# Tracking location of my mobile devices

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** home-assistant\
**Created:** [9 January 2023 08:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399 "2023-01-09T08:55:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![demokedes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/demokedes/32/19082_2.png) [@demokedes](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/demokedes)\
**Post date:** [9 January 2023 08:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/1 "2023-01-09T08:55:19Z")

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Dear all,  
I would like to save/track location of my mobile devices. Till this september I was doing this with "Apple Find My" node. In September Apple changed something on their end and it is not working anymore.  
Now I would like to find a bypass. I was thinking of using Google Maps location  
Does anyone have an experience with it?  
I was checking this: [How to get Google Maps location attributes? - Third party integrations / Node-RED - Home Assistant Community (home-assistant.io)](https://community.home-assistant.io/t/how-to-get-google-maps-location-attributes/108867), but I don't understand it 100%. I need some guidance here.  
Thank you in advance!

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**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [9 January 2023 09:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/2 "2023-01-09T09:25:34Z")

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Take a look at [Owntracks](https://owntracks.org/booklet/)

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**Author:** ![demokedes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/demokedes/32/19082_2.png) [@demokedes](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/demokedes)\
**Post date:** [9 January 2023 09:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/3 "2023-01-09T09:52:14Z")

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I've just taken a look. It looks nice. I am a bit worried about battery usage, but I will give it a try. Just wanted to configure Webhook relay, but the service is not working. Anyone else experiencing that?

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**Author:** ![mudwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@mudwalker](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mudwalker)\
**Post date:** [9 January 2023 11:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/4 "2023-01-09T11:40:08Z")

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Used to use it, but no longer have it installed, so can't check the settings. But one of the Features is:

_ **Automatic publishes at configurable maximum intervals under the condition that the devices moved the specified number of meters. Publishes may occur earlier if a new location is avaiable.** _

So battery could be conserved.

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**Author:** ![lu4t](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/lu4t/32/32276_2.png) [@lu4t](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/lu4t)\
**Post date:** [10 January 2023 13:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/5 "2023-01-10T13:07:41Z")

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I use Owntracks for a very similar use-case. It works fantastic, there's a bunch of things you can do on top of it...

By the time I set up the whole thing, I posted this explaining how to expose a local node-red instance free and secure. The use case was allowing owntracks app to report back where the mobile is:

> [@Free and SSL secured access to your node-red instance running on a Raspberry Pi](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/free-and-ssl-secured-access-to-your-node-red-instance-running-on-a-raspberry-pi/64112):
>
> Some months back, I published a video showing how to use cloudflare tunnels to access node-red running on a Synology NAS. I told @cymplecy on this [post](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/remote-free-and-secure-access-to-your-node-red-instance-at-home/60353) I would grab my old RPi and record a video showing how to get the same result if node-red was running on a RPi as a host. Well, this is the result of the "promise" I did. Hoping the community can take advantage of it also: [[HOW TO: Remote access a Raspberry Pi using a Cloudflare tunnel (node-red and ssh).] ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6b3l1z0N7w) Take care! …

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**Author:** ![Giamma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@Giamma](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Giamma)\
**Post date:** [10 January 2023 19:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/6 "2023-01-10T19:56:39Z")

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> [@lu4t](#):
>
> I use Owntracks for a very similar use-case. It works fantastic

My experience with Owntracks is incorrect positions, request position don't work...  
reported bugs but after 2 months no update came out, basically a very bad software ....

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**Author:** ![lu4t](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/lu4t/32/32276_2.png) [@lu4t](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/lu4t)\
**Post date:** [11 January 2023 00:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/7 "2023-01-11T00:31:32Z")

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> [@Giamma](#):
>
> reported bugs but after 2 months no update came out,

Interesting comment. Just curious: How much time takes you (on average) correcting a bug that someone using your open source code reports?

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**Author:** ![demokedes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/demokedes/32/19082_2.png) [@demokedes](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/demokedes)\
**Post date:** [15 January 2023 20:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/8 "2023-01-15T20:34:49Z")

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I've decided to test owntrack. I was following this tutorial: [Fast & simple location tracking with Node-RED and OwnTracks - DEV Community 👩‍💻👨‍💻](https://dev.to/webhookrelay/fast--simple-location-tracking-with-node-red-and-owntracks-195o)  
I successfully see location received to webhook relay:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/1/d/1d06cc4d6eacad62072ffbba1e2d5bbf82d2aa25.png)  
But I don't get any message on output of Webhook relax in nodered, although it is stating, it is connected:  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/9/5/95f064b1af6976457e68ffbf9e315d341071d181.png)  
Any idea, what am I doing wrong?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![demokedes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/demokedes/32/19082_2.png) [@demokedes](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/demokedes)\
**Post date:** [15 January 2023 22:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/9 "2023-01-15T22:23:46Z")

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I found an error. Name of the webhook relay needs to be 100% the same as bucket. After I corrected it, I immediately started receiving messages.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![demokedes](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/demokedes/32/19082_2.png) [@demokedes](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/demokedes)\
**Post date:** [16 January 2023 20:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/10 "2023-01-16T20:42:58Z")

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I configured owntracks in a way, they are fulfilling my expectations. But now I have some questions regarding applications itself is anyone has some more experience about it:

1. Application is sending location to server only when it is running in the background.
2. Does that mean I have to turn it on after each restart of the phone? Is there any way, to start it automatically in the background?
3. As I understand "Significant" mode is ok, because it is not sending location, if locations is not changed. Is it possible to configure the parameters of the the modes?

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**Author:** ![lu4t](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/lu4t/32/32276_2.png) [@lu4t](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/lu4t)\
**Post date:** [17 January 2023 22:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/11 "2023-01-17T22:26:16Z")

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I guess you're using http mode; I use mqtt which is less verbose and consumes less battery. I'd recommend you give it a try.

Anyhow, your questions depend on the phone you're using (Android vs iPhone) and are answered on their docs:  
[https://owntracks.org/booklet/guide/scenarios/](https://owntracks.org/booklet/guide/scenarios/)

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [18 March 2023 22:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tracking-location-of-my-mobile-devices/73399/12 "2023-03-18T22:27:08Z")

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