To share your location on iPhone, open the Find My app, tap Me and turn on Share My Location. Then tap People, tap the + button, choose Share My Location, enter a name and pick how long: for one hour, until the end of the day, indefinitely, or a custom time. You can also share from a Messages conversation in a few taps. This guide shows every way to share your location on iPhone, what "Can see your location" means, how to ask for someone's location and how to stop sharing.
How to share your location on iPhone with Find My
Find My is the best way to share your location with someone on an ongoing basis. The person you share with sees your live location on a map and can get directions to you. These steps follow Apple's current iPhone User Guide (Apple: Share your location in Find My on iPhone).
1. Turn on Share My Location
- Open the Find My app.
- Tap Me at the bottom of the screen.
- Turn on Share My Location.
Check the device shown next to Sharing From. If it isn't your iPhone, tap Use This iPhone as My Location. You can also find these settings in Settings > [your name] > Find My.
2. Share your location with someone
- In Find My, tap People.
- Tap the + button, then tap Share My Location.
- Type the name of the person you want to share with, or pick them from your contacts. You can add more than one person.
- Tap Send.
3. Choose how long to share
- Share for One Hour: handy for a quick meet-up or a short trip.
- Share Until End of Day: good for a day out or an event.
- Share Indefinitely: for family or a partner. They see your location until you stop sharing.
- Custom: set your own duration or end time.
The person you share with can now find you in Find My, in Maps, on your contact card and by tapping your name in a Messages conversation (Apple: Share your location with iPhone).
How to share your location in Messages
Already chatting with the person? You can share your location right from the conversation.
Share your live location
- Open the conversation with the person or group.
- Tap the + button, scroll down and tap Location.
- Choose how long to share: an hour, until the end of the day, indefinitely, or a custom time.
Everyone in the conversation can tap your location to see you on a map and get directions. Sharing in Messages and in Find My is the same sharing, so you can manage it from either app.
Send a one-time pin
- In the conversation, tap the + button, then tap Location.
- Tap the map pin button in the corner.
- Tap Send Pin, then send your message.
A pin only shows where you are right now. The other person can't follow you as you move. You can also share a pin from the Maps app: scroll down, tap Share My Location and choose how to send it. And if you're driving, cycling or walking with directions in Maps, you can share your ETA so someone can follow your trip (Apple).
What does "Can see your location" mean on iPhone?
If you see Can see your location below someone's name in the People list in Find My, it means you share your location with that person, but you aren't following their location. They can see where you are. You can't see where they are (Apple: Locate a friend in Find My).
Want to see their location too? Ask them to share it, or send a request as shown below. If you see No location found instead, they share their location with you but their iPhone can't be located right now.
How to ask for someone's location
You can only request a location from someone you already share your location with.
- In Find My, tap People.
- Tap the name of the person whose location you want to see.
- Tap Ask To Follow Location.
Once they accept, their location appears in your Find My app (Apple: Add or remove a friend in Find My). If someone sends you a request, tap Share below their name in People and choose how long. Tap Cancel if you don't want to share.
How to stop sharing your location on iPhone
Stop sharing with one person
- In Find My: tap People, tap the person's name, then tap Stop Sharing My Location and confirm.
- In Messages: open the conversation, tap the name at the top, then tap Stop Sharing My Location.
Apple says the person you stop sharing with isn't notified. Stopping in one app stops it in all of them (Apple).
Pause sharing for the rest of the day
Instead of stopping, you can tap Hide Location for that person in Find My or Messages. Your location is hidden from them for the rest of the day.
Stop sharing with everyone
In Find My, tap Me and turn off Share My Location. When you turn it back on, the people you shared with before can see you again. Deleting the Find My app does not stop sharing, so use these settings instead.
If your personal safety is at risk, Apple's Safety Check (in Settings > Privacy & Security) lets you stop sharing your location and other information with everyone at once.
