What is Geo-Tracking & How to track geo location of your devices?

Geo-Tracking is a security feature in mobile device management (MDM) solutions, that enables IT admins to track the real-time physical location of roaming users' devices (iOS, Android, Windows, Macs). To track and obtain the geographical location of a managed mobile device through Geo-Tracking, you need to have the ME MDM app installed on it. How exactly does Geo-Tracking work? Mobile Device Manager Plus uses a combination of GPS, Wi-Fi, and GSM to obtain the most accurate location of the device through the ME MDM geotracker app. Mobile Device Manager Plus does not maintain any history of records about the physical location of the devices, unless Location History is enabled. You can use the Geo-Tracking feature only to locate the recent location of the managed mobile device.

In the later sections, we will explore how to track location history and locate lost devices as a part of geo tracking functionalities. 

Click here to know how to permanently enable Location Services for location tracking and ensure users cannot disable it, on Android and iOS devices.

Location History and Lost Mode are available in Professional, Free, and Trial editions of MDM.

Configuring Privacy settings for Location services

Configuring privacy settings is essential to ensure accurate and continuous location tracking, enhancing device security, efficient asset management, and recovery of lost or stolen devices.

How to enable Location Services for MDM Geotracking?

To locate the device using MDM Geotracking, Location Services must be enabled in the device and the Location Services must be set to 'Always On' for ME MDM app. Follow the steps mentioned below, to enable Location Services:

• Enabling Location Services in iOS devices
• Enabling Location Services in Android devices
• Enabling Location Services in Windows devices
• Enabling Location Services in Mac devices

This configuration is a part of device's privacy settings.

Geotracker for iPhones: Enabling Location Services in iOS devices

Follow the steps mentioned below to enable Geo-tracking on the end users' mobile devices:

Once ME MDM app is installed, open the app and provide the app with permission for Location Services to enable location tracking.

• Select Settings icon on the managed mobile device.

• Select Privacy, go to Location Services and turn it On.

• Allow ME MDM app to access location.

You have successfully enabled Location Services on iOS devices for the geo tracking system. In a few days after setting the Location Services to Always On, Apple might prompt the user to check if the location needs to be enabled at all times for ME MDM app. This notification will appear only once and can be ignored.

On iOS devices, users can allow in-use authorization for ME MDM app to access device's location. This option ensures that ME MDM app or the geo tracking system will access location only when the app is being actively used or is running in the background. In devices runing iOS 13 or above, Apple also provides Allow Once option to allow ME MDM app or a geotracker to temporarily access device's location.

If Allow Once is chosen, the user will be prompted every time the user opens the app. When the user clicks on Allow Once or Allow While in Use, the user will be indicated that MDM is actively using location whenever location services is being accessed by ME MDM in the status bar.

Note: It is recommended to choose Always On for location tracking to receive constant and precise location data of devices.

ME MDM or the Geotracker app fetch the location details only when there is a significant change (at least 500m) in the location of the mobile device. Due to this, the location shown on the MDM server might be the last location rather than the current location in case of iOS devices for certain scenarios. You can get the exact location of device by sending a notification. To enable notifications on devices, you can associate a app notification profile to the device.

Android Geotracker: Enabling Location Services in Android devices

Follow the steps mentioned below to enable to Geo-tracking on the users' mobile devices:

1. Open the status bar on the managed device and click on the Location icon.

   

2. Navigate to Settings -> apps -> mdm app -> permissions. Select Allow all the time to enable the Location Services for ME MDM.

   

You have successfully enabled location services on Android devices.

For Android devices running OS 6.0 or above, the user has to enable location tracking, under runtime permissions for ME MDM app. To ensure location tracking is always on and is set on high accuracy mode without any user intervention, enroll the device as Device Owner and enable GPS to be Always On, using Restrictions policy.

Enabling Location Services on Windows devices

The navigation is same for Windows phones, laptops/desktops and Surface Pro tablets. Follow the steps mentioned below to enable to Geo-tracking on Windows 10 devices:

1. Select Settings icon on the managed device.

1. Select Privacy from the list provided in Settings.

1. Select Location from the list provided in Privacy under App permissions.

1. Now, select the Location toggle and turn it On.

You have successfully enabled location services on your Windows device and can now find the location of the device.

