Swann Geofencing Not Working? Troubleshooting Guide

Swann Geofencing Not Working? A Troubleshooting Guide

Swann's geofencing feature, often tied to its Home/Away mode, is designed to make your life easier by automating your security system. It should intelligently switch your system's state based on your smartphone's location. However, when this feature fails, you might miss important notifications while you're away or get bombarded with them when you're home.

This guide provides a clear, step-by-step approach to diagnosing and fixing the most common issues with Swann geofencing.

## Essential First Checks

Start with these fundamental steps, as they often resolve the problem without needing to delve into more complex settings.

1. Verify Location Permissions: The Swann Security app needs permission to track your location in the background.

   • For iOS users: Navigate to "Settings" > "Privacy & Security" > "Location Services". Find the Swann Security app and set its permission to "Always".
   • For Android users: Go to "Settings" > "Apps" > "Swann Security" > "Permissions" > "Location". Choose the "Allow all the time" option.

2. Enable High-Accuracy Location: For geofencing to be precise, your phone must be set to use all its location-finding tools.

   • On iOS: Within the Swann Security location settings, make sure the "Precise Location" toggle is active.
   • On Android: In your phone's main "Settings", go to "Location" and ensure the mode is set to "High accuracy".

3. Check In-App Settings: Open your Swann Security app and review the geofencing configuration.

   • Navigate to the "Mode" settings and select "Home/Away".
   • Confirm that your home location is pinned correctly on the map. If it looks slightly off, edit it and set it again.
   • Ensure the radius of the geofence is appropriate. A very small circle can lead to frequent, incorrect mode switches. Try setting it to at least 150 metres.

## Diving Deeper: Advanced Solutions

If the initial checks didn't work, the issue might lie with your phone's power management or network settings.

### Phone and Power Settings

Your device might be trying to save battery by limiting the Swann app's background activity.

• Disable Battery Saving Modes: Both iOS's "Low Power Mode" and Android's "Battery Saver" or "Adaptive Battery" can interfere with geofencing.

  • On Android: Go to "Settings" > "Apps" > "Swann Security" > "Battery". Set the usage to "Unrestricted". The exact path may differ depending on your phone's manufacturer.
  • On iOS: Ensure "Low Power Mode" is disabled in "Settings" > "Battery".

• Allow Background Data: The app needs to be able to use data in the background to report your location.

  • Check under "Settings" > "Apps" > "Swann Security" > "Mobile data & Wi-Fi" and ensure "Background data" is enabled.

### Connectivity and App Health

A stable connection and a healthy app installation are vital.

• Keep Wi-Fi On: Even when you are not connected to a network, leaving Wi-Fi enabled on your phone allows it to scan for nearby networks, which significantly improves location accuracy compared to using GPS alone.
• Log Out and Reboot: Sometimes, the connection between the app and Swann's servers can become stale.
  1. Log out of your account within the Swann Security app.
  2. Restart your smartphone completely.
  3. Log back into the app. This process forces a fresh synchronisation.
• Update the App: Check the App Store or Google Play Store to ensure you are running the latest version of the Swann Security app. Developers frequently release updates that fix bugs related to features like geofencing.

By following these troubleshooting steps methodically, from basic permissions to more advanced settings, you can resolve the issues preventing your Swann geofencing from working. A correct setup ensures your system is armed when you need it and quiet when you don't.