Unifi Geofencing Not Working? Here's How to Fix It
Unifi's geofencing feature offers a convenient way to automate your security system's behaviour based on your location. When it works, it can automatically switch modes when you leave home and return, ensuring you never forget to arm your cameras. However, when it fails, it can leave your system in the wrong state, causing either a lack of recordings or a flood of unnecessary notifications.
This guide will walk you through the common causes of Unifi geofencing issues and provide clear, step-by-step solutions to get it working reliably.
## Understanding the Core Problem
Before diving into troubleshooting, it's important to understand that Unifi's geofencing relies on a chain of communication:
- Your Phone's GPS: Your mobile device determines its location.
- The Unifi Protect App: The app reads this location and checks if you've crossed the geofence boundary.
- Your Network Connection: The app sends this status update to your Unifi Console (e.g., Cloud Key Gen2+, UDM Pro) over Wi-Fi or mobile data.
- Your Unifi Console: The console receives the update and changes the system's mode accordingly.
A failure at any point in this chain can cause the entire feature to stop working. Our troubleshooting will address each of these points.
## Step 1: Verify Phone and App Permissions
The most common cause of geofencing failure is incorrect permissions on your mobile device. The Unifi Protect app needs constant, precise access to your location to function correctly.
### For iOS Devices:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Ensure Location Services is toggled on.
- Scroll down and tap on the Protect app.
- Under "Allow Location Access", select Always. This is crucial for background tracking.
- Make sure the Precise Location toggle is also enabled.
### For Android Devices:
- Go to Settings > Location and ensure it's turned on.
- Go to Settings > Apps > Protect > Permissions.
- Tap on Location and select Allow all the time.
- You may also need to disable battery optimisation for the Protect app. Go to Settings > Apps > Protect > Battery and select Unrestricted.
## Step 2: Check Geofencing Settings in the Unifi Protect App
Once permissions are confirmed, double-check the geofencing configuration within the app itself.
- Open the Unifi Protect app.
- Go to the main Settings menu.
- Select Geofencing.
- Confirm that the Enable Geofencing toggle is on.
- Check the Address is set correctly. You can tap it to adjust the pin's location on the map.
- Adjust the Radius of the geofence. If it's too small, you might experience frequent, unintended state changes. A radius of 150-200 metres is often a good starting point.
## Step 3: Test Your Network Connection
The app needs to communicate with your Unifi Console. If your phone has a poor internet connection when crossing the geofence boundary, the message may not get through.
- Mobile Data: Ensure the Protect app is allowed to use mobile data.
- Wi-Fi: If you are leaving home, the status update is sent just as you disconnect from Wi-Fi. If your Wi-Fi signal is weak at the edge of your property, the update might fail.
- Remote Access: Confirm that you can access your Unifi Protect system remotely (when you are not on your home Wi-Fi). If remote access is down, geofencing updates will also fail when you are away from home.
## Step 4: Multi-User Geofencing Considerations
If you have multiple users, the system's mode is determined by the location of all users who have geofencing enabled.
- The system will only switch to Away mode when the last registered person leaves the geofence area.
- It will switch to Home mode as soon as the first person re-enters the area.
If one user's device is not reporting its location correctly, it can prevent the system from changing modes. Ensure every user has followed the permission and settings steps on their own device.
## Step 5: Reboot and Update
If you've tried all the steps above and are still experiencing issues, a simple reboot can often resolve underlying glitches.
- Reboot your mobile device.
- Reboot your Unifi Console. You can do this via the device's settings page or by physically unplugging it for 30 seconds.
- Check for updates. Make sure your Unifi Protect application on the console and the app on your mobile device are both updated to the latest version. Developers frequently release bug fixes related to features like geofencing.
By systematically working through these steps, you can identify and resolve the root cause of your Unifi geofencing problems and restore the convenience of automated, location-aware security.