iOS: Geofences

Geofences on iPhones

Requirements

To use Geofences on your iPhone, the following requirements must be met.

Authorization for incoming messages
Authorization for precise location access, even if the app is running in the background (background access).

Important notes

The proper functionality of the geofences always depends on your smartphone, the operating system running on it and the system settings made.
This includes the current internet connection, the GPS signal, the charging status and battery-saving setting of the device, as well as the optimizations, made by iOS.

Your device decides when to check your position and thus whether you are in a geofence. We cannot force an immediate update of the status in the geofence. Delays of several minutes are normal here.
Often, it is helpful to open a map application such as Apple Maps to trigger an immediate update.

Maximum number of active geofences

Due to a system default, a maximum of 20 geofences per app can be active at the same time. Therefore, within GroupAlarm, we are limited to a maximum of 20 geofences per iPhone. If you or your organizations use more than 20 geofences, you will receive a corresponding message and can deactivate individual organizations in the settings. If these geofences belong to the same organization, ask your organization administrator to remove unused geofences.

Setup

If you install GroupAlarm on an iPhone, after logging in, you will be guided to the functions within the app with a setup wizard.
You can also select whether you want all organizations' geofences to be activated immediately on your device. If this option is deactivated, you must enable individual organizations in the settings.

You will then receive an overview of the necessary permissions and have the option of granting them directly.
To use geofences, all permissions listed there are necessary.

You can start this setup wizard at any time from the settings in the "FURTHER SETTINGS" area.

Administration

To manage geofences on your iOS smartphone, go to Settings and tap "Manage" in the "GEOFENCES" section.
There you will receive an overview of the current status of the geofences, the settings made, and all geofences created by your organizations.

Status

The status shows you whether you are currently using geofences (active), whether the function can be used but is deactivated (ready) or whether there are still necessary settings to be made (not ready).
If the status is not ready, you will see the measures that still need to be taken displayed below it. By tapping on it, you can immediately access the respective settings.

Settings

Here, you activate or deactivate the geofences on your smartphone if the necessary setup has been completed.
You can also select whether the geofences of all organizations should be activated immediately on your device. If this option is deactivated, you must enable individual organizations in the following overview.

Organizations

You will then see an overview of all organizations with geofences set up. This view can be updated at any time by pulling down the list.
Activate the switch next to the name to immediately release and use the geofences.
Tap on the name of one of the geofences to view the set-up location and radius on a map.

Next to the name of the geofence, you can see what your personal status is for that geofence by looking at the icon.
If it is grey, the organization is currently not active. If the symbol is red, you are currently outside the geofence. If the symbol is green, you are active within the geofence.

Solutions to common problems can be found here

Updated on: 28/09/2022