How can I improve location accuracy?

Accurate location information helps provide peace of mind, letting your loved ones know you are where you're supposed to be, all while respecting your privacy and autonomy. Your phone uses a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular networks to determine its location. For HeyPolo to work its best, your device needs the correct settings to provide a strong and precise signal. 

General tips for the best location accuracy

The most common reasons for location inaccuracy are weak GPS signals or interfering phone settings. Follow these universal best practices on any device:

1. Enable Wi-Fi. A strong Wi-Fi connection is the best way to get a highly accurate location for your phone. Keep Wi-Fi enabled, even if your device does not connect to a network.
2. Have Cellular Data. When Wi-Fi isn't available, HeyPolo uses cellular data to update your location.
3. Don't force-close HeyPolo. The app runs in the background to keep your circle updated. 
4. Disable battery-saving modes for HeyPolo. Low Power Mode, Battery Saver, or any third-party optimization apps can limit how often HeyPolo can update your location to conserve power. Turning off these features for HeyPolo ensures the app does not get into deep sleep or turn off.
5. Don't use the phone as a mobile Hotspot. The mobile hotspot feature on Android and iOS devices can sometimes interfere with location services.
6. Restart your phone. If you're still having issues, a simple restart can often resolve them by clearing temporary glitches.

Troubleshooting steps

If you experience location inaccuracies while using HeyPolo, follow the steps outlined below for the operating system on your device.

Troubleshooting steps for Android devices

NOTE: Android settings can vary by version and manufacturer.

1. Allow location services to be as accurate as possible:
   1. Open the "Settings" app.
   2. Tap "Location."
   3. Make sure the location toggle is on.
   4. Tap "Location services" or "Mode."
   5. Tap "High accuracy" to allow the use of GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile networks.
      NOTE: If you see "Google Location Accuracy," turn it on.
2. Double-check if HeyPolo has the correct location permissions:
   1. Open the "Settings" app.
   2. Tap "Apps."
   3. Find "HeyPolo."
   4. Tap "Permissions."
   5. Tap "Location" and select "Allow all the time." Enabling it will allow HeyPolo to update your location even when you are not actively using the app.
3. Double-check if HeyPolo has the correct mobile data and battery usage permissions:
   1. Open the "Settings" app.
   2. Tap "Apps."
   3. Find "HeyPolo."
   4. Tap "Mobile data & Wi-Fi."
   5. Make sure that "Background data" and "Unrestricted data usage" are enabled.
   6. Go back to the "Apps" and find "HeyPolo" again.
   7. Tap "Battery."
   8. Tap "Unrestricted" to prevent the Android operating system from putting the app to deep sleep.

Troubleshooting steps for iOS devices

1. Enable location services.
   1. Open the "Settings" app.
   2. Tap "Privacy & Security."
   3. Tap "Location Services."
   4. If it is disabled, enable it.
2. Double-check if you have set up the permissions for HeyPolo correctly.
   1. Open the "Settings" app.
   2. Tap "Privacy & Security."
   3. Tap "Location Services."
   4. Scroll down and tap "HeyPolo."
   5. Select "Always" to allow the HeyPolo app to always be able to update your location.
   6. Make sure the "Precise location" toggle is on. This feature is highly crucial for accuracy.
3. Enable "Background App Refresh."
   1. Open the "Settings" app.
   2. Tap "General."
   3. Tap "Background App Refresh" and enable it for "Wi-fi & Cellular Data."
   4. Find "HeyPolo" in the list of apps and double-check if the toggle for it is on.