Background Location Access
The SOS App requires Background Location Access to ensure your safety features work reliably, even when the app is minimized, running in the background, or the phone is locked.
This permission is essential for providing continuous, real-time protection during emergencies.
Overview
Granting Background Location Access enables the SOS App to:
- Automatically send your live location during a fall detection alert.
- Instantly share your real-time location during an SOS alert.
- Allow family members to track your location securely during emergencies.
Without this permission, critical features like Fall Detection and Family Tracking may not work when your screen is off or the app is not actively open.
Why Background Location is Critical
| Use Case | Importance |
|---|---|
| Fall Detection Alerts | Sends your live GPS coordinates instantly if a fall or accident is detected. |
| Emergency SOS Alerts | Shares your location immediately without needing to unlock your device. |
| Family Member Tracking | Provides real-time movement updates to trusted family members. |
| Continuous Monitoring | Keeps safety services active quietly in the background for faster emergency response. |
Without background location access, emergency features may fail when needed most, especially if your phone is locked, asleep, or battery saver mode is active.
How to Grant Background Location Access
You can grant or verify Background Location Access in two ways:
During Initial App Setup
- When prompted for Location Access, select "Allow all the time" instead of "Allow only while using the app."
From Settings Later
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Navigate to Apps → SOS App → Permissions → Location.
- Set permission to Allow all the time.
View Screenshot
Background location Permission:
Ensure you also disable any device restrictions that limit background activities for the SOS App.
Best Practices for Background Location Usage
| Action | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Always grant "Allow all the time" location access | Ensures automatic emergency actions can occur without user interaction. |
| Exclude SOS App from battery optimization | Prevents system from disabling background location monitoring. |
| Periodically check permissions after device updates | Some updates reset permissions automatically. |
| Trust only the SOS App with background location | SOS App uses your data strictly for emergency operations and never sells or misuses it. |
Common Questions
Will the SOS App continuously track my location?
No.
The SOS App only accesses your location during specific events like fall detection, active tracking, or SOS alerts.
It does not track your location continuously for other purposes.
Does background location access drain my battery?
Minimal.
Background location monitoring is optimized to have very low impact, typically consuming less than 1% battery per day.
Can I revoke background location permission later?
Yes.
However, doing so will disable Fall Detection, real-time family tracking, and may impact SOS alert functionality when the app is not active.
Is my background location data shared with external servers?
No.
All location data is handled locally on your device and shared only with your trusted emergency contacts when an alert is triggered — not with external servers or third parties.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Fall Detection not working when phone locked | Verify that Location Access is set to "Allow all the time." |
| Family Member not seeing live updates | Ensure both devices have active Background Location Access and internet connection. |
| SOS Alert not sharing location | Check permission settings and disable any restrictive battery saver settings. |
| Location permission denied accidentally | Reopen SOS App or Settings and manually regrant Background Location Access. |
Background Location Access is essential for the SOS App to provide real-time emergency protection whenever you need it — even if your phone is locked or idle.
By granting and maintaining this permission, you ensure that the app can act immediately during critical situations, helping keep you and your loved ones safer.
Protect proactively. Set background access today.
What's Next
Learn about the Admin Permission needed for uninterrupted emergency operations and how it enhances background monitoring reliability.