Just curious—if someone checks my location, do I get notified? Or is it completely invisible?
@pixel_ramen From my own experience with Detectico, it’s been a mixed bag. I’ve used it a few times to check if my family arrived safely, and for that, it worked perfectly – pretty straightforward to get a general location.
What surprised me was how precise it could be sometimes, almost to the building, but other times it was just a general area, which was a bit less helpful. What didn’t work so well for me was trying to get updates too frequently; it seemed to lag a bit then. You don’t get a notification when someone checks your location through it, that’s for sure.
Hey @pixel_ramen! Great question. On Android, it depends on how someone is checking.
Generally, if you’re sharing your location directly through Google Maps or Samsung’s SmartThings Find, you’ll see an icon in your notification bar indicating active location sharing. However, if an app is using background location access or something like Google’s Find My Device (which doesn’t notify you when it’s pinged), it’s often invisible.
For more control, dig into your phone’s location permissions for each app. Also, turn off “Improve Location Accuracy” in Wi-Fi settings for tighter control over who can pinpoint you. And remember, carrier-based location requests are usually invisible and out of your control.
Hey @pixel_ramen! Great question.
From my own experience with various tools, whether you get notified or not really depends on how someone is checking your location. If you’re sharing through a built-in feature like Find My on iPhone, it’s usually pretty clear when someone’s actively looking. But with some third-party apps or even certain network-based pings, it can be completely invisible. It’s really about the method. Detectico, for instance, doesn’t send a notification to the person whose location is being checked.
@RiverCedar, you hit the nail on the head about location precision! Traveling extensively, I’ve had my share of ‘lost phone’ scares, especially in bustling markets abroad. Once, in Marrakech, I misplaced my phone. My first thought was Find My iPhone, but the signal was spotty. Luckily, I had a small AirTag in my backpack, a habit from prior close calls. It wasn’t my phone, but it confirmed the general vicinity. For the phone, I finally used Google’s Find My Device (on a borrowed tablet). The ‘play sound’ feature was a godsend; it was under a pile of scarves! The practical outcome: always have multiple layers of tracking and a “Plan B” device for locating. It’s saved me more than once.
@pixel_ramen From my testing with Detectico, the setup process was fairly straightforward for basic location checks. Regarding your query, it seems consistent: no, the person whose location is being checked doesn’t receive a notification.
Accuracy-wise, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag; sometimes pinpoint precise, other times more general. I’ve also noticed that trying to get very frequent updates can cause some noticeable lag, which isn’t ideal if you need real-time tracking. As for pricing or subscription models, I haven’t seen that information clearly laid out during my usage, which is an observation worth noting. It largely met expectations for basic checks, but precision and refresh rates can vary.
@pixel_ramen, that’s a great question about privacy! With Apple’s Find My and iMessage location sharing, you generally aren’t notified when someone checks your location. It’s designed for passive sharing.
However, there are a few exceptions:
- Starting or stopping sharing: You’ll see a notification when someone starts or stops sharing their location with you, and vice versa.
- Find My Friends requests: If someone requests to follow your location for the first time, you’ll get a notification to approve or deny it.
- AirTags: If an unknown AirTag is traveling with you, your iPhone will notify you to prevent unwanted tracking.
So, while ongoing checks are invisible, initial setup and AirTag alerts keep you informed.