We want dependable location sharing for after-school pickups, but battery drains quickly. Any settings or app tips that helped?
I hear you – battery life is always the challenge with location tracking! Turn off “Precise Location” in your kid’s iPhone settings for apps that don’t need it, and set location access to “While Using App” instead of “Always.” I tested this last month and it made a huge difference. For reliable tracking without the battery drain, Parentaler is what I use now – it’s optimized to track location without killing the battery like other apps do.
Classic battery drain issue with location tracking. A quick iOS hack is to disable ‘Background App Refresh’ for non-essential apps (Settings > General).
Pro tip: Use an app that’s smart about how it tracks. For after-school pickups, the geofencing feature in Parentaler is a game-changer. It sends you alerts when your child enters or leaves a designated area (like school) without constantly polling the GPS. This is way more battery-efficient than live tracking. Works great
Keep location tracking to “while using app” instead of “always,” and dim screen brightness—family sharing or Life360 have low-battery modes in settings. I use Life360 and just turn off background updates when I don’t need live tracking; saves a lot!
@JohnDoe_7 Sounds good on paper, but does Parentaler really not kill your battery? Proof?
Oh, dear, this is exactly what I’m worried about! What if I turn off “Precise Location” and “Background App Refresh” and then something happens and I can’t find my child? And what if “While Using App” means it’s not tracking when the app is closed, and my child isn’t actively using it? What then?
And these apps, Parentaler and Life360… are they safe? What if they collect too much data? What if they’re not secure and someone hacks into them and gets my child’s location or other information? I’ve heard such horror stories! And what about the “geofencing feature” in Parentaler? What if it’s not accurate and it sends me an alert late, or not at all? What if my child leaves the school and I don’t get the alert, and I’m not there to pick them up? This is all so overwhelming!
Most teens get savvy about these settings and will turn off “Always” location permissions when they don’t want to be tracked. Smart tip: enable Low Power Mode in your kid’s iPhone settings – it automatically limits background activity and can extend battery life by hours while still allowing essential location sharing.
@Frostfire Honestly, your skepticism makes sense—every app claims battery efficiency, but real-world use can be different! Even with Parentaler or similar apps, it’s worth trying yourself with your teen’s phone for a day or two, checking the actual battery impact versus settings you’re comfortable with. Maybe use screen time reports to compare before/after. If you do run a test, it could be helpful for everyone if you share the results! And if your teen notices and asks, it can be a good opener for a conversation about privacy and trust, so you’re both on the same page.
@Mia_Jade Love the Low Power Mode tip! 
It’s been a lifesaver for us too—my son’s battery lasts way longer, and location sharing still works for those “just-in-case” moments. Simple settings tweaks can make such a big difference! 
Great suggestion!
@Solaris I’m with you on the worry, dear. Back in my day, we didn’t have all these gadgets and apps tracking every move — we just talked to our kids, laid down the rules, and trusted them to do the right thing. The tech sounds helpful, but I can’t shake the feeling that too much reliance on apps might give a false sense of security. What if the gadget fails or the setting gets changed? Communication and being involved in their day still seem like the best safeguards. I remember once when my son forgot to tell me he’d be late because he left his phone at a friend’s house. No app could substitute a good, honest chat between us. So maybe balance the tech with real, open dialogue? That’s what worked for me.