Vivotek Geofencing Not Working? Here's How to Fix It

Vivotek Geofencing Not Working? Here's How to Fix It

Geofencing is a smart feature that uses your phone's location to trigger events in your Vivotek security system, such as automatically activating recording when you leave home. However, when this feature doesn't work as expected, it's usually due to settings on your smartphone rather than the Vivotek system itself.

This troubleshooting guide will walk you through the essential steps to resolve geofencing issues. We'll provide clear, professional instructions in British English to help you get this powerful automation working perfectly.

1. The Core of the Issue: Smartphone Permissions

Geofencing requires the Vivotek app to constantly know your phone's location, even when the app isn't open on your screen. Modern smartphones have strict privacy and battery-saving features that can block this, and they are the number one cause of geofencing problems.

2. Adjusting Your Phone's Location Settings

This is the most critical part of the troubleshooting process. You must grant the Vivotek app the correct level of permission.

For iOS (iPhone) Users:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap on Privacy & Security, then Location Services.
3. Ensure that Location Services at the top is switched ON.
4. Scroll down the list to find the Vivotek app and tap on it.
5. Under 'Allow Location Access', you must choose 'Always'. Any other setting will prevent geofencing from working correctly.
6. Make sure the 'Precise Location' toggle is also switched ON.

For Android Users:

Note: The menu names may vary slightly between different Android brands.

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap on Location and make sure the main toggle is ON.
3. Go to Settings > Apps, then find and tap on the Vivotek app.
4. Tap on Permissions, then Location permission.
5. You must select 'Allow all the time'.
6. Ensure that the 'Use precise location' option is also enabled.

3. Disabling Battery Optimisation

The second most common issue is your phone's power-saving features stopping the Vivotek app from running in the background.

For iOS (iPhone) Users:

1. Go to Settings > General.
2. Tap on Background App Refresh.
3. Find the Vivotek app in the list and ensure its switch is ON.

For Android Users:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Vivotek app.
2. Tap on Battery.
3. Select the 'Unrestricted' or 'Not optimised' setting. This prevents the operating system from putting the app to sleep.
4. Additionally, if you use a general 'Power Saving Mode' on your phone, it may override this setting and block geofencing.

4. Checking In-App Geofence Settings

Once your phone settings are correct, it's worth double-checking the configuration within the Vivotek app itself.

• Verify the Location: Open the geofence setup screen in the app and confirm that the pin is dropped in the correct location for your property.
• Increase the Radius: A very small geofence radius can be unreliable due to natural GPS inaccuracies. If you're having issues with triggers being missed or delayed, try increasing the radius of the geofence to be a bit larger, for example, 200 metres. This creates a more robust trigger zone.

5. Final Checks

• Internet Connection: Geofencing requires your phone to have a stable internet connection (either Wi-Fi or mobile data) to communicate with the Vivotek servers.
• Reboot Your Phone: After making all the necessary permission and battery changes, it's always a good idea to restart your smartphone to ensure all the new settings are applied correctly.

By systematically working through these phone-centric settings, you can resolve nearly all Vivotek geofencing problems. The key takeaway is to ensure the app has permanent, unrestricted access to your precise location in the background.