Location Share+ is ZOLEO's automatic location-sharing feature. It sends your GPS coordinates at set intervals to your Check-In contacts and builds a real-time breadcrumb trail map of your route.
Important: Location Share+ is not a GPS navigation device and does not provide turn-by-turn directions. It is an automated location-sharing and tracking feature that shows where you have been, not where to go next.
Location Share+ is available for both the ZOLEO and the ZOLEO 1500.
Location Share+ shares your location with your Check-In contacts through the ZOLEO app. If you are looking for browser-based tracking through your MyZOLEO account, see ZOLEO Track Overview.
This article explains what Location Share+ is, how it works, and how to add it to your plan.
Contents:
- What is Location Share+?
- How does Location Share+ work?
- What do I see in the ZOLEO app?
- Start Location Share+ automatically
- End a session manually for multi-day trips
- What do my Check-In contacts see?
- Offline maps
- How do I add Location Share+?
What is Location Share+?
Location Share+ is an optional monthly add-on that can be added to any active ZOLEO plan.
While a session is running, Location Share+ automatically sends your GPS position to your Check-In contacts at an interval you choose, from every 6 minutes to every 4 hours.
These updates create a numbered breadcrumb trail on a topographic map in the ZOLEO app, so your contacts can follow your exact route in real time or review it after your trip.
You can also view your own sessions in the ZOLEO app and in your MyZOLEO account portal.
Note: Location Share+ updates do not count toward your monthly satellite message allowance. Location updates are sent independently of the messages included in your plan and are unlimited.
If you pause your ZOLEO plan, Location Share+ is also paused for that period. Your Location Share+ history remains available in the app, but no new location updates are sent until your plan is resumed.
How does Location Share+ work?
To use Location Share+, you need:
- An active ZOLEO device with an active plan (not paused) and the Location Share+ add-on.
- Up to 5 Check-In contacts who have the ZOLEO app installed.
- A clear view of the sky when updates are sent by satellite.
Location Share+ can be used with the ZOLEO device alone, or combined with the ZOLEO app to control all session options, the update interval, and the automatic start and manual end options.
Important: Your contacts must have the ZOLEO app installed and be added as Check-In contacts before they can receive Location Share+ updates.
What do I see in the ZOLEO app?
Location Share+ provides tools to manage sessions and view your breadcrumb trail directly in the ZOLEO app.
Location Share+ controls
A location-sharing icon (a location pin) appears on the Chats screen and in the Check-In & Location Share+ thread.
Tap this icon to open the Location Share+ controls, where you can:
Start or stop a session
Select the update interval
Turn notification tones on or off
Configure "No Movement" updates
Turn on automatic session start
Turn on manual session end
Breadcrumb trail view
While a session is running, you can follow your progress in the Check-In & Location Share+ chat thread. Tap the map tile to open the breadcrumb trail view. Each breadcrumb is numbered and includes:
- GPS coordinates (latitude/longitude)
- Battery level at the time of the update
- Timestamp
For more information on starting and stopping a session, see:
- How To Start & Stop Location Share+ From The ZOLEO App
- How To Start & Stop Location Share+ From The ZOLEO Device
Start Location Share+ automatically
Firmware requirement: device software version 5.0-0 or newer. If you need to update, see How To Update The Software on your ZOLEO Device (Firmware Update).
With the Start Automatically option, your ZOLEO device can start a new Location Share+ session each time it is powered on, with no manual start needed. Once the option is on, simply power on your device and location updates are sent right away.
This is useful if you use Location Share+ regularly and want tracking to begin automatically whenever the device is powered on.
To turn on Start Automatically:
- Open the Location Share+ menu from the Chats tab, the Check-In & Location Share+ thread, or Settings → Check-In, Location & SOS Settings.
- Turn on the Start Automatically toggle.
- You will be asked whether to start the session now or wait until the next time the device is powered on.
Note: The interval set in the app also applies when a session starts automatically.
End a session manually for multi-day trips
Firmware requirement: device software version 6.03 or newer. If you need to update, see How To Update The Software on your ZOLEO Device (Firmware Update).
By default, a Location Share+ session ends when the device is turned off, and your contacts receive a notification that the session has ended.
The End Session Manually option changes this behavior: the session does not end when the device is turned off. Instead, it resumes automatically the next time the device is powered on, right where it left off.
This is especially useful for multi-day trips or expeditions where you turn the device off at night to save power but still want one continuous breadcrumb trail for the whole trip.
Important: If you use the "End Session Manually" option, you must end Location Share+ yourself after your trip. This sends the final session-ended notification to your contacts and completes the breadcrumb trail.
To turn on End Session Manually, open the Location Share+ menu and turn on the End Session Manually toggle.
What do my Check-In contacts see?
Your Check-In contacts see location updates in the ZOLEO app in the same breadcrumb trail format you do. They receive app notifications when a session starts or ends. They can also filter between text messages and location updates, and pan or zoom the map for details.
By default, Location Share+ sends a new location update only if you have moved more than 50 meters since the last update.
If no movement is detected, your contacts see the message: "No movement reported since: [date and time]."
This behavior helps avoid unnecessary location reports and keeps the breadcrumb trail easy to read.
To turn this off and send updates continuously regardless of movement, turn off the No Movement Updates toggle in the Location Share+ menu.
For more details on what your contacts see, see What Location Share+ Contacts Receive.
Offline maps
Location Share+ lets you download offline maps for your destination.
With offline maps, the ZOLEO app can show your breadcrumb trail on a topographic map even when your phone has no internet or cellular connection, which is ideal for remote areas.
Download the maps before your trip while you are connected to Wi-Fi or another stable internet connection. After the download, the map area appears shaded blue in the app to show it is saved and available offline.
The blue shading confirms the area is ready for offline use. When you are out of coverage, simply open the app and your location updates appear on the downloaded map as usual.
ZOLEO uses Mapbox Outdoors for map display, a topographic map designed for hiking, biking, and outdoor adventures.
Note: Offline maps and the breadcrumb trail view are features of the ZOLEO app. ZOLEO Track (available through your MyZOLEO account at myzoleo.com) is a separate, web-based tracking tool and is not part of Location Share+.
For more, see How To Download & Manage Offline Maps.
How do I add Location Share+?
Location Share+ can be added when you activate your ZOLEO device, or at any time afterward through your MyZOLEO account.
Add Location Share+ during activation
- Start the activation process by adding a device and selecting a monthly plan.
- On the next screen, you will see the option to add a feature. Select Location Share+ (bottom right) and continue.
- After activation is complete, go to Devices & Plans in your MyZOLEO account to set your default update interval and add your Check-In contacts.
Add Location Share+ after activation
- Log in to your MyZOLEO account and go to Devices & Plans.
- Find your device and expand it using the drop-down menu next to the device name.
- Select the Manage Features tab.
- Under Location Share+, use the drop-down menus to set your default update interval and choose whether to lock the interval so it cannot be changed in the app.
- Select Add+ and confirm. Location Share+ is added to your plan and is available in the ZOLEO app right away.
For more help adding Location Share+, see How To Add Location Share+.
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