Does Bark Track Location & How It Works 2026

If you're a parent considering Bark for your child's digital safety, you may be wondering: does Bark track location?

The short answer is yes. Bark offers location tracking features that allow you to see where your child is in real-time. However, how accurate and detailed it is depends on the device your child uses and the settings you set. In this guide, you'll learn how Bark's GPS tracking works, the differences between the Bark app and the Bark Phone, and how to set it up.

Part 1. Key Features: How Does Bark Location Tracking 2026

Bark offers three main location tracking features. Instead of just showing a dot on a map, it helps parents understand their child's movements with helpful context.

Real-Time GPS Location

Bark displays your child's current location on a live map. It works in the background, so you can check their whereabouts anytime from your parent dashboard, no action needed on their end.

Location Alerts

You can set up specific safety zones for places your child frequently visited, such as home, school, or a grandparent's house. And you'll know when they arrived or leaved with notifications.

• Arrivals: You get a notification the moment they enter the zone.

• Departures: You are alerted when they leave the designated area.

This feature is especially helpful for latchkey kids or new drivers, saving you from constantly asking, "Did you get there safely?"

The Check-In Feature

Sometimes GPS drifts or data signals are weak. So, Bark introduces a manual Check-In button on the child's device. Your child just need to open the Bark Kids app and tap Check In, it will send an instant push notification to your phone with their exact coordinates.

Part 2. The Device Gap: Android vs. iPhone vs. Bark Phone

This is the most important part of the guide: Bark location tracking does not work the same way on every device, as Apple and Google follow different privacy rules for background apps, which directly affects how well Bark can track your child.

The Bark Phone (Best Performance)

The Bark Phone (a Samsung device with custom Bark software) offers the most reliable experience. Because Bark controls the operating system, location tracking is built in and harder for kids to disable. It also avoids aggressive battery-saving limits, resulting in more accurate and consistent GPS updates than standard apps.

Android Devices (Good Performance)

If your child has a standard Android phone (Samsung, Pixel, etc.), Bark works quite well. However, you must grant the Allow all the time location permission to make it work all the time.

In addition, Android's battery optimization feature may stop Bark from running in the background. To prevent this, you should manually exclude Bark from battery-saving settings so location updates stay reliable.

iPhones/iOS (Limited Performance)

iPhone users face the most challenges. Apple has strict privacy measures that prevent apps from running permanently in the background.

If your child "force closes" the Bark Kids app (swipes it up and away), the location tracking stops immediately. The app must remain open in the background, which can be difficult to enforce with teenagers.

Part 3. How to Set Up and Test Bark Location Tracking Feature

Setting up Bark location tracking is straightforward. Follow these steps to create your first "Safe Place".

Step 1. Open the Bark app on your parent device (or log in to the desktop dashboard).

Step 2. Tap on the the map icon in your dashboard or the arrow icon on your phone. Then tap Favorite location.

Step 3. Select the + (Plus) icon or "Add a Place" option.

Step 4. Enter the address of the location you want to monitor (e.g., the school's address).

Step 5. Name the location (e.g., "High School") and adjust the radius if needed.

Step 6. Toggle the switch next to your child's name to enable alerts.

You will receive alerts whenever your child enters or leaves this zone after the set up takes effect in a few minutes.

Pro Tip: Test Your Bark Location Tracking Alerts Without Driving

Not sure if your "Arrived at School" alert works? You don't have to wait for the next school day to find out! Location simulation tools like PoKeep Location Changer let you temporarily change your phone's GPS location.

By virtually moving your device into the safe zone you just created, you can trigger Bark's alert instantly. This helps you confirm your geofencing setup is working, without leaving your house.

Part 4. How to Fix Bark Location Tracking Not Working

If you open the map and see a message like "Location not updated in 4 hours," it usually isn't a server error. It is almost always a device setting issue.

Part 5. Conclusion

So, does Bark track location? Yes, and for many families, it is sufficient. If your primary goal is to protect your child from online dangers (bullying, predators, depression) while having a general idea of where they are, Bark is an excellent all-in-one solution.

However, if your only concern is high-precision, minute-by-minute tracking, and you don't care about content monitoring, dedicated apps like Life360 or Apple's native "Find My" might offer slightly smoother performance on iPhones.