Family Safety location tracking not working

Anonymous
2023-03-05T01:16:51+00:00

Hello. I have two children with Android phones (Samsung S21's). We have used Microsoft Family Safety for a few years and location tracking has worked perfectly until a few weeks ago when it stopped updating their locations.

I looked at every setting on both their phones, making sure all of the recommended location settings, security settings, battery settings were correct. Still couldn't get their location which showed they were both "In the house" when they were actually at school.

I uninstalled the app from both phones and reinstalled it. I followed all of the security prompts for the recommended settings. Both phones started to report their location again.

However... one of my children is on a school trip. Their phone last reported in five hours ago from a service station 250 miles away. They are now at their destination, but the Microsoft Family Safety app still shows them where they were five hours ago (extremely worrying for a parent).

Looks like the probkem has happened again. This must be a Microsoft problem What are the chances of both my kids phones stopping reporting their location at exactly the same time?

Come on Microsoft please fix this. Our children are very important to us and the app is called Microsoft "Family Safety".

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Family and online safety

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-04-07T12:43:39+00:00

    My reply from Microsoft following on from several emails to report the issue with Family Safety:

    "Thank you for your prompt response and for providing the needed information. Please be informed that at this time, the issue is still under investigation.  I am unable to provide an estimated time frame for the resolution, however I will be sure to keep you updated as to any progress on the open investigation. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused you. Thank you for  your patience while we work to resolve your issue. Thank you,Microsoft Family Safety Team"

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-04-07T12:50:56+00:00

    Android phone users.. you can still see/share your location with native Google Maps app.

    Google Maps > Location Sharing > Select your family member > set time to unlimited
    then do it again from their phone to you.

    Boom, you can see each other in real time and with no detriment to existing battery life as maps already tracks location natively anyhow.

    You can even set up the same location notifications you had in Location Safety app (i.e. arriving/departing from school, etc).

    It also updates faster and you can create shortcut widgets to your family or individual members on your home page.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-04-08T15:30:08+00:00

    Or install Google's Family Link App.

    This also allows creating 'Family Spots' and triggers when family members arrive AND (or) leave that location.

    This is actually something that MS Family safety is unable to do: it is either a notification when someone arrives OR leaves the location

    It is actually time that The Family Safety team themselves come with a statement...

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-04-09T06:53:27+00:00

    I have the same problem.

    The android phones report that a location wax requested and sent, but it's not being reported by the Microsoft app on the supervise phone.

    It was fixed for a while by reverting to an older version 1.23 of family safety on my phone.

    Now picks up location,

    But recently on one phone, the pixel 6 has just stopped reporting its location, while still working on a Samsung a41.

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-04-21T19:09:49+00:00

    "What are the chances of both my kids phones stopping reporting their location at exactly the same time?

    Come on Microsoft please fix this. Our children are very important to us and the app is called Microsoft "Family Safety"."

    I second this.

    Dear Microsoft, this is not a glitch, my guess is that this is a product which you asked some team to come up with to a certain level and have now abandoned for the time being. I have an Office family subscription for the ADVERTISED PURPOSE of connecting my family. The Office and access to expanded Onedrive and everything else are nice bonuses and make it a good value subscription, but my PRIMARY concern as a parent was having the tools to connect with my family.

    Its called bloody Family Safety and the one bloody thing it can't bloody do is help me to keep my family bloody safe!

    FIX IT!

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