While we hope this never happens, there may be a time when your pet is away from you, and you'll need to rely on the Fi App to locate them.
If your pet is lost, you should activate Lost Mode. Once activated, your tracker will attempt to look for either a live signal for Live Tracking or will look for a signal every minute for Original Lost Mode.
GPS and cellular (LTE-M) coverage can vary depending on location and we recommend testing to become familiar with coverage in your area before you need to rely on this feature.
There are two ways to test Lost Mode. Please note that these tests must be done as a walk, not a car ride.
Testing Lost Mode by Force Closing the App (Advanced)
With the Fi App fully closed, the tracker cannot rely on your phone for location and switches to its own GPS and cell signal, the same way it would during a real escape.
Time: 30 minutes
Please follow these steps:
- Turn on Lost Mode and note the date and time.
- Force close the Fi App so it cannot interfere with the tracker's GPS and cell signal during the test:
- On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause to open the app switcher, then swipe the Fi App card up and off the screen.
- On Android, open the recent apps screen and swipe the Fi App away. If it reopens on its own, open Settings, go to Apps, select Fi, and tap Force Stop.
- Take a 20-minute leashed walk outside your Safe Zone.
- Return home, reopen the Fi App, and turn Lost Mode off.
| Do not run this test while driving. It is meant to simulate a real escape, so keep your pet on a leash and complete the walk on foot. |
Also keep in mind:
- If other members are connected to your Fi App, give them a heads up that you are running a test, so they are not worried your pet is lost.
- While Lost Mode is on, you will receive location update alerts only. Escape alerts pause during the test so Fi can focus on sending the most accurate location updates.
After your walk, open the Timeline section and look for the walk card from the time you noted. Tapping the walk card opens a map view where you can check the GPS locations the tracker reported during the test.
If updates were missing, visit Fi Tracker Cellular Coverage or reach out to our support team.
Steps for Testing Lost Mode with a Friend (Simple)
To test Lost Mode, your Fi tracker needs to switch to its own GPS and cellular connection, which happens only when it's away from any phone running the Fi App. To simulate an escape and test, you'll want to arrange for a friend to walk your pet.
Time: 30 minutes
Before starting the test:
- Arrange for a walker to take your pet on a 30-minute walk without you.
- Notify any other members in your Fi Pack that you are running a Lost Mode test. They will receive Lost Mode alerts during your test, and they should be aware that this is just a test.
- The Lost Mode test will mimic what would happen if your pet were lost. For this reason, if your pet is a known escape artist who likes to visit a particular area, you should plan to test in this area. If you want to understand coverage near a particular Safe Zone, plan to test around it.
Start the test:
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Open the Fi App, and tap the Live tab in the bottom-left corner of your screen:
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Tap the Map Preview:
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This will open a map showing your pet's latest known location. Tap Start Lost Mode:
Depending on your Fi tracker type:
- Fi Series 3+, Series 3, or Fi Mini: Once you tap Start Lost Mode, Live Tracking in Lost Mode is activated. Your pet's GPS & LTE-M location is updated in real time, with live location updates shown in the Fi App.
- Fi Series 2: Once you tap Track Lost Dog, the original Lost Mode is activated. Your pet's GPS & LTE-M location attempts to increase to once per minute, and will show your pet's most recently reported location in the Fi App.
While Live Tracking is starting, the Cancel button appears only after about 5 minutes.
Also, your pet's tracker light will not be activated in Lost Mode. If you have a Series tracker, tap Light on the live map to turn on your tracker's light, which makes your pet easier to spot at night or in low light.
The LED light will drain your pet's Fi tracker battery faster, so keep an eye on the battery level.
- Have the person walking your pet begin their 30-minute walk outside the Safe Zone:
- Ensure the person walking your pet does not have the Fi App open and running in the background. It should be closed (so the tracker cannot connect to their mobile device).
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During their walk, you may receive notifications with GPS location reports:
We suggest talking to the person on the phone while they walk your pet. That way, you can let them know the location the notification is showing to confirm accuracy.
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Once they return home from the 30-minute walk, turn off Lost Mode by tapping End Lost Mode:
- Tap I was testing.
- Tap on the arrow in the upper-left corner to return to the Live tab.
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In the Timeline section, you may see a walk card showing the GPS locations your tracker sent:
If you tap on the Walk Card, it will open a map view with more details of where your pet was during the walk.
- The test is complete. If your test generated a Walk Card, you can verify the accuracy of the GPS locations received from the tracker in the app.
If updates were missing, visit Fi Tracker Cellular Coverage or reach out to our support team.