Freedom is an important thing to have as a teenager, but if your parents require you to use Life360 to track your location, you can feel a little stifled. Most easy and safe methods to turn off Life360 tracking do notify the other people in your circle, but we’ve gathered a few methods on how to hide your Life360 location on iPhone and Android with minimal notifications, as well as how to fake your location entirely. However, remember that you shouldn’t turn off Life360 to do anything dangerous or worry your parents.
Before you start: Ensure that you understand the risks of hiding your location and have access to the necessary devices like a burner phone if needed.
Warning: Hiding your location can have serious consequences, especially if it involves lying to your parents or if they are tracking you for safety reasons.
How to hide or fake your location on Life360
Follow these steps to effectively hide or fake your location on Life360.
Enable low data mode
- First, turn on your phone’s data saving mode. Both iOS and Android have the option to turn on a data saving mode, which turns off background app refresh. This ensures Life360 doesn’t automatically refresh to show your location when you’re not using the app.
- For iPhone: Open Settings and select Cellular. Tap Cellular Data Options > Data Mode and change the setting to Low Data Mode.
- For Samsung: Open Settings and select Connections. Tap Data usage > Data saver, then toggle on the switch.
- For Google Pixel: Open Settings and select Network & internet. Then select Data Saver and turn it on.
- Note that not all Android phones have the same layout, so you may need to look for data saver in your phone’s connections or network settings if you cannot find it.
- Next, turn off Wi-Fi. You can either turn off Wi-Fi for your entire device or you can turn it off for the Life360 app individually via your app settings, if your device allows it.
- Enabling low data mode is preferable to simply turning off Wi-Fi and data completely, as turning off your connection can set your Life360 location to Location paused. By using the low data method your location will be set as Internet connection problem.
Get a burner phone
- Purchase a prepaid phone. Some prepaid phones, sometimes called burner phones, can install apps. If you get a burner phone and install Life360, then log in to the app with your account, you can leave that phone in a location while you are actually somewhere else with your actual phone.
- Prepaid phones can be purchased at most major retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. Prices on prepaid phones can range from $20 to a couple hundred dollars.
- Ensure the phone you’re buying can install apps. Talk with the employees at the store you’re buying from to find the right phone for you.
- Next, install Life360 on the phone. Open the app store on the burner phone and search for Life360 to download it.
- Then, sign out of Life360 on your personal phone. You can only be logged into Life360 on one phone at a time, so to avoid any weird glitches, you should sign out of the app on your personal phone first. This will notify your circle that your phone is off or you have no network.
- After that, open Life360 on the burner and sign in with your email. You’ll want to use email sign in, as your burner phone will have a different phone number from your personal phone. This will restore your Life360 connection and your circle will be notified that you are online at your current location. Make sure to perform this switch at a location where you’re supposed to be, such as at home, school, or work.
Spoof your location
- First, download a location spoofing app.
- If you’re on an iPhone, you’ll have to jailbreak your phone before you can spoof your location.
- Install the spoof app. On iPhone, this is LocationFaker or LocationHandle, and on Android, the app is called Fake GPS location.
- If you’re on an Android, you’ll have to enable developer mode in your settings to spoof your location.
Pro tip: Always consider the potential consequences of hiding your location, and identify your motivations. If you feel your parents are being overly controlling, consider having an open conversation about it instead of resorting to hiding.
Finding ways to maintain your freedom while using Life360 is essential, yet it’s equally important to consider the motivations behind your need to hide your location. There can be valid reasons for wanting privacy but evaluate whether those reasons justify the potential fallout. Communicating with your parents when feeling monitored can lead to a healthier relationship, aligning their concerns for your safety with your desire for independence. Always prioritize safety and trust when using location-dependent apps like Life360.
