Support
Questions, problems, and ideas
To report a problem or suggest something, open an issue on GitHub ↗. You'll need a free GitHub account. I read everything.
It helps to include your device, its iOS or watchOS version, the city you were in, and what you expected to see.
Requirements
- iPhone or iPad with iOS 16 or later
- Apple Watch with watchOS 10 or later (optional)
- Location access while using the app, and an internet connection to load a city
- A location in the United States, where the Census Bureau publishes city figures
Common questions
It says LOCATION OFF. LOC IQ doesn't have your location. Tap Open Settings and allow location for LOC IQ, "While Using the App". On Apple Watch, allow it in the watch's Settings, under Privacy & Security, Location Services, LOC IQ.
It says OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS. You're outside any city, town, or census-designated place, so there are no city figures for where you are. The status line names your county instead.
What does SMALL-AREA ESTIMATE mean? The place has fewer than 5,000 people. The Census survey reaches fewer households there, so its figures have wider margins of error. Treat them as approximate.
It says APPROXIMATE AREA. Precise Location is off for LOC IQ, so the map shows a ring around where you might be instead of a dot. Turn on Precise Location in Settings for an exact dot.
It says LAST LOCATION. You're seeing the last city LOC IQ loaded. Pull down, or tap the refresh button, to load where you are now.
How do I compare the cities around mine? Swipe left or right to step around the cities that border yours, or tap one on the map. Each figure is drawn beside your city's, in gold. Tap the gold location button to come back. On iPad, use ⌘[ and ⌘], and ⌘L to return.
Where are age, housing, and commuting? Tap the details button at the bottom right. On iPad in landscape, the details sit beside the summary.
How do I change the language? Tap the settings button (the gear) at the bottom, then Language. LOC IQ speaks English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese (Simplified, for Mandarin readers, and Traditional, for Cantonese readers), Japanese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, Russian, and Portuguese, each listed in its own language. Choose Device Language to follow your iPhone or iPad's language. City and county names stay as the Census Bureau writes them. The Apple Watch app is in English.
Can LOC IQ read my city aloud? Yes, with features built into your iPhone and iPad. Turn on Speak Screen in Settings, under Accessibility, Spoken Content. Then swipe down from the top of the screen with two fingers, and your device reads the screen aloud. With VoiceOver on, every figure and chart has its own spoken description, in the language you chose in LOC IQ.
How do I switch between dark and light? Tap the settings button, then Appearance: Dark, Light, or Match System, which follows your device.
How current are the figures? They're the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2020–2024, averaged over those five years rather than counted this year. The source is listed at the bottom of the details.
How is density worked out? Population divided by the city's land area as the Census Bureau publishes it, without water, rounded to two figures.
My watch face shows an old city. Complications show the last city the watch app found. Open LOC IQ on your watch to update them.