Owntracks alternative for iPhone?

Configuration
1

Hello @pierre-gilles
Are you still using OwnTracks on iPhone? Because OwnTracks works on an iPhone 13, but disconnects every day. No matter how I tell it to run in the background, turn off battery saver, and select « always » to keep it active, nothing works. Do you have any advice for it to work continuously without having to intervene each time?
Thanks

2

Hi @Psoy,

Are you using OwnTracks to manage your zone entry/exit detection in Gladys?

On my end, I use the Shortcuts app on iPhone to do this, and it works perfectly.

I simply created two automations: one that triggers when I enter a zone around my home, and another when I leave. Each then sends a request to the Gladys Plus API.

I explain the configuration in detail here:

Otherwise, there’s also a chapter on this topic in the Gladys training:

Screenshot 2026-07-03 at 08.55.21
Screenshot 2026-07-03 at 08.55.212930×1340 466 KB

Otherwise, for feedback on Owntracks, I asked Claude and he told me:

The issue comes from iOS, not the configuration

This is a recurring and documented issue: the OwnTracks iOS GitHub repository has several open tickets on disconnections or background update losses, some still active recently. Apple heavily restricts apps running in the background, even with the « Always » permission enabled. Two classic traps to check with him:

  • The « Force Quit » : if the user closes the iOS app from the task selector (swipe up), iOS never restarts it on its own for location updates. This is the #1 cause of « silent » disconnection. Just leave the app in the background without ever manually closing it.
  • The tracking mode : in the OwnTracks settings, there is a « Move » mode (continuous tracking, more power-hungry) and a « Significant » mode (significant position changes, ~500m or 5 min, less power-hungry but less responsive). The « Significant » mode is more stable over time as it is less subject to system kills. There is also an « adapt » setting that automatically switches from Move to Significant after a period of inactivity, which helps a lot with reliability/battery.
  • Also check that Background App Refresh is enabled globally (Settings > General > Background App Refresh) and not just the location permission.

Can you check these points?