How to Share Location on iPhone in 6 Ways

Jonathan Plummer | Mar 25, 2024 7 min read

Hi there! I'm a passionate gamer, tech lover, and seasoned copywriter. I dive deep into the tech world to uncover the best phone tips, insightful product reviews, and must-have app recommendations for you.

  • You can use your iPhone to send your current location to others or share it while you're on the road.
  • You may share your location using the Messages app, Contacts, and both Apple and Google Maps on an iPhone.
  • Before sharing your location, you must first allow location services in the iPhone's Settings app.
How to Share Location on iPhone

When my motorcycle broke down and crashed, I called my family to tell them I was safe. Luckily, I had been trying Apple's location-sharing tools. Immediately, I contacted my partner with excruciating pain, and she easily located where I was on the 101 North freeway.

Sharing your iPhone location might harm your privacy, but the benefits far outweigh the risks. It can help you find a misplaced phone or track your kids' whereabouts for safety reasons. Also, pinning an event location on a map ensures everyone invited doesn't wander aimlessly.

So, let me show you five simple ways to share your location on your iPhone.

How to Share Your iPhone's Location with Others

Trick 1: To share your current position, send an iMessage with a map and a pin.

Make it a practice to share your location when you make plans to meet pals somewhere, such as a movie theatre. This way, they can simply track you on the map, showing them where you are so that you can avoid saying things like "I'm on my way" or "I'm a few minutes behind."

Steps to share your location over iMessage:

  1. On your iPhone, open the Messages app and navigate to your desired iMessage chat thread.
  2. Hit anywhere next to the contact at the top and tap the info icon (i).
  3. Share iPhone location over iMessage

    Share iPhone location over iMessage

  4. Select Send My Current Location to send just your current location.
    Send My Current Location via iMessage

    Send My Current Location via iMessage

This option delivers an iMessage that includes a thumbnail map with a pin indicating your current location.

Drop a pin on map

Drop a pin on map

Trick 2: Share your location with someone temporarily

You can choose to enable the other party to see your location in the Find My applications for a certain period or indefinitely. Select one hour or till the end of the day to safeguard your privacy for temporary use. Only share your location with trustworthy friends and family.

The steps are similar to the previous iMessage method. Just select Share My Location and choose the period.

Steps:

  1. Open Messages and initiate conversation.
  2. At the top of the screen, tap the person's name.
  3. Now, click on the (i) icon next to their name.
  4. Select Share My Location from the menu.
  5. Click Share Until End of Day, or Share for One Hour.
    Share my location on iphone temporarily

    Share my location temporarily

Note: This way won't send an iMessage. The person you shared needs to check your shared location in Find My app.

I love using dating apps to get someone to hang out with over the weekend, and for privacy and to increase my match count, I would use a location spoofer to show fake locations on my iPhone.

How to Share Fake Location on iPhone

Sometimes, I like to pin certain popular hotspots in my city and share the location with others via the app; this elevates my class and gives me a sense of security.

LuckLuckGo allows you to navigate using fictional location information. It is the most reliable and remarkable app for altering your actual location into any random and fake location. With only a few clicks, you can pick your ideal location from around the world while you keep your real location hidden and protected.

How to use LuckLuckGo step by step

  1. Visit the LuckLuckGo website and download it.
  2. Launch LuckLuckGo and connect your iPhone to the computer.
  3. Change iPhone location via LuckLuckGo

    Change iPhone location via LuckLuckGo

  4. Click "Start."
  5. Select a location from the map and click "Move."
    changes location on iPhone with LuckLuckGo

Pros:

  • Fast and easy to use.
  • Help you use the app normally without sharing the actual location.
  • No limits support setting a fake location to anywhere quickly.
  • You can use the app to fake locations and access all location-based apps, like Facebook, Tinder, Pokemon Go. etc.

When I arrange to meet your friends, I like to share my location and an estimated arrival time through iPhone to ensure that everything goes properly. Let's see how simple it is to make it.

How to Send Location with Your Estimated Time of Arrival on iPhone

If you prefer to navigate with Google Maps, you can share your route's anticipated arrival time with any of your contacts directly from your iPhone. The contact with whom you send this information can keep tabs on your location till you arrive.

