How does live tracking work on Android?
Updated
Open your race in the RunFast app, tap Go live, then Start live tracking, and allow location and notifications. A notification shows you’re live, with Pause and Stop. If your phone closes apps to save battery, set RunFast’s battery use to unrestricted so tracking keeps going in your pocket.
First turn on Live tracking for the race, on runfast.tech or in the app. See turning on live tracking.
Start
- Open Runs, open the race and tap Go live.
- Check START, YOUR PLAN and FINISH, then tap Start live tracking.
- The first time, allow RunFast to use your location and to send notifications. If you refuse location, RunFast says “RunFast needs your location while you’re live, only while you’re running. Allow it to go live.”
While you run
- A notification shows that you’re live and how far you’ve run, with Pause and Stop. Stop needs your phone unlocked, so it can’t be tapped by accident in your pocket.
- The app shows when your position was last sent, and how many positions are waiting for signal: “nothing is lost”.
- No signal? Your phone keeps every position and sends them all when it’s back.
Keep RunFast running
Some Android phones close apps in the background to save battery, which stops live tracking. Before race day:
- Open your phone’s Settings, then Apps, then RunFast.
- Under Battery, choose Unrestricted (on some phones, Don’t optimise).
If Android does stop it, a notification says “Tap to carry on live tracking”. Tap it, and RunFast carries on.
Stopping
- Tap Stop. RunFast asks “Stop live tracking?” first. Your followers see where you stopped, and positions still on the phone are sent first.
- It stops by itself at the finish, or 3 hours after your planned finish.
Battery
Your phone uses GPS the whole race. Start with a full battery, and on a long race carry a power bank.
For other messages, see why you can’t go live.