Sending your location is a useful feature that allows you to share your current location with others. Whether you’re meeting up with friends, helping someone find you, or just letting loved ones know where you are, there are a few easy ways to send your location from your smartphone.
Why Send Your Location?
There are a few key reasons you may want to send your location to someone else:
- Meet up with friends or family. Sending your location makes it easy for others to find you and meet up. This is handy when you’re at a crowded venue trying to find each other.
- Get picked up or find your ride. When you want someone like a friend or a rideshare driver to come pick you up, sending your location lets them easily find you.
- Emergency situations. If you ever feel unsafe or need help, sending your location can allow emergency contacts to find you and assist.
- Share where you are. Just wanting to casually let friends, family, or your partner know where you are is made easy by sending your location.
How to Send Your Location on an iPhone
Sending your location on an iPhone is a quick and simple process that can be done in a few ways:
Send Location in iMessage
1. Open the Messages app and select the conversation you want to share your location with.
2. Tap the More button (represented by a circle with a up arrow).
3. Tap Send My Current Location.
4. Choose how long you want to share your location – either 15 minutes, 1 hour, or until the end of the day.
5. Tap Send.
6. The user will receive a map showing your current location.
Send Location in Maps App
1. Open the Apple Maps app.
2. Tap your profile icon in the top right.
3. Tap Share My Location.
4. Select the length of time to share.
5. Choose the contact or app to share your location with.
6. Tap Send.
Share Location from Control Center
1. Swipe down from the top right of your screen to open Control Center.
2. Long press the bottom row of icons.
3. Tap the Location Sharing icon.
4. Choose who to share with and for how long.
5. Tap Share My Location.
How to Send Your Location on Android
As with iPhone, sharing your location on Android is quick and easy through a few different methods:
Send Location in Google Maps
1. Open the Google Maps app.
2. Tap your profile icon in the top right.
3. Tap Location sharing.
4. Choose who to share with and for how long.
5. Tap Share.
Send Location in Messages App
1. Open your messages app (this will vary depending on your Android device – could be Messages, Hangouts, etc).
2. Select the conversation you want to share with.
3. Tap the More options or Attach button.
4. Tap Location.
5. Select how long to share.
6. Tap Send.
Share Location from Quick Settings
1. Swipe down your notification bar.
2. Tap the Location tile.
3. Tap Share Location.
4. Choose who to share with and for how long.
5. Tap Share.
How to Send Your Location on iPhone and Android from Snapchat
Snapchat makes it easy to quickly share your location with friends. To do it:
1. Open a Snapchat conversation.
2. Tap the Send button.
3. Tap the Location pin icon above the keyboard.
4. Choose how long to share your location.
5. Tap Send.
The friend will receive a Snap with an interactive map showing your location that disappears after the time limit.
How to Send Your Location on Facebook Messenger
If you want to share where you are through Facebook Messenger:
1. Open the Messenger app.
2. Open the conversation.
3. Tap the More Options or Attach icon.
4. Tap Location.
5. Choose the length of time to share.
6. Tap Send.
The friend will receive an interactive map they can use to find your location.
How to Send Your Location on WhatsApp
WhatsApp also makes sharing your location quick and easy:
1. Open the WhatsApp conversation.
2. Tap Attach (paperclip icon).
3. Tap Location.
4. Select how long to share your location.
5. Tap Send.
Your location will show up on a map in the chat.
How to Send Your Location on Telegram
If you use Telegram, here’s how to share where you are:
1. Open the Telegram conversation.
2. Tap the Attach icon.
3. Tap Location.
4. Choose how long to share your location.
5. Tap Send.
An interactive map with your real-time location will appear in the chat.
How to Send Your Location on Skype
Skype also lets you easily share your location during calls or chats:
1. Open a Skype conversation.
2. Tap the Plus icon.
3. Tap Share Location.
4. Pick how long to share.
5. Tap Send.
Your location will show up on their map.
How to Stop Sharing Your Location
Once you’ve shared your location, you can stop broadcasting it at any time:
On iPhone:
– Go to Control Center and long press on the location icon, then tap Stop Sharing My Location.
On Android:
– Open your quick settings and tap the Location toggle to turn it off.
On apps like Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, etc:
– Open the app and go to your shared locations list. Tap Stop Sharing or delete the location share.
Sharing your location can be helpful in many situations. With the ability to quickly send your location on iPhone, Android, and popular apps, you can easily let people know where you are when needed. Just remember to stop sharing once you no longer want others to see your location.
| Platform | Method 1 | Method 2 | Method 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone | iMessage | Maps App | Control Center |
| Android | Google Maps | Messages App | Quick Settings |
| Snapchat | Location Pin | N/A | N/A |
| Facebook Messenger | More Options > Location | N/A | N/A |
| Attach > Location | N/A | N/A | |
| Telegram | Attach > Location | N/A | N/A |
| Skype | Plus > Share Location | N/A | N/A |
FAQs about Sending Your Location
Is sharing my location safe?
Sharing your location is generally safe if you only share with people you know and trust. Avoid sharing your real-time location publicly online.
Does location sharing drain my battery?
Location sharing can use more battery since it keeps your GPS on. Limit the time you share your location to save battery.
Can I share my location on Google Maps without sharing contacts?
Yes, you can get a shareable link to your location in Google Maps without sharing contacts by tapping the More option > Share location > Copy link.
How do I turn off iPhone location sharing?
Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and turn it off for each app. Additionally turn off Share My Location in Find My.
Can police track your location?
Police typically need a warrant to access your location data from cell phone providers. Location data may be obtained without a warrant in emergency situations.
Is Google Maps timeline accurate?
Google Maps timeline uses your location history data to show estimated maps of places you have been. It is generally accurate but can mistakenly show incorrect locations at times.
How do I share WhatsApp location for only 2 minutes?
On WhatsApp, you can only share your live location for a minimum of 15 minutes. There is no option to share for less than 15 minutes.
Conclusion
Sharing your location is a convenient way to let others know where you are. Every smartphone platform makes it quick and easy to share your location temporarily with family, friends, and contacts. So whether you want to coordinate meeting up or just check-in, sending your location is just a few taps away. Be mindful of only sharing with trusted people and limiting the time for greater privacy and safety.