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How location updates work
Paralino uses advanced configuration and algorithms for adaptive location updates. Instead of sending updates at one fixed interval, update speed changes based on app state, battery level, permissions, and system rules from your phone.
For advanced tuning, open Location Settings.
Update behavior by different scenarios
| Active use | How updates behave |
|---|---|
| You are actively viewing the map | Paralino switches to High Performance and requests more frequent, higher accuracy updates. |
| Group member is actively viewing the map on their device | Paralino on your device switches to Higher Performance and requests more frequent, higher accuracy updates. |
| Group member is requesting a manual update from you | Paralino on your device switches to Highest Performance and requests very frequent, high accuracy updates. |
| Background use | How updates behave |
|---|---|
| Your device is on the move | Your device will provide more frequent location updates based on your When in Background settings. |
| Your device is stationary | Location updates could be paused or delayed by the system to save battery. Location can also be refreshed periodically once or twice a day depending on your system. If Best Performance setting is used, location can be refreshed every few minutes even if stationary. |
| Your device enters a saved place | Location is also refreshed. |
| Your device exits a saved place | Location is also refreshed. |
| Battery is low or system battery saver is enabled | Paralino switches to Battery Saver behavior to reduce power use. |
| Battery is below 10% | Paralino always uses the most battery friendly saver behavior, regardless of other settings. |
Why updates can be delayed
Location updates can slow down or pause when:
- The app does not have Always location permission
- Battery saver mode is active on your phone
- Android battery optimization restricts background activity
- Background App Refresh is disabled in iOS settings
- Mobile data/Wi-Fi connection is unstable
- The device is not moving enough to trigger distance based updates
- Neither you nor a group member is actively viewing the map
- You are using the de-googled APK from the download page, and the phone is still waiting on a GPS-only first fix
Android battery optimization and location updates
Some Android devices aggressively pause background activity to save battery. This can delay location updates even if sharing is enabled.
To improve update reliability on Android:
- Open System Settings -> Apps -> Paralino -> Battery section.
- Set battery usage to Unrestricted (or Don’t optimize, depending on device).
- Enable Allow background activity if that option is available.
- In system battery saver mode, add Paralino to allowed apps if your device supports exceptions.
Android manufacturer differences
Menu names vary by device brand (Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, etc.), but the goal is the same: allow Paralino to run in background without optimization limits.
De-googled devices and slow or inaccurate location updates
The APK from the download page uses Android’s own location system instead of Google’s. More about that build is in De-Googled Android App.
Android does not, by itself, come with the extra services and helpers that make location updates fast and accurate at the same time. It asks the GPS receiver for a position, and the receiver has to find satellites before it can get a location fix.
Outdoors, with a clear view of the sky, that is usually fine. Indoors, or outside when it is cloudy and satellite signals are weak, that first fix can take a long time. Later updates, even when they are fast, will still be less accurate.
iOS and Android phones with Google services combine GPS with nearby Wi-Fi networks, cell towers, and satellite data downloaded over the internet. Those sources can return an accurate location within a few seconds, which is why the first update usually feels quick on those devices.
GrapheneOS and similar de-googled systems can do the same thing, but those location services are either not as powerful or not as well integrated with the rest of the system. They can also sometimes stay completely off until you turn them on.
To check and enable some of them, open Settings -> Location -> Location services and enable the additional services listed there. On GrapheneOS, turn on Network location and/or Geocoder. Also enable Wi-Fi scanning in that same menu, so a network location can still be fetched quickly even when Wi-Fi is switched off.
If those services are left off, the app only has access to raw GPS data. Inside a building, or under heavy clouds, getting a first location fix will most likely be very slow. Once the phone gets a first location fix, later updates will usually be faster and more reliable.
Location services and privacy
Additional location services can sometimes involve sharing your device configuration or location with device manufacturers or other parties. Paralino is not involved in this in any way. It depends entirely on your device and on the privacy policy of the services built into it.
If you do not want to use any additional location services for privacy reasons, your location updates might be slow and inaccurate. The app will still work, but your experience depends entirely on the quality of your device and the current conditions in the sky.
iOS background app refresh and location updates
iOS devices have a feature called Background App Refresh that can pause location updates if not enabled. To ensure location updates are not paused, you need to enable Background App Refresh in iOS settings.
Open your system Settings -> Background App Refresh and toggle the feature on.
How to improve update reliability
- Keep Location Services enabled on your device
- Grant Location sharing permissions, including always on background access
- Use a balanced or performance-focused profile in Location Settings
- Keep internet connection active
- Use Manual Location Updates when you need a fresher location quickly