Enabling Location Services on Mac devices

Supported for macOS devices running on versions 10.13.6 and above. When a Mac device is enrolled, a pop-up will appear requesting permission to use the location service. The user must allow the MDMMacAgent to access the location service. If the user selects "Don't Allow," the MDMMacAgent will be unable to use the location service.

NOTE:
1. The ME MDM app cannot be pushed to macOS devices. The Mac agent deployed on the device is used to track the location of the device.
2. The location service on macOS devices cannot be enabled or disabled remotely through Mobile Device Manager Plus (MDMP) or Endpoint Central. The user must manually enable or disable the location service through the device's System Preferences.
3. If location services are disabled in the System Preferences on the macOS device, the user will need to manually enable the service after Geotracking is activated from the MDM

Follow the steps given below to enable Location Services in Mac devices.

• On the Mac device, go to System Preferences app and click on the Security and Privacy icon from the System Preferences window.

• Click on the Privacy tab. If the padlock on the lower left is locked, click on it to unlock with your admin username and password and choose Unlock.

  

  

• Check Enable Location Services checkbox and choose the ME MDM app from the options listed.

• For latest versions of Mac devices, enable the location services by doing the following:

Location Services is successfully enabled on the Mac device. MDMInventory -> Geo-Tracking -> Save location history on moving. Choose between 100 m, 500 m or 1 km and Save.

Enabling and Disabling Geo Tracking for Specific/All devices 

Follow the steps mentioned below to Enable Geo-Tracking services for all enrolled devices:

1. ^*On the web console, click on Inventory tab and select Geo-Tracking from Inventory Settings.
2. Enable Geo-Tracking under Configure Geo-Tracking Settings
3. Select All Devices to track the location details on all the managed devices.
4. On choosing All Devices, you are given the option to browse and select Group(s) which you want to exclude from Geo-Tracking. The devices for which you do not require location tracking can be grouped and excluded.
5. Click Save Changes to save the settings.

If you enable Geo-Tracking for a device which is present in any excluded group(s), you can remove the device from the excluded group(s) to enable Geo-Tracking. Alternatively, you can also choose to create a new group to add the device and enable Geo-Tracking.

Follow the steps mentioned below to view the location of all managed mobile devices:

1. ^*On the web console, under Inventory,
2. Click Location Data to view the device locations.

Follow the steps mentioned below to Disable Geo-Tracking services for Selective devices:

1. Go to the Inventory Tab in the web console and select Geo Tracking from Inventory Settings.
2. Choose All except Selected Group(s)
3. Select the group(s) you wish to exclude
4. Click Save Changes to save the settings.

When you choose "All except selected group(s)", it ensures that the selected groups are not geo-tracked. Devices within these selected groups will only be locatable if they are reported lost. Additionally, the location history for these groups will not be recorded. By using this feature, you can ensure privacy for specific groups while still retaining the ability to locate devices if they go missing.

Follow the steps mentioned below to disable Geo-Tracking services for all devices:

1. In the web console, go to the Inventory tab and select Geo-Tracking from Inventory Settings.
2. Click Disable .

ME MDM app is automatically distributed to all the managed iOS devices if ME MDM app is not installed on the managed device. For MDM

1. ME MDM App should be installed on the managed mobile device
2. The managed device should have connection to the internet, it can be either Wi-Fi or mobile data connectivity.
3. Location Services should be enabled on the managed device and ME MDM App should have permissions to use it. Refer this for enabling Geo-Tracking for iOS devices, Android devices, Mac devices and Windows devices.

Enabling Geo-tracking over shorter distances might drain the device's battery.

Follow the steps mentioned below to view the location of the managed mobile device:

1. ^*On the web console, under Inventory, click on Devices
2. Select the Device and view the Device Details.
3. Click on Location tab. You can see the location of the mobile device by latitude and longitude.

