VirtualAnchor

VirtualAnchor Support

Everything you need to get the most out of VirtualAnchor. If you can't find your answer below, we're one email away.

Getting started

Allow location access

On first launch, allow location — and choose "Always" if you want VirtualAnchor to keep watching in the background while you sleep at anchor.

Set your anchor

When you're in position, tap Set Anchor. A pin and an alert circle appear on the map at your current location.

Choose your alert range

Open Settings (the gear icon) and set the Drift Alert Distance to match your swing room. You can use meters, kilometers or nautical miles.

Watch the live data

Distance, speed and heading update in real time. Tap a unit label to switch between m / km / nm and m/s / km/h / knots.

Turn on the extras you want

Enable Auto Anchor to set/clear the anchor automatically, switch on voice alerts, and check the Lock Screen Live Activity or your Apple Watch.

Clear the anchor when you leave

Tap Clear Anchor when you get under way. Your track is saved and the alarm stops watching.

Frequently asked questions

Does the alarm work while the app is in the background or my phone is locked?
Yes. If you grant "Always" location permission, VirtualAnchor keeps monitoring your position in the background and will fire a drift alert even when the app is closed or your phone is locked. Keep your phone charged and notifications enabled.
Will it keep me awake / wake me up if I drag at night?
That's exactly what it's for. When you drift beyond your alert range, the app plays a loud critical alert sound. Make sure your phone isn't muted by a Focus mode and that notifications are allowed.
How accurate is the distance?
Accuracy depends on your device's GPS. In open water with a clear sky view it is typically good to a few meters. Set your alert range a little wider than the absolute minimum to avoid false alarms from normal GPS wander.
What does Auto Anchor do?
Auto Anchor watches your speed. When you slow down and stay slow for a set time it drops the anchor automatically; when you speed up and keep moving it clears the anchor. You can adjust the speed threshold and confirmation time in Settings.
What is included in Premium?
The free version lets you set the anchor up to 3 times per day. Premium removes that limit with unlimited anchoring, plus full access to drift alerts, voice notifications and Live Activity. It's an auto-renewable subscription available monthly or yearly.
Does VirtualAnchor drain my battery?
Continuous GPS does use power, so it's best to keep your phone on a charger when watching at anchor overnight. The app only runs high-accuracy GPS while an anchor is set or Auto Anchor is on, and falls back to low-power monitoring otherwise.

Still need help?

Email us your question, a screenshot, and your device model — we read every message and aim to reply quickly.

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