How do I configure my smartphone for optimal Geofencing performance?

To ensure Geofencing works reliably on your smartphone, please check and adjust the following settings if necessary:

If you use ViCare on an iOS device (iPhone or iPad):

Enable Location Services:

• Open your smartphone’s settings.
• Tap on “Privacy & Security”.
• Tap on “Location Services”.
• Make sure the “Location Services” toggle is green (=enabled).
• If Location Services are disabled, please activate them using the toggle.

You can find a step-by-step guide here in the linked Apple support article.
Note: If ViCare Geofencing isn’t working even though Location Services are enabled, try closing and reopening the app to reload Geofencing data.

Allow Location Access:

• Open your smartphone’s settings.
• Scroll down and tap “Apps”.
• Find and tap on “ViCare”.
• Click on “Location”
• Make sure the “Location” setting is set to “Always”.

Precise Location: 

• Open your smartphone’s settings.
• Scroll down and tap “Apps”.
• Find and tap on “ViCare”.
• Click on “Location”
• Make sure the “Precise Location” toggle is green (=enabled).

Enable Background App Refresh:

• Open your smartphone’s settings.
• Tap on “General”.
• Tap on “Background App Refresh”.
• Make sure “Background App Refresh” is set to “On”.
• If it’s set to “Off” or “Wi-Fi only”, change it to “Wi-Fi & Mobile Data”.
• Tap “Back”.
• Scroll down and check whether “ViCare” is also enabled (green = on).
• If it’s disabled, activate it using the toggle.

You can find a step-by-step guide here in the linked Apple support article.

Enable Mobile Data for ViCare:

• Open your smartphone’s settings.
• Scroll down and tap “Apps”.
• Find and tap on “ViCare”.
• Make sure the “Mobile Data” toggle is green (=enabled).
• If “Mobile Data” is off, please activate it using the toggle.

You can find a step-by-step guide here in the linked Apple support article.
Note: Some mobile plans limit or restrict mobile data usage. This can also affect Geofencing, especially when Data Roaming is disabled while traveling abroad.

Do not activate Low Power Mode:
Avoid activating your phone’s power-saving mode, as it can restrict the background location activity. This ensures that features like Geofencing work reliably.

Keep the ViCare app running in the background:
For Geofencing to function properly, the ViCare app must remain open in the background. Please do not fully close the app (e.g. by swiping it away in the app switcher).
Good to know: When you're on the move, the app automatically reduces its background activity to save battery.

If you use ViCare on an Android device (Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, Motorola, etc.):

Enable Location Services:

• Open your smartphone’s settings.
• Tap “Location”.
• Make sure “Use location” is enabled.
• Tap “App location permissions”.
• Make sure “Always allow” is selected for ViCare.
• Ensure the “Use precise location” toggle is green (=enabled).
• If it’s turned off, enable it using the toggle.

Your exact location is never tracked, the ViCare app only checks if you crossed the Geofence.
You can find a step-by-step guide here in the linked Google support article.

Enable Background App Activity:
To use Geofencing, it’s important that the ViCare app is allowed to run in the background.
Make sure that background data usage is enabled in your Android system settings.

You can find a step-by-step guide here in the linked Google support article.
Note: Depending on your mobile plan, your provider may restrict mobile data usage or apply data limits. In cases where data roaming is active, such restrictions may also affect how much data the app can use, which in turn can impact the Geofencing feature.

Keep the ViCare App Running in the Background:
For Geofencing to function reliably, the ViCare app must remain open in the background.
Please avoid fully closing the app (for example, by swiping it away in the app switcher).
Good to know: Even if you do not close the app, it will automatically reduce its background activity when not in use in order to conserve battery life.

Disable App Hibernation:
With App hibernation your Smartphone will put the ViCare app into a state of dormancy when it hasn't been used for a while. This state prevents the app from running in the background and therefore, the Geofencing function won’t work reliably.

Deactivating Battery Optimization for the ViCare App:
Many Android devices automatically stop apps in the background to save energy.
To ensure that location-based features work reliably in the background, we recommend disabling battery-saving features for the ViCare app.
Battery optimization settings may vary depending on the Android version and the device manufacturer. Please check your system settings to see whether any battery optimization features are active for ViCare. If so, please deactivate them to ensure smooth background operation.

You can find a step-by-step for your Samsung device here in the linked Samsung support article.
You can find a step-by-step for your Motorola device here in the linked Motorola support article.
You can find a step-by-step for other devices here in the linked Google support article.
Note: The linked articles usually describe how to enable certain settings – please make sure the options are actually disabled. If you cannot find the relevant setting, we recommend contacting the device manufacturer directly or checking their support documentation.

Disabling Auto-Reset of Permissions for the ViCare App (Android 11 or higher):

• Open “Apps & Notifications” in your phone’s settings.
• Tap on “App Info”.
• Tap on “ViCare”.
• Tap on “Permissions”.
• Disable the option “Remove permissions if app isn’t used”.

Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi, Huawei), you may also need to verify that the autostart function is enabled for ViCare. This ensures that background services remain active and that Geofencing is not blocked. Additionally, it may happen that ViCare does not automatically restart after a device reboot. In such cases, please open the app manually to reactivate Geofencing.

Do not activate Power Saving Mode:
Please do not activate the power saving mode on your smartphone, as this may limit the ViCare app’s background activity. This ensures that all features – such as Geofencing – function reliably.

To sync your Geofencing status (e.g. “Home” / “Away”), please open the ViCare app from time to time – ideally shortly before or shortly after entering or leaving the Geofencing area.