Did you ever forget to notify your loved ones when you reached a destination and that left them all terribly worried about your well-being? On the flip side, did you ever have to spend a sleepless night when one of your dear ones failed to update you about their itinerary? If you are nodding in the affirmative, “Apple Check-In” is for you. Wondering how to set up and use Apple Check In in Messages app in iOS 17? This detailed piece has got you covered.
Set Up and Use Apple Check In in Messages App in iOS 17
Before moving ahead, let’s discuss in detail how Apple Check In works and also tick off the prerequisites!
What is Apple Check In in iMessage and How Does It Work?
As the name itself implies, Apple Check In is designed to automatically notify your friends or loved ones when you reach your destination. If, unfortunately, you fail to get to your destination due to any inconvenience, Apple Check In will share the chosen information.
This automatic notification ensures you don’t have to bother about manually informing your friends, which becomes a hassle especially when you are on the go and have to take care of too many things. Let’s admit it! It’s the sort of thing that has put us all in a spot of bother at some point or the other.
What makes Check-In so important is the ability to keep track of your real-time location, and share the desired data with the concerned people without infringing your privacy. At any stage of your journey, if you get stuck, you will be immediately prompted and get up to 15 minutes to respond.
When Exactly is Your Friend Notified About Your Journey?
Your friend is notified in three instances.
- When you arrive at your destination: When you reach your destination, your iPhone will automatically alert your friend, and the Check In will end.
- When you are delayed for whatever reason and do not respond when prompted: For any reason if you are delayed and if your iPhone places an Emergency SOS call, Apple Check In will prompt you. If you are not able to respond within 15 minutes of being prompted, it will notify the concerned people.
- When you manually send the Check In to your friend: To ensure you are always in complete control, Apple also allows you to manually send the Check In. Then, it lets you share your destination and the approximate travel.
Apple Check In offers you the flexibility to share either limited data or full information. Hence, you can ideally decide what you need to share.
What does Limited information Consist of?
- Your current location
- Details about your iPhone’s battery
- Network signal of your iPhone and Apple Watch
What does Full Information Consist of?
- Your current location
- Details about your iPhone’s battery
- Network signal of your iPhone and Apple Watch
- Route traveled
- Location of the last iPhone unlock and Apple Watch removal
What are the Requirements for Apple Check-In Feature?
There are multiple requirements for Apple Check In. Hence, make sure to tick off each one of them beforehand. Else, you will be caught off guard.
- Ensure that your iPhone and your friend’s device (to whom you want to notify) are running iOS 17 or later.
- Make sure you have an active data plan.
- Be sure you have activated the Location Services for the Messages app. To do so, head over to the Settings app on your iPhone -> Privacy & Security -> Location Services -> turn on the toggle. Then, scroll down to find Messages and select it -> choose While Using the App.
Set Up Check In to Automatically Notify Your Friend When You Get to Your Destination
- To get going, launch the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Now, open the iMessage chat thread in question.
- After that, tap on the plus ” +” icon located to the left of the text field.
- In the popup that shows up, choose “More”.

- Then, select “Check In”.
- On the next screen, you will be informed about what Check In is. tap on Continue.

- Next up, it will let you know that your iPhone will keep up with your progress. Tap on Continue again.
- Now, you can choose to share Limited or Full information with your friend. Select the preferred option and hit Continue.
- Finally, hit Send a Check In and you are all set!

That’s done! The “Check In” icon will appear in the chat and location sharing will begin right away.
Edit “Apple Check In” in iMessage on Your iPhone
At any time, you wish to make changes to Apple Check In, you can do so with ease.
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone -> go to the chat thread and tap on “Edit” button that appears on top of the Check In icon.
- Next, tap on “When I arrive” tab -> select the preferred location, and hit Change.
- You can also tap on the “After a timer” tab and then adjust the timer.
- Once you have fine-tuned Check In, tap on Done to confirm the changes.

Now, Check-In will calculate the distance and display an estimated time for arrival to the recipient.
Signing Off…..!
There you go! So, that’s how you can set up and use Apple Check In in iMessage on your iOS device. Hopefully, your dear ones will no longer have to worry about your estimated time of arrival. Enough talk, be sure to share your invaluable input about this notable feature.
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