Last updated: October 2026
Life360 helps families and friends stay connected through real-time location sharing, driving information, and arrival notifications. However, there may be times when you want more privacy or need a temporary break from sharing your whereabouts.
If you want to know how to pause location on Life360, the simplest method is to turn off Location Sharing in the app’s settings. You can do this separately for each Circle and turn sharing back on whenever you want.
However, pausing location sharing is not the same as making yourself invisible. Other members of the affected Circle can see that sharing is paused, previously collected location history is not automatically deleted, and certain safety features may still share your location.
This guide explains how to pause location on Life360 on iPhone and Android, what other members can see, how the Bubble feature works, and which privacy settings are best for different situations.
Can You Pause Location on Life360?
Yes. Life360 allows you to turn off Location Sharing without deleting your account, uninstalling the app, or leaving your Circle.
When you turn off Location Sharing, your regular location updates stop being shared with the Circle in which you disabled the setting.
Here are the most important things to know:
- Location sharing can be paused separately for each Circle: If you belong to multiple Circles, check each one individually.
- Other members can see that sharing is paused: Life360 displays a “Location Sharing Paused” status under your name.
- Your last known location may remain visible: Stopping future updates does not necessarily remove an existing map marker.
- Existing location history is not automatically deleted: Pausing sharing does not erase previously collected information.
- Some safety features may still share your location: Check In, SOS alerts, and Crash Detection have separate behaviors.
- You can resume sharing manually: Turn the Location Sharing toggle back on when you want to share your location again.
These distinctions matter because pausing location sharing, restricting GPS access, using a Bubble, and deleting your account are different actions.
How to Pause Location on Life360: Step-by-Step Instructions
The most direct method is to use the Location Sharing setting inside the Life360 app.
Step 1: Open the Life360 App
Unlock your phone and open Life360.
Make sure you are signed in to the account whose location you want to stop sharing. If you belong to several Circles, identify the one for which you want to change the setting.
Step 2: Open Settings
Tap Settings, generally represented by a gear icon near the upper-left corner of the app.
The exact position of the menu may vary depending on your app version.
Step 3: Select Location Sharing
Tap Location Sharing to access the setting that controls whether your location is shared with the selected Circle.
This is an in-app setting. It is different from your phone’s general location services or GPS permissions.
Step 4: Turn Off Location Sharing
Switch the Location Sharing toggle off.
Life360 will stop sharing your regular location updates with that Circle. Members of the affected Circle will see “Location Sharing Paused” under your name.
You can continue using your phone, making calls, sending messages, and accessing other applications.
Step 5: Check Your Other Circles
If you belong to more than one Circle, open the Circle switcher and select each additional Circle.
Review its Location Sharing setting and turn it off separately if necessary.
Important: Pausing sharing in one Circle does not automatically pause sharing in every other Circle.
How to Pause Location on Life360 on iPhone
Pause sharing with a Circle while keeping your iPhone’s location services available to other apps:
- Open Life360 and select the intended Circle.
- Go to Settings → Location Sharing.
- Turn off the Location Sharing toggle.
Turn Off Life360 Location Permission on iPhone
To restrict the app’s location access:
- Open Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services.
- Select Life360 → Never.
Menu names may vary by iOS version. This can trigger a permission warning and affect location-dependent features. Use the in-app setting if you only want to pause sharing with a Circle.
How to Pause Location on Life360 on Android
- Open Life360 and select the intended Circle.
- Go to Settings → Location Sharing.
- Turn off the toggle to pause regular updates to that Circle.
Turn Off Life360 Location Permission on Android
To restrict the app’s location access:
- Open Settings → Apps → Life360.
- Tap Permissions → Location.
- Select Don’t allow or the equivalent option.
Menu names vary by device. Life360 may show a “Location permissions off” status, and location-dependent features may stop working. This restricts the app’s location access rather than only pausing sharing with one Circle.
What Is the Difference Between Pausing Location and Turning Off GPS?
