I have shared my location indefinitely with someone but I am confused when I have checked my settings. Does a purple arrow next to Share My Location mean that the person I have shared my location with has been checking my location? A purple arrow shows up often next to Find My IPhone but it can be hours before a purple arrow shows up next to Share My Location.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 11, iOS 16
Smithycube90 wrote:
So when someone checks my location it goes purple !
Don’t conflate someone else tracking you with some item that is part of iOS or some item that is an app that you’ve installed that is using your location. Weather apps, for instance, often use your location to center the display map. The cell networks and Wi-Fi networks both need to track location for access to and use of those network services.
If the arrow is grey (last day) or purple (last hour), the installed app or iOS service has been using location services.
In your screenshot, I suspect you’re referring to the purple arrow next to Find My iPhone, and that is sharing device location with Apple but not sharing your location with others; that is tracking your iPhone should it become lost.
The service that does indicate shared location tracking is Share My Location. That’s a little further down the same location services display. It’s grey in your image. The other purple arrows (amd grey arrows too) are other apps and services using your location. (Whether some weather app or such is tracking you longer-term for their benefit is another discussion.)
If you’ve been unable to maintain control of your device and passcode and/or your Apple ID, then an added and installed app is also potentially tracking you, and added trusted devices are also trouble.
Losing control of a device, or passcode, or password is bad.
The location sharing provided by Apple is opt-in (you chose with whom you share) and is part of the Find My network. For the details of reviewing the current settings and the location sharing, see the following Apple website, or see the PDF at the bottom of the webpage:
Personal Safety User Guide - Apple Support
If you are concerned about your privacy or safety, as a start, use Safety Check mentioned there, and the sharing checklists there, again, as a start.
For add-on spyware, you’ll have to look at what has been installed that you do not recognize, and look at your Apple ID security and trusted devices, if you’ve not been able to control access to your device or credentials. Review and resolve what Apple has found for password problems, roo: Settings > Passwords > Security Recommendations
Smithycube90 wrote:
So when someone checks my location it goes purple !
Don’t conflate someone else tracking you with some item that is part of iOS or some item that is an app that you’ve installed that is using your location. Weather apps, for instance, often use your location to center the display map. The cell networks and Wi-Fi networks both need to track location for access to and use of those network services.
If the arrow is grey (last day) or purple (last hour), the installed app or iOS service has been using location services.
In your screenshot, I suspect you’re referring to the purple arrow next to Find My iPhone, and that is sharing device location with Apple but not sharing your location with others; that is tracking your iPhone should it become lost.
The service that does indicate shared location tracking is Share My Location. That’s a little further down the same location services display. It’s grey in your image. The other purple arrows (amd grey arrows too) are other apps and services using your location. (Whether some weather app or such is tracking you longer-term for their benefit is another discussion.)
If you’ve been unable to maintain control of your device and passcode and/or your Apple ID, then an added and installed app is also potentially tracking you, and added trusted devices are also trouble.
Losing control of a device, or passcode, or password is bad.
The location sharing provided by Apple is opt-in (you chose with whom you share) and is part of the Find My network. For the details of reviewing the current settings and the location sharing, see the following Apple website, or see the PDF at the bottom of the webpage:
Personal Safety User Guide - Apple Support
If you are concerned about your privacy or safety, as a start, use Safety Check mentioned there, and the sharing checklists there, again, as a start.
For add-on spyware, you’ll have to look at what has been installed that you do not recognize, and look at your Apple ID security and trusted devices, if you’ve not been able to control access to your device or credentials. Review and resolve what Apple has found for password problems, roo: Settings > Passwords > Security Recommendations
Smithycube90 wrote:
Did you ever find the answer mine is purple aswel ?
“A purple arrow indicates that an item has recently used your location.
A gray arrow indicates that an item has used your location in the last 24 hours.”
Julian690 wrote:
the same thing is happening to me am i being tracked or something?
Some part of iOS or iPadOS, or of some added app, has requested your location.
Don’t conflate someone else tracking you with some item that is part of iOS or some item that is an app that you’ve installed that is using your location. Weather apps, for instance, often use your location to center the display map. (Whether some weather app or such is tracking you longer-term for their benefit is another discussion.) The cell networks and Wi-Fi networks both need to track location for access to and use of those network services. (Carriers also sell that location data.)
If the arrow shown on your iPhone or iPad is grey (last day) or purple (last ~hour), then the installed app or iOS service has been using location services. (See the screenshot of Location > System Services posted above.)
If you’ve been unable to maintain control of your device and passcode and/or your Apple ID, then an added and installed app is also potentially tracking you, and added trusted devices are also trouble.
Losing control of a device, or passcode, or password is bad.
The location sharing provided by Apple is opt-in (you chose with whom you share) and is part of the Find My network. For the details of reviewing the current settings and the location sharing, see the following Apple website, or see the PDF at the bottom of the webpage:
Personal Safety User Guide - Apple Support
If you are concerned about your privacy or safety, as a start, use Safety Check mentioned there, and the sharing checklists there, again, as a start.
For add-on spyware, you’ll have to look at what has been installed that you do not recognize, and look at your Apple ID security and trusted devices, if you’ve not been able to control access to your device or credentials. Review and resolve what Apple has found for password problems, too: Settings > Passwords > Security Recommendations
If tracking is a more general concern, there are other means of tracking people. As mentioned above, cellular carriers sell location info. And GPS-capable cellular-connected trackers are widely available.
Mattie67 wrote:
How long does it stay purple?
Past hour or so seems to be what Apple considers “recent”.
“A purple arrow indicates that an item has recently used your location.
A gray arrow indicates that an item has used your location in the last 24 hours.”
So when someone checks my location it goes purple !
Yes.
Mattie67 wrote:
What does it mean by ITEM?
Some part of iOS or iPadOS, or of an added app, that is requesting your location.
Did you ever find the answer mine is purple aswel ?
How long does it stay purple?
What does it mean by ITEM?
the same thing is happening to me am i being tracked or something?
What does a Purple Arrow mean in Location Sharing?
