Life360 is a family tracking app that allows you to protect the people who matter to you most. Available for Android and Apple devices, the platform uses location-sharing technology so you can see where family members are, and even check in on how they’re driving.
To ensure accurate tracking, Life360 provides you with a map. On that map are circles, which represent each of the family members you’re tracking. Within those circles are various colored map icons that give you an at-a-glance idea of what your tracked loved one is doing at any given time.
In this article, we explain what each of the Life360 map icons means. But before you can see these icons, you need to create a circle for your family members.
What Does a Purple Life360 Map Icon Mean?
The purple Life360 map icon takes you to the Day Detail screen of your circle member. This screen allows you to choose a date so you can see the location history of your chosen circle member for that date. A slider located at the bottom of the screen displays any new trip or drive updates for the chosen member.
Follow these steps to access the Day Detail screen.
- Open your Life360 app and click on the profile of the circle member you wish to track.
- Locate the purple Life360 icon at the bottom of the member’s profile screen. It looks like a map location pin.
- Tap the purple icon to open the Day Detail screen.
What Does a Green Life360 Map Icon Mean?
The green Life360 map icon is a small green dot in the middle of a circle icon that shows a member’s position on your map. A green map icon means that the member has activated Life360’s drive detection feature. Now you can track their driving in real time. The feature also allows you to check for unsafe driving techniques, such as using the phone while driving.
Follow these steps to turn on Drive Detection.
- Open Life360 and tap the “Settings” icon in the lower-right corner.
- Select “Drive Detection.”
- Tap the slider to turn the feature on.
Repeat this step on each circle member’s device to display green Life360 map icons for everybody in the circle.
What Does an Orange Life360 Map Icon Mean?
An orange Life360 map icon indicates an area where a recent crime has taken place. It may show up if a circle member drives close to the area in question. Users can check for this map icon to help them avoid areas that may host criminal activity.
What Does a Spinning Circle Life360 Map Icon Mean?
A spinning circle icon indicates that Life360 is not currently able to detect a circle member’s position on the map. This may happen due to several reasons, such as the circle member having a weak internet connection, or if they turn their internet connection off manually.
Know Your Life360 Map Icons
Knowing what each Life360 map icon means allows you to quickly determine whether you need to get in touch with a circle member. The icons give you an at-a-glance idea of the member’s connection status, current driving activity, and their vicinity to areas where recent crimes have taken place.
Now that you know what the icons mean, we want to hear your opinions about Life360. Do you think a tracking app may prove useful for your family? Does Life360 sound like a good solution for you? Tell us in the comments section below.