Pausing Location Sharing and disabling GPS or location permissions may produce different results.
| Action | What It Does | What Other Members May See |
|---|---|---|
| Turn off Location Sharing | Stops regular location sharing with the selected Circle | “Location Sharing Paused” |
| Disable location permissions | Restricts Life360’s access to device location | A location-permission warning |
| Lose internet or app connectivity | Prevents the app from sending updates normally | A greyed-out icon or a stale location |
| Log out of Life360 | Stops normal use of the app on that device | A “Logged out of Life360” alert may appear |
| Use a Life360 Bubble | Shares an approximate area rather than your precise location | An indication that a Bubble is active |
These options are not interchangeable. Turning off GPS or denying permissions can affect location-based features across the app, while the in-app toggle specifically controls regular sharing with the selected Circle.
A greyed-out icon or an old map marker does not prove that someone deliberately paused sharing. It can also indicate a connection or permission problem.
Can You Pause Location on Life360 Without Anyone Knowing?
No method guarantees that a pause will remain unnoticed.
When you turn off Location Sharing inside Life360, members of the affected Circle can see “Location Sharing Paused” under your name.
Other methods can also leave visible indicators:
- Location permissions disabled: Life360 may display a “Location permissions off” alert.
- Account logged out: Members may see a “Logged out of Life360” alert.
- Lost connection: The location icon may become greyed out.
- Bubble activated: Members can see that you are sharing an approximate location through a Bubble.
These indicators help distinguish a deliberate change in sharing settings from a technical issue.
If you need privacy, use the available controls with a clear understanding of their limitations. Do not assume that disabling a phone setting, enabling Airplane Mode, or restricting background activity will create an invisible pause.
How to Use Life360’s Bubble Feature
A Bubble temporarily shares your approximate location instead of your precise position. It does not completely turn off location sharing.
Steps to Create a Bubble
- Open Life360 and tap your avatar on the map.
- Select Create a Bubble.
- Adjust the radius and tap Continue.
- Choose the duration, then continue and tap Done.
Life360’s published guidance allows a radius of up to 25 miles and a duration of up to six hours. Availability and menus may vary.
What Can Circle Members See?
Members can see that your Bubble is active, while precise location and driving details are limited. Safety and messaging features remain available.
Can Someone Burst Your Bubble?
Yes. Any Circle member can burst it, and a detected crash or emergency may end it automatically. Your precise location becomes available again, and the Circle receives a notification. You can also end it early yourself.
Does Pausing Life360 Delete Your Location History?
No. Turning off Location Sharing does not automatically delete previously collected location history.
Life360’s official support documentation lists the following location-history periods by membership level:
| Membership | Location History |
|---|---|
| Free | 2 days |
| Silver | 7 days |
| Gold | 30 days |
| Platinum | 30 days |
These periods describe the history available under the listed membership levels. Plan availability and features may change.
Life360 also states that location history belongs to your account rather than a particular Circle. If you leave a Circle and later join another one, members of the new Circle may be able to see available history within the applicable retention period.
According to Life360’s current support guidance, there is no separate in-app option to delete individual location-history records or driving events. Deleting your entire account deletes your history and driving events.
Therefore, if your goal is to remove information already collected, simply pausing Location Sharing will not accomplish that.
Does Life360 Still Collect Location Data When Sharing Is Off?
Turning off Location Sharing for a Circle stops regular location updates from being shared with that Circle, but it does not necessarily stop Life360 from collecting all location information.
According to Life360’s published terms, the company may continue collecting location information to provide other services, including emergency services, sharing with other Circles where location sharing remains enabled, and location-based advertising.
Certain features can also share your location even when regular Location Sharing is turned off. For example, Check In can share a location you choose, and SOS or Crash Detection may share location information under specific circumstances.
If you want to understand or limit broader data collection, review Life360’s Privacy & Security settings and the privacy choices available for your account.
