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The Radar iOS SDK provides powerful background tracking capabilities to monitor user location even when your app is not in the foreground. This guide covers the necessary configuration and implementation details.

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Required capabilities

1

Enable Location Updates background mode

Open your Xcode project and navigate to your app target’s Signing & Capabilities tab.Click the + Capability button and add Background Modes.Enable Location updates to allow the SDK to receive location updates in the background.
2

Configure Info.plist

Add the required location usage descriptions to your Info.plist:
<key>NSLocationAlwaysAndWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
<string>We use your location to provide location-based features and notifications.</string>

<key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
<string>We use your location to provide location-based features.</string>
Customize these descriptions to accurately reflect how your app uses location data.
3

Request location permissions

Request the appropriate location permission level from the user:
import CoreLocation

let locationManager = CLLocationManager()

// Request when-in-use permission first
locationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization()

// Then request always authorization for background tracking
locationManager.requestAlwaysAuthorization()
Always request WhenInUse permission before requesting Always permission to follow Apple’s recommended flow.

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Background tracking presets

Radar provides three preset tracking configurations optimized for different use cases:

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Continuous tracking

Updates about every 30 seconds while moving or stopped. Moderate battery usage. Shows the flashing blue status bar during tracking. 
import RadarSDK

Radar.startTracking(trackingOptions: .presetContinuous)

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Responsive tracking

Updates about every 2.5 minutes when moving and shuts down when stopped to save battery. Once stopped, the device will need to move more than 100 meters to wake up and start moving again. Low battery usage. 
Radar.startTracking(trackingOptions: .presetResponsive)
Location updates may be delayed significantly by Low Power Mode, or if the device has connectivity issues, low battery, or Wi-Fi disabled.

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Efficient tracking

Uses the iOS visit monitoring service to update only on stops and exits. Lowest battery usage. Once stopped, the device will need to move several hundred meters and trigger a visit departure to wake up. 
Radar.startTracking(trackingOptions: .presetEfficient)

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Custom tracking options

For more control, create custom tracking options: 
let trackingOptions = RadarTrackingOptions()

// Location update intervals
trackingOptions.desiredStoppedUpdateInterval = 0 // seconds (0 = shut down when stopped)
trackingOptions.desiredMovingUpdateInterval = 150 // seconds
trackingOptions.desiredSyncInterval = 20 // seconds

// Accuracy
trackingOptions.desiredAccuracy = .medium

// Stop detection
trackingOptions.stopDuration = 140 // seconds
trackingOptions.stopDistance = 70 // meters

// Replay failed updates
trackingOptions.replay = .stops

// Sync behavior
trackingOptions.syncLocations = .all

// Background modes
trackingOptions.showBlueBar = false
trackingOptions.useStoppedGeofence = true
trackingOptions.stoppedGeofenceRadius = 100 // meters
trackingOptions.useMovingGeofence = true
trackingOptions.movingGeofenceRadius = 100 // meters
trackingOptions.syncGeofences = true
trackingOptions.useVisits = true
trackingOptions.useSignificantLocationChanges = true

Radar.startTracking(trackingOptions: trackingOptions)

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Background mode options

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Blue status bar

The showBlueBar property determines whether the flashing blue status bar is shown when tracking in the background: 
trackingOptions.showBlueBar = true // Show blue bar (required for continuous tracking)
trackingOptions.showBlueBar = false // Hide blue bar (use geofencing instead)

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Client-side geofencing

Use iOS region monitoring to create client geofences around the device’s current location: 
// When stopped
trackingOptions.useStoppedGeofence = true
trackingOptions.stoppedGeofenceRadius = 100 // meters

// When moving
trackingOptions.useMovingGeofence = true
trackingOptions.movingGeofenceRadius = 100 // meters

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Visit monitoring

Use the iOS visit monitoring service for lowest battery usage: 
trackingOptions.useVisits = true
Learn more about visit monitoring in Apple’s documentation.

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Significant location changes

Use the iOS significant location change service: 
trackingOptions.useSignificantLocationChanges = true
Learn more about significant location changes in Apple’s documentation.

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Geofence syncing

Sync nearby geofences from the server to improve responsiveness: 
trackingOptions.syncGeofences = true

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Check tracking status

Check whether tracking is currently active: 
if Radar.isTracking() {
    print("Tracking is active")
}
Get the current tracking options: 
let options = Radar.getTrackingOptions()
print("Desired accuracy: \(options.desiredAccuracy)")

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Stop tracking

Stop background tracking: 
Radar.stopTracking()

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Best practices

Request permissions carefully

Follow Apple’s guidelines for requesting location permissions. Always explain why you need the permission before requesting it.

Choose the right preset

Use the preset that matches your use case. Don’t use continuous tracking if responsive or efficient will work.

Test in background

Test your app’s background tracking behavior with the device locked and the app in the background.

Monitor battery usage

Use Xcode’s Energy Log instrument to monitor your app’s battery impact.

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Troubleshooting

  • Verify the Location updates background mode is enabled
  • Ensure you have requested “Always” location authorization
  • Check that location services are enabled on the device
  • Verify your Info.plist includes the required usage descriptions
Set showBlueBar to false and use useStoppedGeofence or useMovingGeofence instead for background tracking without the blue bar.
  • Use .presetResponsive or .presetEfficient instead of .presetContinuous
  • Increase desiredMovingUpdateInterval and desiredStoppedUpdateInterval
  • Set desiredAccuracy to .medium or .low
  • Enable useStoppedGeofence and set desiredStoppedUpdateInterval to 0 to shut down when stopped