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Geofencing

Create zones where location recording stops automatically. These "pause zones" stop saving and syncing locations at places you visit often. Each zone can also be configured to stop GPS entirely when on WiFi or when the device is motionless.

Use Cases​

  • Home - Don't track when at home
  • Work - Stop recording during work hours
  • Frequent locations - Save battery in places you visit often

Setup​

  1. Go to the Geofences tab
  2. Enter a name and radius
  3. Tap Place Geofence, then tap the map to place it
  4. Tap the › arrow on any geofence to open the editor and configure pause options
Geofences
Geofences
Geofence Editor
Geofence Editor

GPS Pause Options​

Each geofence has independent pause settings, configured in the editor (tap ›):

Don't record in zone​

Locations are not saved or synced while inside the zone. GPS continues running to detect when you leave. This is the default behavior.

This is also the master switch for the other pause options below. WiFi pause, motionless pause and the stationary heartbeat only take effect when this is on.

Pause when on WiFi or Ethernet​

Stops GPS entirely when connected to an unmetered network (home WiFi, Ethernet). GPS resumes automatically when the connection is lost. Useful if you want to completely stop GPS while at home on WiFi, saving additional battery.

Pause when motionless​

Stops GPS after the device has been still for the configured time (default 1 minute, minimum 1 minute). Stillness is detected automatically via the accelerometer; any motion above the detection threshold resets the timer. GPS resumes within seconds when the device moves again. Useful for users who put their phone in airplane mode at night or sit still for long periods.

Stationary heartbeat​

Sends a periodic location update to your server while paused inside the zone. Useful as a proof-of-presence signal so your backend knows the device is still there. The heartbeat sends the geofence center as a synthetic anchor point (no GPS wake), bypassing normal sync conditions like Wi-Fi only. The first heartbeat fires immediately on zone entry, then repeats at the configured interval. Minimum 1 minute, default 15.

Combined behavior​

When both WiFi and motionless pause are enabled, GPS only resumes when both conditions clear - WiFi must be disconnected and motion must be detected. Either condition alone is not enough to resume.

tip

Changes made in the editor take effect immediately, even when you are already inside the zone.

Sharing Zones​

You can share all your geofences with another device or another user via a setup link instead of recreating zones by hand.

  1. Open the Geofences screen
  2. Tap the share icon next to "Active Geofences"
  3. The system share sheet opens with a colota://setup?config=... link
  4. Send the link through any messenger, email or as a QR code

When the recipient opens the link, Colota shows the import confirmation screen listing every incoming zone. By default, tapping Apply Configuration appends the zones to the recipient's existing list. A "Replace zones with the same name" toggle on the confirmation screen swaps incoming zones for any existing zones whose names match - the original zones are deleted before the new ones are created.

The share button is all-or-nothing - every zone in the list is included. The id, createdAt and enabled fields are stripped, so imported zones always start enabled and get fresh database entries on the recipient's device.

See the Deep Link Setup guide for the full payload format.

How It Works​

  • Zone detection uses the Haversine formula (1-2ms per check)
  • When entering a pause zone, Colota keeps recording for 3.5× your tracking interval before pausing - this logs several real arrival points near the zone boundary, which backends like GeoPulse need to confirm a trip has ended
  • The notification shows "Paused: [Zone Name]" once the pause takes effect
  • By default, GPS continues running inside the zone to detect when you leave. If WiFi pause or motionless pause is enabled, GPS stops entirely inside the zone and zone exit is detected when GPS resumes
  • If you leave before the entry delay completes, the delay is cancelled and tracking continues uninterrupted
  • Stationary detection is suspended inside zones so GPS is never stopped by the stationary timer while zone exit needs to be detected
  • When exiting the zone, tracking automatically resumes
  • Zone checks happen every location update with minimal overhead
  • You can create unlimited geofence zones

Anchor Points​

When you exit a pause zone, Colota saves a synthetic location at the geofence center. This gives your new trip a clean start point rather than somewhere mid-road where GPS first locks in. Anchor points report accuracy 0 so they pass any downstream quality filter and are recognizable as synthetic in backend data, and are timestamped 1 second before the first real GPS fix after leaving the zone, ensuring correct chronological order.