  1. Open the Google Maps app on your iPhone.
  2. Set the correct destination coordinates.
  3. Once you start moving, press More, followed by Share trip progress.
  4. Tap the person's profile and then Share.
  5. When you arrive at your destination or stop navigating, you no longer share your location with others.
  6. Share estimated time of arrival

    Share estimated time of arrival

Compatibility issues between iPhones and Android phones can be frustrating. You might think it's too complicated to share your location with an Android, but it's not. Here's how to do it.

How to Share iPhone Location to a Non-Apple User

While WhatsApp is handy for exchanging messages and making phone calls, it can also share locations on both Ios and Android. If you wish to share your location with non-Apple users, utilize WhatsApp.

Steps to Use Whatsapp Location Sharing Features

  1. Open WhatsApp and select the Chats tab from the menu bar.
  2. Choose the person or group with whom you wish to share your location.
  3. In the bottom left-hand corner of your iPhone, tap the + sign.
  4. Choose your preferred location.
  5. For a snapshot of where you are right now, click Send Your Current Location or click Share Live Location to share your real-time position as you move around for the duration of time you decide (from 15 minutes up to 8 hours).
  6. Whatsapp Location Sharing

    Whatsapp Location Sharing

As a huge Apple fan, I love the Find My feature on iPhone. Once activated, I can easily locate my phone if lost or help find a friend or family missing phone. Let me show you how to set it up below.

How to Share iPhone Location in Find My iPhone

As previously stated, Find My iPhone can track your iPhone's location, help you find it when it's lost, and even lock your iPhone to protect your data.

How?

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Click on your name, then tap Find My.
  3. Turn on Share My Location to let others know where you are.
  4. Scroll down to Find My [device] and click on it.
  5. Activate Find My Network to locate your device when offline.
  6. Share my location via Find My iPhone

    Share my location via Find My iPhone

* Enable Send Last Location to send Apple your device's location when the battery is low.

Location Services must be enabled to locate a lost device on a map. Turn on Location Services in Settings > Privacy > Location Services.

Sadly, the world has become a scary place where bad things can happen anywhere, even at home. Luckily, your iPhone is designed to help you when you feel unsafe or in danger. You can either send an alarm or call emergency services.

Emergency Sharing Location on iPhone

If you have an iPhone, you can use the built-in Emergency SOS system to send a text message and share your location with a group of pre-defined emergency contacts.

How it works:

  1. Open the Health app and tap your profile picture, followed by Medical ID, Edit, and Emergency Contacts. To add emergency contacts, tap the plus icon.
  2. Add iPhone emergency contacts

    Add iPhone emergency contacts

  3. To activate Emergency SOS, simultaneously hold down the power button and the volume buttons, or rapidly press the power button five times if you're using an iPhone 7 or older.
  4. Activate Emergency SOS

    Activate Emergency SOS

  5. To contact emergency services, drag the Emergency SOS slider. This will initiate text messaging and location sharing with your emergency contacts.
    Send iPhone location to emergency contacts

    Send iPhone location to emergency contacts

It might be prudent to attempt this when you first set it up (and notify your emergency contacts) to ensure that you understand how it works.

FAQ about Location Settings on iPhone

faqs

How Does iPhone Share My Location work?

You have several options for doing so — you can send someone your current location via LuckLuckGo, iMessages, Whatsapp, Contacts, Google Maps, or Apple Maps. Additionally, depending on the app, you can share your current location once or for an extended time — which is useful if you're on the go and want someone to locate you wherever you are.

Why Can't I See Someone's Location after They Shared it with Me?

If you cannot see someone's location, it is possible that they have concealed their location or are not receiving a cellular signal.

Can I Stop Sharing Location on iPhone without Them Knowing?

Yes, if you have shared your location with Find My with others, you will be removed from their list and receive a notification when you turn off location sharing. However, if you share a fake location with them, you effectively turn off your real location, and one of the best tools for changing your location on the iPhone is LuckLuckGo, as mentioned above.

How can you track an iPhone you have lost?

If you enabled Find My iPhone in your iPhone's iCloud settings, you could track it using the iCloud website or the Find My iPhone app on another iOS device. Log in with your Apple ID to view your iPhone's last known location.

Summary

Sometimes you don't want others to know your whereabouts where, but other times it might be a good idea. Whenever you need to share location on iPhone, we hope the above information helped you find the best way.

Location sharing on iPhone includes iMessage, WhatsApp, Contacts, Google Maps, and Apple Maps. You can share your location using either of these methods. LuckLuckGo stands out for its simplicity and efficacy in sharing your location temporarily or permanently. Choose LuckLuckGo and thank me later.