Getting started with Vicinity takes less than two minutes. Here's what the setup process looks like from first launch to your first proximity alert.
Step 1 — Download and open
Download Vicinity from the App Store. The app is free and requires iOS 16 or later.
Step 2 — Create your account
- 1Open the app and tap Get Started.
- 2Enter your phone number or sign in with Apple.
- 3Verify your phone number with the code sent via SMS.
- 4Enter your name and optionally add a profile photo.
Step 3 — Grant location permissions
Vicinity needs location access to detect when you and a friend are nearby. When prompted, choose Always Allow. This lets the app check your location in the background, which is required for proximity detection to work while the app isn't open.
If you choose "While Using the App" instead of "Always Allow," proximity alerts will only fire when Vicinity is open on your screen. Most users miss alerts this way.
Step 4 — Enable notifications
When asked, allow notifications so Vicinity can alert you when a friend is nearby. Without this, the app can detect proximity but has no way to tell you about it.
- You can change notification and location settings at any time from your iPhone's Settings app under Vicinity.
- Your profile photo is only visible to friends — it's never public.