
  • High-Risk Areas: Tighten the radius around locations of concern for faster notifications if a family member leaves.
  • Battery Conservation: Large radiuses with long distances can drain phone batteries. Consider contracting the size.

Best Practices for Location Radiuses

When adjusting location radiuses in Life360, keep these best practices in mind:

  • Start small: Begin with a tight 250-500 foot radius and expand as needed.
  • Mind overlap: Avoid overlapping places or false alerts may occur.
  • Review regularly: As circumstances change, evaluate if radius sizes should be modified.
  • Communicate changes: Inform circle members if you dramatically expand or contract a radius.
  • Think precision: More accuracy is lost with very large radiuses over a mile wide.

Conclusion

Being able to customize location radiuses is vital for configuring precise alerts and effective monitoring in Life360. Carefully consider your family’s needs, location geography, and battery consumption when expanding and contracting the circular boundaries. Consistently reviewing and fine-tuning your places’ radiuses as life circumstances evolve will help keep your family safely connected via Life360 location sharing.

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