The Green Circle on Life360 Is Key to Understanding How the Tracking App Works

When the Life360 app was invented, smartphone users everywhere rejoiced in the ability to track their loved ones for safety reasons, and at no cost. That is, if you choose not to purchase a monthly subscription and receive other benefits from the app. But Life360 also helps you track your friends for fun and safety and, for some couples, to make sure your partner is being truthful about where they go and when. It's also great for keeping tabs on teenagers.

Regardless of how you use Life360, though, there is a green circle that appears directly below the face bubble for most users. If you noticed it for the first time, you might be wondering what the green circle means on Life360. There is also a purple circle that appears from time to time and other icons that you might not notice unless you check the app often.

The green dot under a user on the map in your Life360 app indicates that the app has updated the person's location, per the app's bot that answers questions from users. That's also why users might see a green ring around someone's photo icon in the app. It's because the app updated the map to signify that the user's location is updated.

But the green circle, or dot, isn't the only thing that can change depending on where you go and what you do on the app. Other people in your circle or "family" on Life360 can see if your phone's battery is low, and likewise, they can see that for your phone, thanks to a battery icon that pops up on your image if your battery gets low.

And, if you are going extra fast on a highway, the car icon on your image might change to a race car. You can also change notification settings to let others know and to alert you when people in your circle arrive or leave locations that you've set on your account. And, if you don't want to share your location at all, or for a short period of time, you can turn it off in the settings. But be warned that others in your circle will know you turned off your location sharing.

According to Life360, there is no notification to let you know when someone in your circle checks to see where you are on the map. Your location is automatically shared on your circle's shared map once you join a circle of friends or family. If you have a plan that you pay for on Life360 and you access driver reports, you can also get information on what people in your circle used phones while driving.

Life360 explains on its website" "When Life360 indicates phone usage, it's signaling that the device was active during a drive. To promote safe driving, Life360 signals when a phone is active during a trip without sharing the messages sent, calls taken, apps used, or content viewed with your circle."