Direct answer
A complete failure should be separated into power or eligibility, the external path, and the component itself before any reset. For smart-home presence and geofence, first check which household member triggered the event and test location permission/background access.
What this covers
- smart-home presence and geofence with this exact failure state
- Diagnosis across phone permission/background state versus account membership and overlapping occupants
- Customer-accessible observation, settings and external components
What it does not cover
- ×A displayed manufacturer error code with a different documented meaning
- ×Live electrical, sealed-system, internal battery-cell or gas repair
- ×A claim that every model exposes identical controls
Capture the exact failure state
ReversibleRecord whether the feature is absent, disabled, powered but unresponsive, or showing a message. Expected behavior: change home/away state only for authorized household phones with location available.
Isolate the component boundary
ReversibleCheck which household member triggered the event and test location permission/background access. Test the simplest supported configuration with unrelated accessories and optional services removed. Boundary to separate: phone permission/background state versus account membership and overlapping occupants.
Correct only the proven cause
ReversibleCorrect household membership, precise location and battery restriction. Restore only the failed prerequisite or path; do not change working layers.
Verify and stop safely
ReversibleRepeat from a cold start and complete one normal use. Do not use geofence alone for security, fire or dependent-care decisions.
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Visible sources support the visible claims. Home Product Support records the publisher, the fact used and the review date; community reports can suggest an issue but do not become a published fact on their own.
Exact questions
Common follow-ups
What should I check first when smart-home presence and geofence has this problem?+
Check which household member triggered the event and test location permission/background access.
Why not factory-reset immediately?+
The useful boundary is phone permission/background state versus account membership and overlapping occupants. A reset can erase state without proving which side failed.
When should I stop troubleshooting?+
do not use geofence alone for security, fire or dependent-care decisions.
Answer for the exact device and software version shown above.