Device tracking: how Prey locates your devices

How Prey determines location

Prey uses two primary methods to locate your devices, depending on hardware capabilities and environmental conditions. Location accuracy relies heavily on the active tracking method and available environmental data. If a device cannot use GPS (mobile devices) or Wi-Fi (computers), the Prey agent will not be able to accurately report its location.

• • Used by: Mobile devices
  • Typical accuracy: High
  • Requirements for success: Background location permissions must be granted in the OS.
• • Used by: Computers
  • Typical accuracy: Medium to High
  • Requirements for success: Device must detect at least 3 strong Wi-Fi networks. The Wi-Fi adapter must be ON, and Prey must be whitelisted in your security software (VPN/firewall). Location permissions must be granted locally.

When does Prey update the location?

Update frequency depends on your account's Aware Tracking settings (located in Settings > General settings), the device type, and whether the device is marked as Missing.

By default, new devices added to your account are set to Always on. You can override this setting individually in each device's view.

• Prey tracks your devices' locations periodically to detect changes while optimizing battery consumption. Triggers vary by device type:

  • Computers (Windows, MacOS, Ubuntu):
    • Network change: The device connects to a different Wi-Fi network.
    • 24-Hour fallback: If the device hasn't moved, Prey attempts a single update every 24 hours (counted from the last successful location fetch).
  • Mobile devices (iOS, Android):
    • Movement: The device moves at least 500 meters (1600 ft) from its previous location.

• Prey only fetches the device's location when you manually request it (by clicking Update location in the Device view) or when executing a location-dependent action.

• If your organization requires different settings across fleets, select Custom configuration. This allows you to manually set specific devices to On demand while keeping others Always on. Setup instructions are available directly in your Prey panel under General settings.

Still need help?

If the issue persists, contact our Support team directly via the Help widget in your Prey panel. To expedite your request, please provide your Device Key (found in the URL address bar when viewing the device).