Delete a Circle in Life360 by Going to Settings

To delete a circle in Life360, open the app and tap the Settings icon (usually a gear symbol at the bottom right). From there, select Circles, find the circle you want to remove, and tap the three dots or menu icon next to it. Choose Delete Circle or Remove Circle from the menu that appears. The app will ask you to confirm — tap yes, and the circle is gone.

The exact wording and button locations vary slightly depending on whether you're on iPhone or Android, but the path is the same on both. If you're the circle owner (the person who created it), you can delete it at any time. If you're a member but not the owner, you'll see a Leave Circle option instead, which removes you from that circle without deleting it for everyone else.

After you delete a circle, all members lose access to each other's location data within that circle. The circle cannot be recovered, so make sure you want it gone before you confirm the deletion.

Key Takeaways

  • Circle owners can delete a circle from Settings > Circles by tapping the menu icon and selecting Delete Circle.
  • Members who are not the owner will see a Leave Circle option instead, which removes only them from the circle.
  • Deleting a circle stops all location sharing between members in that circle immediately.
  • Once deleted, a circle cannot be recovered, so confirm you want it gone before completing the deletion.
  • The process works the same way on both iPhone and Android versions of the app.

What Happens When You Delete a Circle

When you delete a circle, every member in that circle loses the ability to see each other's locations. If you had multiple circles set up — one for family, one for a carpool, one for roommates — deleting one does not affect the others. Members stay in their other circles and continue to share location data there.

The person who created the circle (the owner) is the only one who can delete it. If you're a member but not the owner and you want out, you leave the circle instead. Leaving removes you but keeps the circle active for everyone else. If the owner deletes the circle, all members are removed at once.

The Difference Between Leaving and Deleting

Leaving a circle means you remove yourself as a member. The circle continues to exist, other members stay in it, and they can still see each other's locations. You no longer see theirs, and they no longer see yours. This is what you do if you're a regular member and want out.

Deleting a circle means you shut down the entire circle. Everyone is removed, location sharing stops for all members, and the circle disappears from everyone's app. Only the owner can do this. If you're not the owner and you want the circle gone, you would need to ask the owner to delete it.

If You Cannot Find the Delete Option

If you're looking at a circle and do not see a delete or menu option, you are probably not the owner. Check whether the circle shows your name as the creator. If it does not, you can only leave the circle, not delete it. Tap Leave Circle instead.

If you are the owner but still do not see the menu icon, try updating the Life360 app to the latest version. Older versions sometimes have different layouts or missing features. Go to your phone's app store (Google Play for Android, App Store for iPhone), search for Life360, and tap Update if it is available.

On rare occasions, a circle may be locked or managed by a family account administrator. If that is the case, only the administrator can delete it. Ask whoever set up the circle whether they have admin rights.

Removing Individual Members Instead of Deleting the Circle

If you want to keep the circle but remove one or more people from it, you do not need to delete the whole thing. Go to Settings > Circles, tap the circle name, and look for a list of members. Tap the person you want to remove and select Remove Member or a similar option. That person is taken out of the circle, but the circle stays active for everyone else.

This is useful if someone leaves your household, you end a carpool, or you simply want to change who is in a particular group. The removed person will no longer see your location, and you will no longer see theirs within that circle.

What to Do Before You Delete

Before you delete a circle, think about whether you might need it again. Life360 does not let you recover a deleted circle — you would have to create a new one from scratch and invite all the members again. If you are just taking a break from location sharing, leaving the circle (if you are a member) or removing members (if you are the owner) might be a better choice.

If you are deleting because you want to stop sharing your location with certain people, make sure you have removed them from all circles you are in. Deleting one circle does not remove you from others. Check your Circles list to see all the groups you belong to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a circle if I am not the owner?

No. Only the person who created the circle can delete it. If you are a member, you can leave the circle, which removes you but keeps it active for others. If you want the circle deleted, ask the owner to do it.

Will people know I deleted the circle?

Members will notice that the circle is gone and they can no longer see each other's locations. Life360 does not send a notification saying "this circle was deleted," but people will see it missing from their circles list.

Can I undo a circle deletion?

No. Once you delete a circle, it is permanently gone. You would need to create a new circle and invite all the members again. For this reason, make sure you want it deleted before you confirm.

What if I only want to stop sharing my location with one person?

Remove that person from the circle instead of deleting the whole circle. Go to the circle, find their name in the members list, and select remove. They are taken out, but the circle stays active for everyone else.

Do I need to tell people before I delete a circle?

It is a good idea to let members know, especially if they rely on the location sharing for safety or coordination. Once the circle is deleted, they will lose access to your location immediately, so a heads-up prevents confusion.