Location of the device is updated only when the device switches tower and when the end user opens the App Catalog on their mobile device.

Follow the steps mentioned below to Enable Geo-Tracking services for Selective devices:

1. On the web console, click on Inventory tab and select Geo-Tracking from Inventory Settings.
2. Enable Geo-Tracking under Configure Geo-Tracking Settings
3. Choose Selected Groups to track the location details on the managed devices present in the group(s) selected.
4. You can include selective devices into specific Groups, browse and select those group(s) to which you wish to apply Geo-Tracking settings.
5. Click Save Changes to save the settings.

1. When a newly enrolled device is added to a Group which is already selected for Geo-Tracking, then the settings are automatically applied to the device and the location of the device can be tracked.
2. When any newly enrolled device is assigned to a Group which is excluded from Geo-Tracking, then the location details of the device cannot be accessed.

Managing Location Permission for BYOD Devices on Android 12 and Above

In Android 12 and later versions, the Mobile Device Management (MDM) Plus cannot automatically grant location permission by default for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) devices. This limitation is specific to Android 12 or above, whereas in Android 11 and below, location permissions can be automatically enabled upon device enrollment.

Impact on Enrollment Process:

When Geo-Tracking is enabled in the MDM console and a BYOD device is enrolled on Android 12 or later, the device will receive a "Device Non-Compliant" notification. This occurs because the MDM app does not have the necessary location permissions.

Steps to Enable the device Location Permission:

To resolve this and ensure the device complies with company policies, the device must manually grant location permission by following these steps:

1. Click on the Device Non-Complaint message which will redirect to the App Info page of the ME MDM app.
2. Select Permissions and Choose Location.
3. Set the location permission to "Allow all the time".

Once location permissions are granted, the device will automatically become compliant. 

Track devices instantly

Administrators can locate the enrolled devices instantly. Follow the steps mentioned below to track the geographic location of the devices on demand:

1. On the web console, under Inventory, click Devices
2. Select the Device which needs to be located
3. Under Actions, click Locate the Device, you can view the location of the device.

You can locate the geographical location of the enrolled devices instantly.

Location History

Location History as the name suggests, tabulates the list of locations traversed by the device. Location History stores data up to 30 days, which is ideal if the locations are to be viewed at a later time. The biggest advantage with Location History, is that the tracking can be customized to suit the needs of the organization. MDM has 3 different options for storing the list of location(s) based on distance traversed. For storing locations when device movement is miniscule, choosing the option of tracking the device on moving 100m is ideal. In such a case, the location update frequency is more, ensuring even the smallest of movements are covered. The other two options cater to relatively larger distances, with one option tracking devices on moving 500m and the other for tracking devices on moving 1km. The first option of tracking devices on moving 100m, consumes more battery and cellular data due to frequent location updates, while the other two options consume relatively lesser cellular data and battery. Another advantage is that the Location History data can be exported as a CSV file. This is ideal if the Location History data is to be shared.

Note: Location History can be fetched only in managed Android and iOS devices.

How to configure Location History?

Location History can be configured as explained below:

• On the MDMInventory tab. Select Geo-Tracking present under Inventory Settings.
• Enable the option Location History and also the details as to when the location details is to be saved.
• Click on Save Changes to save the configuration.

Location History cannot be obtained in the following cases:

1. If the device is not connected to the Internet.
2. If the device has been powered off.
3. If Location Services is not enabled in the devices. Click here to know more about enabling Location Services in devices.

Generating reports based on Location History and details

Maintaining the accurate location history of devices can be challenging for admins, especially with devices traversing multiple locations over a period of time. Hence, in addition to the other Reports that can be configured for Groups and Devices, MDM

Location details and History

The Location details and History report can be generated for iOS, macOS, iPadOS, Android, and Windows devices. To generate a report,

• Click on Reports and select Predefined Reports and Location details and History.
• Specify the Platform of the devices and click on Browse to select the required Group(s).
• To receive the history of all the locations that the devices in the selected Group(s) have traversed, set the option to Yes for Include Location History. Note: If this option is set to No, MDM
• You can choose to have the Location History of devices displayed on the report for a specific time interval. Under Display Location History, specify a time interval in hour(s) or minute(s). The time interval entered here should be either between 15-60 minutes or 1-6 hour(s). The settings configured under the Inventory tab for Geo-tracking will be used to obtain the Location History of devices for the report.
• The Location details and history can be displayed in the report based on a specific date and time range. This range can be customized based on the options given under the Collect Location History from field. Once selected, click on Apply.
• Click on Generate Report to save the settings and display the Location History details report.

