Geofence trigger doesn't work

General
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1

Hi.
I set up two automations based on geofencing.

A: When anyone enters the area, all alarms (Away, Home, and Night mode) are automatically disarmed.

B: When the last person leaves the area, Away mode is automatically armed.

To avoid conflicts, I set the area of automation A to a smaller radius than automation B. This should allow the alarm to be armed when everyone has already left the disarming area boundary.
Whether all users are active and all devices are enabled (with location authorization always active and accurate) or only one user is active with the corresponding device, the App detects enabled devices in the wrong location: within the area even if they are many kilometers away or outside the area when the device is actually within the area.
Why?
All the tests I’m doing are driving me crazy. I’m thinking of giving up.

2

Hi.
I assume you are referring to the “Geoencing 2.0 (Lap)” of the Aqara Home app on iOS.

Apps are restricted low power mode in iOS

Please note that the Aqara Home app may be restricted by low power mode on your iPhone. To avoid this, you must deactivate them.

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Note: Even if you have already disabled them, the settings may have been reset by system updates without your knowledge. You can easily check this in your smartphone’s system settings and change them again if necessary.

Check if Precise Location is on

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security, then select Location Services.
  2. Select the Aqara Home app
  3. Check if Precise Location is on
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Ceck if location services blocked by Screen Time
Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions

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That doesn’t make much sense to me. I would use the ‘Away’ automation only, triggered by ‘Last to leave the area’, and the ‘Home’ automation by ‘First to arrive in the area’. This ensures that no alarm is active when someone is at home, which is usually the case with the night alarm.

1 Like
3

Hi,
I use Aqara home on an Android device.
Following your suggestion about battery usage, even though it’s not a requirement.
I’ve now enabled background usage as well.
Location is already set to “always”.

Home mode and Night mode have scheduled activations. Another automation disables the Night mode and Home mode schedules when Away mode is active. Geofencing malfunctions are independent of the scheduled activations.

I’ll now begin a new series of tests.

4

Also check if your device’s location accuracy turned on or off.

From Google for Pixel phones as example:

What Standard Battery Saver limits

  • Apps refresh their content, like email or news, only when you open the app.
  • Location services stop when your screen is off.
  • Apps don’t run in the background, unless you turn off battery optimization

For all devices, regardless of the Android version they are running:

5

I think that the problem was the right setting of the Battery usage.
I had to set it on Allow background activity (that is not required from the App when you set Geofencing 2.0).

All the test I made have a positive result.

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1 Like
6

It’s good to hear that it’s working now, and I hope everything continues to run smoothly. From my own experience, I can say that it doesn’t work as well as hoped with an iPhone.

7

I’m going to start the tests enabling all the users and related devices.

1 Like
8

Android devices have the same problems.
Geofencing isn’t reliable; it detects incorrect locations even when the Location and Battery settings are set correctly.
I give up and switch to manually arming and disarming the alarms.