What Happens to Check In, SOS, and Crash Detection?
One important limitation is that pausing regular location sharing does not prevent every Life360 feature from sharing location information.
Check In
Tapping Check In can share a nearby location or a location you choose to name, even when regular Location Sharing is turned off.
SOS Alerts
Sending an SOS alert shares your location with every Circle you belong to.
For eligible paid members in supported countries, location may also be shared with Life360’s emergency dispatch service. Availability depends on membership and region.
Crash Detection
If Crash Detection is enabled and a qualifying collision is detected, Life360 can share location information with Circle members and emergency contacts.
Additional sharing with emergency services depends on the member’s plan, country, and eligibility.
These features are designed to support safety. Do not assume that pausing routine location sharing disables every emergency-related location function.
Does Pausing Life360 Stop Driving Reports?
Not necessarily.
Life360’s driving features and regular location sharing are related but separate functions. Turning off Location Sharing does not automatically erase driving information already recorded.
For example, a weekly Family Driving Summary may still display driving information collected earlier in the reporting period.
Life360’s Bubble feature works differently: its documentation states that Driver Reports and Location History will not include details from the time spent inside the Bubble unless the member moves outside its boundaries.
If you want to manage driving-related features, review the app’s driving settings separately rather than assuming the Location Sharing toggle controls everything.
How to Resume Location Sharing on Life360
You can turn sharing back on whenever you want to make your location visible to a Circle again.
Follow these steps:
- Open Life360.
- Use the Circle switcher to select the relevant Circle.
- Tap Settings.
- Select Location Sharing.
- Turn the toggle on.
- Check that your phone has the necessary location permissions and an internet connection.
Once sharing resumes, Life360 can begin receiving and sharing updated location information.
If your location does not refresh immediately, allow the app some time to update. Check the phone’s location settings and connection before assuming that the feature is still paused.
If you had also disabled the app’s location permissions, restore the permissions you want Life360 to use.
Common Mistakes When Pausing Location on Life360
- Selecting the wrong Circle before turning off Location Sharing.
- Assuming an old map location means live sharing is still active.
- Turning off phone location permissions instead of using the app’s sharing setting.
- Forgetting to turn Location Sharing back on when needed.
- Ignoring internet, location permissions, or battery restrictions when updates do not resume.
- Assuming pausing one Circle stops sharing with every Circle.
- Expecting paused sharing to delete past location history or driving records.
Is It Better to Pause Location Sharing or Leave a Life360 Circle?
Pausing location sharing and leaving a Circle are different actions.
| Feature | Pause Location Sharing | Leave a Circle |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Temporarily stop regular location sharing | Stop participating in a particular Circle |
| Can you resume without rejoining? | Yes, by turning sharing back on | You may need an invitation to rejoin |
| What other members may see | A paused-sharing status | A membership change |
| Does it automatically delete location history? | No | No |
If you need a temporary break, pausing sharing is generally the simpler option.
Leaving a Circle is more appropriate if you no longer want to participate in that group. However, leaving does not necessarily erase account-level history that may remain available under Life360’s retention rules.
How to Pause Location on Life360 FAQs
1. Can I pause Life360 for just one person?
Life360 controls Location Sharing by Circle, not by individual member. You can pause sharing for one Circle, but you cannot exclude only one person within that Circle using the standard setting.
2. Can I pause Life360 without turning off GPS?
Yes. Turn off Location Sharing within Life360 while keeping your phone’s location services enabled. Other apps can continue accessing your location according to their permissions.
3. Does pausing location sharing delete my Life360 history?
No. Pausing Location Sharing does not automatically erase previously collected location history or recorded driving events.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to pause location on Life360 is simple: go to Settings → Location Sharing and turn it off for your chosen Circle. Members can see the paused status, and existing history remains.
Use a Bubble to share an approximate area instead. Remember that pausing sharing does not necessarily stop location-data collection or location sharing through Check In, SOS, and Crash Detection.
