What is Apple Check In? The “are you home yet?” Messages feature explained
The feature that automatically lets people know when you make it home safely
We’ve all sent a “Let me know when you get home”, “Drive safely”, or “Are you home yet” text to a friend or family member. But for the person making their way home, remembering to fish out their smartphone and reply to the text might slip through the cracks.
Apple has thought of a solution for this, with a feature called Check In that arrived as part of the iOS 17 Messages app in 2023. Now, in 2024, the Workouts app in watchOS 11 on Apple Watch enables you to check in after you’ve finished exercise.
Check In lets your device automatically send updates to your loved ones, letting them know when you arrived safely. But how exactly does the feature work? Here’s everything you need to know.
How does Check In work?
Check In will let your iPhone automatically notify selected contacts when you arrive at a set location safely. Your device can detect when you reach your destination, and then share your location, route, battery level, and signal strength with your chosen contacts.
To use Check In, head to the Messages app on your iPhone. In a conversation, press the + icon text to the message field at the bottom of the app. In the menu that appears, tap on Check In. Your iPhone will then display an estimated arrival time based on your location and traffic, which you can confirm. You can then send the prompt to your contact. Once you reach your destination, or if you’re delayed, your contact will get a notification updating them of your progress. If you haven’t arrived on time, your contact will see your current location and an updated arrival time.
It seems like you’ll have to send the Check In prompt to your contact before you set off, and for each journey. However, Apple hasn’t delved into the full details on this just yet. You may be able to set up automations, or have favourite contacts automatically selected.
Is the feature secure?
Check In is baked directly in to iMessage, so anything information that gets sent is end-to-end encrypted. This means that Apple or any malicious parties can’t see the location data you’re sending. Since you’re only sending it to selected contacts as well, you don’t have to worry about sending notifications to contacts that shouldn’t get them.
Perhaps the most secure element of Check In is that your real-time location is hidden. That means whoever you’re sharing your status with won’t be able to track your movements. If you don’t arrive on time, your current location will be sent, but it won’t update as you continue to move. To use real-time tracking, you’ll have to set up the Find My app on your iPhone.
Connor Jewiss
