Remember the days of printing directions from MapQuest? Thankfully, technology has evolved. Tap or click here for map apps better than Google if you have multiple stops. If you have a cell phone, getting lost should be a thing of the past. Just activate Apple or Google Maps, and you are on your way. Show But what if you are trying to find someone instead of somewhere? That’s right. You can use your phone to show precisely where you are so they can find you. They can also send their location to you for the same reason. Not only can you send and receive locations, but you can do so in multiple ways on your iPhone, through apps, your messages, and a dozen other tricky solutions to make your location known. Keep reading to see how to use your iPhone to send your exact location to someone. What’s the point?There are many scenarios where giving someone your precise GPS location can be incredibly beneficial. RELATED: 10 hidden Google Maps tips and tricks Tech news that matters to you, dailyPrivacy, security, the latest trends and the info you need to live your best digital life. Email address Subscribe Meeting someone at the mall and can’t find them? Send them your location, and they can track you down to the precise spot you are standing at. Is someone picking you up for the first time? Instead of searching for numbers to identify your house, location sharing allows them to pinpoint you in no time. This also works great with children if you wonder where they are or what they are doing late at night. Location sharing can be turned on permanently, so you know where they are at all times. The simplest optionWhile there are many options for sharing location, the easiest is through the Messaging app on your iPhone. This is convenient when someone asks where you are while talking to them.
Find My appThe Find My app is helpful for more than just location sharing. Who wants to lose their iPhone? You can also share your location with friends through the app, but you’ll have to enable it first. The app should be pre-installed on your iPhone, but you can get it here for iOS if not. Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day. Table of Contents
How to Share Your Location Using Google Maps There is an advantage to Google tracking you through your phone: It’s easy to share your location with friends and family, especially since it's the most popular mapping app in the world. There’s a simple method built into Google Maps, and it works on both Android and iOS devices. Photograph: Simon Hill via Google Maps
You can review the list of people you are sharing your location with on that same Location sharing tab, and you will see their profile picture on the map if they are also sharing their location with you. To stop sharing or to get directions to their location, tap on the profile picture or their name listed at the bottom. How to Share Your Location Using Find My If you and the people you want to share your location with are using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, then the Find My app is the easiest way to do it. Here’s how: Photograph: Apple
You can stop sharing your location on the same People tab by tapping on the relevant person and choosing Stop Sharing My Location. You can quickly stop sharing with everyone by selecting the Me tab and turning off Share My Location. How to Share Your Location Using Facebook Messenger If you are already chatting to the person or group you want to send your location to in Facebook's popular Messenger app, then you can share your location right there without exiting it. This works on Android and iOS. Photograph: Facebook
How to Share Your Location Using WhatsApp If the person or people you want to share with use WhatsApp, it’s easy to share your location with them. This is available on both Android and iOS. Photograph: Simon Hill via WhatsApp
How to Use Emergency SOS on an iPhone Apple's iPhone has a feature called Emergency SOS. When triggered, it sends a text message and shares your location with your emergency contacts.
It might be a good idea to try this when you set it up (and give your emergency contacts a heads-up) so you know exactly how it works. How to Use Emergency Sharing on Android Unfortunately, the emergency options for sharing your location differ from manufacturer to manufacturer with Android phones. You can usually hold down the power button to access emergency information or an emergency mode. On most Android phones:
Samsung phones offer something called SOS Messages. Here's how to set it up:
Google Pixel phones have an Emergency SOS function enabled in the Personal Safety app. Here's how to use it:
Remember to check who you are sharing your location with every now and then. If you're sharing your location regularly for safety reasons, you might want to read our guide, The Best Personal Safety Devices, Apps, and Alarms. How do you track a family member's iPhone?Locate a family member's device
After you share your location with members of your Family Sharing group, they can help locate a missing device added to the Find My app. See Locate a device in Find My on iPhone. Your devices are at the top of the list, and your family members' devices are below yours.
How do I share my location with someone?Share with a person who has a Google Account. If you haven't already, add their Gmail address to your Google Contacts.. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app and sign in. ... . Tap your profile picture or initial Location sharing New share .. Choose how long you want to share your location.. How do I see my son's location on iPhone?Tap Family Sharing.. Open Settings, tap Apple ID banner, tap Family Sharing (Image credit: iMore). Tap Location Sharing, tap Share Your Location, tap Send A Message (Image credit: iMore). Open Settings, tap Apple ID banner, tap Family Sharing (Image credit: iMore). How to check someones location?Part 3.. Open the Google Maps app on your smartphone.. Click on your Google profile picture on the top of the screen, which will display a drop-down menu.. Under the drop-down menu, select the "Location Sharing" option.. Next, click on the contact whose location you want to check.. |