Life360 stops tracking when you uninstall the app or turn off location permission

Life360 is a location-sharing app that family members use to see each other's real-time location on a map. If you want to stop sharing your location through Life360, you have three main routes: uninstall the app entirely, turn off its location permission in your phone's settings, or pause sharing within the app itself. Which one you choose depends on whether you want to keep the app but hide your location, or remove it completely.

The fastest way is to uninstall Life360 from your phone — this removes the app and stops all tracking when ready. If you want to keep the app but prevent it from accessing your location, you can revoke its permission in your phone's settings without deleting anything. A third option is to open Life360 and pause location sharing from within the app, though this is the least reliable method because the app can resume sharing if someone with account access turns it back on.

Key Takeaways

  • Uninstalling Life360 stops location sharing completely and is the most permanent option if you no longer want the app on your phone.
  • Turning off location permission in your phone's settings prevents Life360 from accessing your location without removing the app.
  • Pausing sharing within the Life360 app itself is temporary and can be re-enabled by other account holders, so it is not a reliable way to stop tracking.
  • On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services; on Android, go to Settings > Apps > Life360 > Permissions > Location.
  • If you are a minor or dependent on a family plan, the account owner may be able to see that location sharing is off and may ask you to turn it back on.

Uninstall Life360 completely

Uninstalling removes the app from your phone and stops all location tracking through Life360. This is the most straightforward option if you no longer want the app at all.

On iPhone: Press and hold the Life360 app icon on your home screen or in the App Library. Tap "Remove App," then tap "Delete App," then tap "Delete" to confirm. The app is now gone from your phone.

On Android: Press and hold the Life360 app icon on your home screen. Tap "Uninstall" or drag the icon to the "Uninstall" option at the top of the screen. Confirm the uninstall when prompted. The app is now removed.

After uninstalling, other family members will see your location as "offline" or "not available" in their Life360 app. They will know that you are no longer sharing your location, but they will not be able to see where you are.

Turn off location permission without uninstalling

If you want to keep Life360 on your phone but prevent it from tracking your location, you can disable its location permission in your phone's settings. This way, the app stays installed but cannot access your GPS or location data.

On iPhone: Open Settings, scroll down and tap "Privacy," then tap "Location Services." Scroll down to find Life360 and tap it. Change the setting from "Always," "While Using," or "Allow Once" to "Never." Life360 will no longer have permission to see your location.

On Android: Open Settings, tap "Apps" or "Applications," find and tap "Life360," then tap "Permissions." Tap "Location" and select "Don't allow" or "Deny." You may also see an option to allow location only while using the app — selecting "Don't allow" is the most restrictive option.

When location permission is off, Life360 cannot track you even if the app is running. Other family members will see your location as unavailable or offline, similar to uninstalling the app.

Pause sharing within the Life360 app

Life360 has a built-in pause feature that temporarily stops sharing your location without uninstalling the app or changing phone settings. However, this method is less reliable because other account holders can turn sharing back on.

Open the Life360 app and look for your own circle or profile. Tap the pause icon or the option to pause location sharing. The app will show that sharing is paused, and your location will appear unavailable to other family members.

Keep in mind that if another family member with account access opens Life360, they may see that sharing is paused and can resume it without your permission. If you are a minor or dependent on a family plan, the account owner has the ability to turn sharing back on at any time. For a more permanent solution, use the location permission method or uninstall the app instead.

What happens when you stop sharing your location

Once you disable Life360, other family members will see your location as offline, unavailable, or not sharing. They will not be able to see where you are on the map. Depending on your family's setup, they may receive a notification that your location is no longer available.

If you are part of a family plan where the account owner expects you to share your location, stopping Life360 may prompt a conversation. Some parents or guardians use Life360 as a safety tool and may want to know why sharing has stopped. If you are an adult managing your own account, you have full control over whether to use the app.

Removing yourself from a Life360 circle

If you want to leave a Life360 circle entirely rather than just pause sharing, you can remove yourself from the group. Open Life360, find the circle you want to leave, and look for a settings or menu option. Tap "Leave Circle" or a similar option. You will be removed from that circle and will no longer appear on the map for other members.

If you are the circle owner (the person who created the circle), you cannot straightforward leave — you would need to delete the circle or transfer ownership to another member first. Check the app's settings or help section for options specific to circle owners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my parents see that I turned off Life360?

Yes. When you uninstall the app, turn off location permission, or pause sharing, other family members will see that your location is unavailable or offline. They will know that location sharing has stopped, though they may not know which method you used. If you are a dependent on a family plan, the account owner may be able to see more details about your account status.

Will Life360 send a notification when I turn off location sharing?

Life360 may notify other circle members that your location is no longer available, depending on the app's settings and the version you are using. Some family members may receive a notification, while others may only see the change when they open the app. There is no way to hide the fact that sharing has stopped.

What if I want to turn Life360 back on later?

If you uninstalled the app, you can reinstall it from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android) and log back in. If you only turned off location permission, open Settings, find Life360, and change the location permission back to "Always" or "While Using." If you paused sharing, open the app and resume sharing from the pause menu.

Does turning off location permission affect other apps?

No. Turning off location permission only affects Life360 — other apps that use location will continue to work normally if they have their own location permission enabled. Each app has its own location permission setting in your phone's settings.

Can I hide my location instead of turning off Life360?

Life360 does not have a built-in feature to show a fake location or hide your real location while the app is running. Your options are to disable the app, turn off its location permission, or pause sharing. If you want to appear offline while keeping the app, turning off location permission is the cleanest approach.