UniFi Protect – Configure location-based activity notifications

You can configure UniFi Protect location-based activity notifications so you are only notified when the user(s) are off-site. This article outlines the steps needed to set this up for your account.

In this article, you will learn how to:

Set the location of your UniFi OS Console

To set the location of your UniFi OS Console:

  1. Make sure that your UniFi OS Console has remote access enabled.
  2. In the UniFi OS settings, go to Console Settings > Time Zone / Location > Edit Location on Map. 
  3. Search for the Address or drag your UOS Console to the correct location.
  4. Adjust the Geofencing Radius slider to define your console’s on-site radius (i.e, “geofence”).
  5. Click Apply Changes when you’ve set the desired geofence.

If you experience unexpected status changes while on site, increase the geofence’s radius.

Configure your primary mobile device

Your primary mobile device will be the one used to determine whether you are on or off-site (i.e., within the geofence).

To configure your primary mobile device:

  1. Make sure cellular data is enabled on your mobile device.
  2. Make sure that the UniFi Protect mobile app has proper location permissions:
    1. For iOS devices, set the Protect mobile app’s Location Setting permission to Always. Precise Location should also be enabled.
    2. For Android devices, make sure that Protect mobile app’s location access is set to Allow all the time.
  3. Open the Protect mobile app, tap the Settings icon on the bottom-left corner of the screen followed by Primary Device; then, select the desired mobile device from the list. 
  4. To activate your UniFi OS Console’s geofence, use the Protect mobile app to go to Settings > UniFi OS Console > Network and enable the Geofencing toggle.

Configure location-based activity notifications

After you’ve configured the locations of your UniFi OS Console and primary mobile device, you can create activity notifications using your UniFi Protect web application or mobile app.

To create activity notifications using the UniFi Protect mobile app:

  1. Go to Settings > Notifications to create a new activity notification or edit an existing one.
  2. Select from Off, Default, or Custom.
    1. If you choose Custom, click the Activity tab to customize the notification for each camera.

To create or edit activity notifications using the Protect web application:

  1. Log in and go to Settings > Notifications > Activity.
  2. Adjust When to Send > Location Based to receive notifications when you are off site (When I’m Away) or when all users are off site (When Everyone is Away).
  3. Go back and customize the notifications for your cameras.

Troubleshooting inaccurate location tracking

The Protect mobile app uses GPS and communication with the UniFi OS Console to provide an accurate location.

If you are experiencing location inaccuracies, follow the device-specific steps below to improve the mobile app’s location tracking:

For iOS / iPadOS devices:

  1. Disable Low Power mode, as it may prevent the app from sending location status updates.
  2. Enable Background App Refresh and Cellular Data for the UniFi Protect mobile app.
  3. Disable VPN or Mobile Hotspot if they interfere with location accuracy.

For Android devices:

  1. Select High Accuracy mode for mobile phone location tracking, if available.
  2. Disable data saving settings.
  3. Disable battery optimization for the UniFi Protect mobile app by tapping Settings > Battery > Battery Optimization > Don’t Optimize.
  4. Disable power saving mode to ensure it isn’t auto-enabled once your phone battery is low.
  5. If your mobile has a Deep Sleep feature, disable it for the UniFi Protect mobile app to make sure you don’t receive location status updates after opening it.

    Source :
    https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/360037982314-UniFi-Protect-Configure-location-based-activity-notifications