Frequently asked questions

WildPing is a phone app for iPhone and Android that shares your live location with people you choose, even in the backcountry where phones normally lose signal. It uploads your position over cellular when there's coverage and over satellite when there isn't, and it can send an emergency alert to your nominated contact.

No. Watching happens right here in your browser. If someone sends you a WildPing link, just open it — their track loads automatically. If they gave you a share code and password instead, enter them on the Track someone page.

Go to Track someone, type the share code and password into the “Add a track” box, and press Add. Their latest position and recent track will appear on the map. It refreshes automatically about once a minute.

In the WildPing app, open “Share my track”, set a password, and you'll get a share code. Tap Share tracking link to send a one-tap link through Messages, Mail, WhatsApp or anything else — the recipient just taps it to start watching. You can also read out the code and password if you'd rather.

If you send an emergency alert in the app, your nominated emergency contact is texted or emailed a live-tracking link, and your device keeps sending its position regardless of your remaining balance. You can stand yourself down when you're safe and send another alert if you need to — up to twice within a 30-day period, after which the account locks until support re-enables it.

WildPing is not a replacement for a personal locator beacon (PLB) or official rescue services. In a genuine emergency, always contact local emergency services if you can.

When there's no cellular signal, WildPing falls back to a satellite link to keep sending your position. Satellite data is precious, so points are sent sparingly and the app eases off GPS while you're stationary to save battery and data — then picks back up as you start moving.

Satellite sending requires a satellite-capable phone and a phone plan that supports satellite messaging. Coverage and availability vary by device, plan and region — check with your mobile provider that yours is supported before relying on it.

We actively support New Zealand only. Off-grid tracking here runs over New Zealand's satellite-to-mobile services from One NZ and Spark (both powered by Starlink Direct to Cell), which we test against and stand behind.

The underlying satellite technology is rolling out to mobile carriers in other countries too — including Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, Chile, Peru, Switzerland, Ukraine and the UK. But two things vary by market: whether your carrier has switched satellite on, and whether it carries app data (what WildPing needs) or only plain text messages. Many are still text-only.

Because of that, we don't yet test or support WildPing outside New Zealand. If you're overseas, check with your mobile provider first — and don't rely on WildPing off-grid until you've confirmed it works on your own phone and plan. Always do a dry run before a trip you'll depend on it for — see How do I test satellite before I head out? just below.

Do a dry run close to home before any trip you'll depend on it for. Satellite only kicks in when your phone has no normal cell coverage, so you can't test it from town — head to a known dead-spot you can reach easily. The app checks everything for you, so you don't need anyone at the other end.

1. Get genuinely off cell. Find a spot with no mobile signal — not just aeroplane mode, which can switch satellite off too.
2. Get a clear view of the sky. Stand in the open, away from trees, cliffs, buildings and vehicle roofs. Deep valleys and dense bush canopy can block the signal.
3. Run the readiness check. Open the app's Track tab and tap the readiness card. It shows your current link — satellite means you're connected over space — and lets you send a test to confirm it's getting through. Give it a few minutes; satellite is slower than cell.

Readiness showing satellite with a successful test means you're good to go. If you're genuinely off cell with a clear view of the sky and it still shows none (in red) instead of satellite, that's the tell-tale sign your phone or plan doesn't support satellite — check with your provider before you rely on it.

You need an iPhone 14 or later, running the latest iOS (26.1 or newer). iPhone 13 and earlier have no satellite radio and can't connect over satellite at all.

How to check your iPhone: open Settings → General → About. The Model Name tells you the iPhone (must be iPhone 14 or later), and Software Version shows your iOS version.

You also need an eligible plan. The phone is only half of it — your mobile carrier and plan must carry satellite data. In New Zealand that's One NZ or Spark. Check with your provider before you rely on it.

An old SIM can block it. An older SIM card can stop your phone using the newest network features, even on a supported phone and plan. Your provider can usually swap it for a new one free at a retail store.

We do our best to flag an unsupported phone inside the app, but Apple doesn't let apps read satellite hardware directly, so we can't always detect it — when in doubt, confirm with your provider.

Android is more varied than iPhone. As a rule of thumb you need a recent flagship (roughly 2024 onward) running Android 15 or newer. Phones that support carrier satellite in supported regions include the Samsung Galaxy S24 / S25 series and newer and Google Pixel 9 series and newer, with other brands (Motorola, Oppo and more) adding it over time.

Because support depends on the exact model and carrier, the definitive list is your provider's — check One NZ or Spark's supported-device list.

How to check your Android: open Settings → About phone and read the Android version and Model. Some phones also list satellite under Settings → Connections / Network or Safety & emergency.

You also need an eligible plan that carries satellite data (in New Zealand, One NZ or Spark) — check with your provider. And an old SIM can block it: an older SIM card may stop your phone using the newest network features, and your provider can usually swap it free at a retail outlet.

We do our best to guide you in the app, but it's not always possible to detect satellite support due to limitations imposed by the manufacturer — when in doubt, confirm with your provider.

Yes. Everyone in your party creates a share code and adds each other's, so you can each watch the whole group's live tracks. If someone drops behind or takes a wrong turn, you can see their last known position and regroup.

Watching a track needs a data connection, so today this works wherever the person looking has coverage or satellite data. Seamless buddy-to-buddy tracking deep off-grid — where each phone pulls the others' positions over satellite — is on our roadmap.

Important — this is an extra tool, not a rescue system. WildPing is not an avalanche transceiver, a personal locator beacon (PLB), or a substitute for training and proper gear. In avalanche terrain you still need a transceiver, probe and shovel and the skills to use them; for a genuine emergency carry a PLB and contact rescue services. Think of WildPing as one more layer of awareness — never a replacement for any of that.

Each point is coloured by how it was sent: satellite, cellular, cellular-lowdata, wifi, or none. The freshness pill on each track tells you how long ago the last point arrived.

Only people you give a code or link to can see you — nothing is public or searchable. When you watch a track, the codes and passwords you enter are stored only in your own browser, never on our servers in a form we hand back out.

Sharing is deliberately simple: a short code plus a password you set. Treat a tracking link like a house key — only give it to people you trust, and change your share password if you want to cut off access.

Yes. Change your share password in the app and anyone using the old one is locked out immediately — they'll need the new password to keep watching.

Yes — up to 7 hours of tracking a week, free. If you need more, 20 hours a week is NZ$0.99 a month, subscribed in the app. Every feature is on both. See pricing.

Because we're outdoor and multisport people first. We built WildPing for the same trails, rivers and ranges we love spending our own weekends on — and we'd far rather see more people out there, tracked and safe, than squeeze every last dollar out of it.

So we keep it priced as low as we can. Cost should never be the reason someone heads off-grid without a way to be found. Keep doing what you love — we'll help the people who matter keep an eye on you.

And if the worst happens, money never gets in the way: send an emergency alert and WildPing keeps sending your location even if your balance is empty. Being found in an emergency isn't something we'll ever put a price on.

Sending your location needs the WildPing app — on the App Store and Google Play. Watching a track works in any modern web browser on any device.

To send off-grid over satellite you'll also need a satellite-capable phone on an eligible One NZ or Spark plan. Check with your provider that your specific phone and plan are supported.