# Can someone tell me how the built in presence works? **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions & Help\ **Created:** [October 16, 2021, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234 "2021-10-16T17:26:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vaderag](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/vaderag/32/150_2.png) [@vaderag](https://community.homey.app/u/vaderag)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 5:26pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/1 "2021-10-16T17:26:06Z")
Built in presence works great for me, but for my wife it never seems to show her as home Can anyone tell me what it uses to determine the presence as “at home” so I can try debug? Is there any way to use the WiFi connection as a backup? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Rocodamelshekima](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rocodamelshekima/32/8209_2.png) [@Rocodamelshekima](https://community.homey.app/u/Rocodamelshekima)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 5:48pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/2 "2021-10-16T17:48:47Z")
> [@vaderag](#): > > Is there any way to use the WiFi connection as a backup? The better presence app? ![chrome_TPWv82078i](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/5/9/5970012bb929614bcf50a5dbbdcae5413a30d618.png) ---
**Author:** ![vaderag](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/vaderag/32/150_2.png) [@vaderag](https://community.homey.app/u/vaderag)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/3 "2021-10-16T18:09:32Z")
Thanks. That’ll do. Would still like to understand how the built in works as can’t understand why it works for me but not my wife! ---
**Author:** ![Rocodamelshekima](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rocodamelshekima/32/8209_2.png) [@Rocodamelshekima](https://community.homey.app/u/Rocodamelshekima)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 6:11pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/4 "2021-10-16T18:11:23Z")
> [@vaderag](#): > > Would still like to understand how the built in works as can’t understand why it works for me but not my wife! Depends on a lot of things. Given u have not shared any info at all about phone brands or fw versions it’s gonna be hard to guess. ( Plz don’t say she’s using IOS 15) ---
**Author:** ![vaderag](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/vaderag/32/150_2.png) [@vaderag](https://community.homey.app/u/vaderag)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/5 "2021-10-16T18:15:41Z")
We’re both on the same version of Android and surely, what Homey app uses for location shouldn’t have any bearing on that? Does it use Google location services? WiFi network matching? What does it define as home? ---
**Author:** ![Rocodamelshekima](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rocodamelshekima/32/8209_2.png) [@Rocodamelshekima](https://community.homey.app/u/Rocodamelshekima)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 6:16pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/6 "2021-10-16T18:16:55Z")
GPS on the phone. ---
**Author:** ![vaderag](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/vaderag/32/150_2.png) [@vaderag](https://community.homey.app/u/vaderag)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/7 "2021-10-16T18:19:05Z")
Okay, but how does it know where home is? I don’t think I’ve ever set it… ---
**Author:** ![Rocodamelshekima](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rocodamelshekima/32/8209_2.png) [@Rocodamelshekima](https://community.homey.app/u/Rocodamelshekima)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 6:19pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/8 "2021-10-16T18:19:54Z")
> [@vaderag](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever set it… I think Homey knows its location? I did set it at settings/location! ---
**Author:** ![Dijker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Dijker](https://community.homey.app/u/Dijker)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/9 "2021-10-16T19:08:20Z")
> [@vaderag](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever set it… How it works, > **[Using Presence and Sleep Status](https://support.homey.app/hc/en-us/articles/360012141853-Using-Presence-and-sleep-status)** > > Presence allows you to automatically have Homey control your devices the way you like. Come home to a beautifully lit house, where pleasant music starts playing as you walk through the door. Leave ... And the location Homey detects comes from a Geo IP database (or [SSIDs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_positioning_system)) from a service provider … Many systems use that type of location detection if GPS is not available. although it could be somewhat off so you could adjust it and set your own location. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/9/a/9aa01014fbb606f7adb9d5745760cc21a70a3cc3.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![vaderag](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/vaderag/32/150_2.png) [@vaderag](https://community.homey.app/u/vaderag)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/10 "2021-10-16T19:10:40Z")
Thanks So checking Homey has the right location, all options are on for both me and my wife… Guess I’ll need to revert to something manual ---
**Author:** ![psznt](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/psznt/32/100998_2.png) [@psznt](https://community.homey.app/u/psznt)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/11 "2024-02-14T22:27:55Z")
I am also wondering about how sleep presence works… How does Homey know when I sleep or when I wake up? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2024, 2:09am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/can-someone-tell-me-how-the-built-in-presence-works/53234/12 "2024-02-15T02:09:22Z")
It doesn’t. You have to start flows to set your, or other house members’ sleep / wake states ![Screenshot from 2024-02-15 03-08-53](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/athom/original/3X/0/f/0f4ade4dff707de590f7dbf5ff84cab1ce0e9984.png)