If you’re meeting up with friends, sharing your location is a hell of a handy way to save you screeching into your phone, “Wait, what can you SEEEEEE?” Switching on Find My has become a staple of Gen Z friendship and location sharing through various apps has long functioned as all-ages safety method, though Taylor Swift’s continued location sharing with her ex had us perplexed — you can (and probably should) turn that off.
As of January 2024, Google Maps now allows you to share your location right there in the app on Android or iOS.
As Google notes, when sharing your location on Google Maps you may get a warning for a few reasons, including your age (if you’re under 13 you can’t set up a Google account, and if you’re under 18 you can’t share your location for longer than 24 hours), or whether your account is managed by a parent or guardian in the Family Link app.
Does your partner really need to know your location all the time?
You should also be aware that when you share your location on Google Maps, the person you’re sharing with will be able to see details beyond your location including your name, photo, how much battery you have left, and (if you’ve chosen to share it) your estimated arrival time. So just keep that in mind.
Of course, there’s a darker side to sharing your location, so it’s completely up to you who you choose to share your location with and how long for. And never, ever share your location on a dating app.
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So, now you’ve got all the info, there are two ways to share your location on Google Maps: One when your friend has a Google account and one when they don’t.
How to share location on Google Maps (if your friend has a Google account)
- iPhone or Android
- Google Maps app
- Google account
Step 1:
Add your friend’s Gmail address to Contacts (if you haven’t already).
Step 2:
Open Google Maps.
Make sure you’re signed into your Google account.
Step 3:
Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
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