Location Report with Device Address

The Location Report with Device Address can be generated for iOS, macOS, iPadOS, Android, and Windows devices. To generate a report

• Click on Reports and navigate to Predefined Reports.
• Specify the Platform of the devices and select the required Group(s).
• Set the option to Yes for Include Location Address.
• To receive the report, click on Send Report, and it will be delivered to your email.

The report sent to the email(s) will include the following details for each device and will be sent in .csv format

Field	Description
		Device Name	The name assigned to the device
User Name	The name of the user associated with the device.
Platform Type	The type of platform the device is using (e.g., iOS, Android).
Last Contact Time	The last time the device made contact with the server.
Serial Number	The serial number of the device.
Location Address	The most recent known address of the device.
Last Located Time	The last time the device's location was updated.
Maps URL	A link to view the device's location on a map.
IMEI	The device's International Mobile Equipment Identity number.
IP Address	The IP address assigned to the device.
UDID	The Unique Device Identifier for the device.
Latitude	The latitude coordinate of the device's location.
Longitude	The longitude coordinate of the device's location.

Note: The report may take some time to arrive, depending on the number of devices being processed.

Geo-tracking status

Admins can generate a report of the location status of devices based on the platform, the accurate Geo-tracking status (ex: Active, Failed, etc), and time.

1. Platform based:

   Navigate to Reports> Predefined Reports> Platform(s) to display the report based on the OS that the device runs on.

2. Geo-tracking status:

You can view the accurate Geo-tracking status of devices by navigating to Reports> Predefined Reports> Geo-tracking status. The following are the different Geo-tracking status' that MDM

Status	Description
		Active	MDM is actively tracking the live location of the device.
Inactive	The device is not online or has no Internet connectivity. MDM will be able to fetch the Geo-tracking status of the device only when it is able to contact the MDM
ME MDM app not activated	To fetch the location of the device, the ME MDM app setup must be complete. Upon activation, the Geo-tracking status will be displayed.
ME MDM app not found	To fetch the location of the device, ME MDM app must be installed and setup on the device. Once the app is installed and activated, MDM
Location services disabled	Location services need to be enabled on the device. Set location settings to On and re-try fetching the location of the device.
Failed	Geo-tracking could not be enabled on the device. Verify the requirements and re-try the process. If the issue persists, contact support.
Not applicable	Geo-tracking is not supported for this device.

Note: Location tracking for Wi-Fi only devices will be less accurate because it depends on factors like Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth.

1. Last updated device location(s):

   You can choose to generate a report based on when the location(s) of devices have been last updated to the MDMReports> Predefined Reports> Geo-tracking status> Location last updated before, and select the required time (based on hours, minutes or days).

Choosing a Map for enabling Geo tracker on Google Maps

MDM

1. Click on View in Google Maps to view the devices on Google Maps.
2. Follow the steps that are displayed on the window, to download the CSV file of device locations.
3. Open My Google Maps and click on Create a new map.
4. Provide a name and description to help identify the map for later use.
5. Click on Import to upload the CSV file downloaded from the MDM
6. Check if Latitude and Longitude has been selected, then click on Continue.
7. Choose the appropriate option to be displayed as the title of the markers, preferably the device name.
8. Click on Finish to display the device locations.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can location permissions for specific apps be provided through MDM or Endpoint Central (EC)?

   No, location permissions for specific apps cannot be provided through Mobile Device Manager Plus or Endpoint Central. Since location services impact user privacy, they remain under the user's control and cannot be forcibly enabled through Mobile Device Manager Plus.