Location sharing not working? Quick fixes
- Location Services for Find My: go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Find My and make sure it's allowed. Apple lists this as the first check when others can't see your location.
- Precise Location: on the same screen, leave Precise Location on. With it off, apps only get your approximate location (Apple: Control the location information you share).
- The right device: in Find My, tap Me and check that your iPhone is the device next to Sharing From.
- A data connection: your iPhone needs Wi-Fi or mobile data to update your location. No signal at all? See how to fix SOS only on iPhone.
- Both on iPhone: live location sharing needs an iPhone with iOS 15 or later on both sides. Some options need iOS 17, so update if you don't see them.
Sharing your location when you travel abroad
Location sharing is very useful on a trip: meeting up in a busy city, letting family at home follow your journey, or finding each other after a day apart. But your iPhone needs an internet connection to send your location. If you turn off data abroad to avoid roaming charges, your friends and family stop seeing where you are once you leave Wi-Fi.
On iPhone 14 or later, Find My via satellite can send your location when you have no cellular and no Wi-Fi coverage, but only in some countries and outside with a clear view of the sky (Apple: Connect to a satellite with your iPhone). For everyday sharing in a city, you need mobile data.
A travel eSIM is a simple way to keep location sharing on:
- Install it before you leave, on Wi-Fi. Check first that your iPhone is unlocked and compatible with eSIM.
- Keep your home line too. Your iPhone can hold your usual SIM and a travel eSIM at the same time.
- Use the travel eSIM for data. Turn on Data Roaming for it, and keep roaming off on your home line. Here are the correct roaming settings for an eSIM.
- Find My, Messages and Maps keep working over the travel eSIM's data, so you can share your location with the steps above. Messages to other Apple users also go over data: see is iMessage free abroad.
A data-only eSIM is enough for this, because location sharing runs on data. Not sure what that means? Read eSIM data plan vs phone plan. To keep an eye on your data during the trip, see how to check your data usage on iPhone.
Heading to Europe or the UK? This data-only plan covers 34 countries, including the UK, so you can keep sharing your location as you move between them.
Travelling in North America? Pick a data-only eSIM for the country you're visiting and install it before you fly.
USA, Canada and Mexico plans shown · data-only eSIMs, no phone number · Find the eSIM for your destination
FAQs
How do I share my location on iPhone permanently?
In Find My, tap People, tap +, then Share My Location. Enter the person's name, tap Send and choose Share Indefinitely. They see your location until you stop sharing.
Can I share my location from iPhone to Android?
Not with Find My. Live location sharing in Find My and Messages needs an iPhone on both sides. You can send a one-time pin from Maps with Share My Location, or use Google Maps on your iPhone, which has its own Location Sharing for Android and iPhone users. It needs a Google Account and an internet connection (Google: Location Sharing settings).
Does someone get notified when I stop sharing my location?
No. Apple says the person you stop sharing with isn't notified. They will just stop seeing your location.
Can I see if someone checks my location?
Apple doesn't describe any alert for when someone looks at your location. You can see who you share with in the People list. If someone sets an alert for when you arrive at or leave a place, you get a notification, and you can see and delete those alerts in Find My under Me (Apple: Notify a friend when your location changes).
Do I need cellular data to share my location?
You need an internet connection: Wi-Fi or mobile data. Without one, your location stops updating. On iPhone 14 or later, you can send your location via satellite in supported countries when you have no coverage at all. Abroad, a travel eSIM gives you the data to keep sharing.
Can someone see my location if my iPhone is off?
Not your live location. When your iPhone is off or offline, your location stops updating. Your friends may see "No location found" below your name in Find My.
Can I share my location from my Apple Watch?
Yes, if you have an Apple Watch with cellular. Apple says your location is shared from your Apple Watch when you're out of range of your iPhone and wear the watch.
How do I use Find My to find my phone?
Open Find My on another Apple device, tap Devices and choose your iPhone. You can see it on a map and play a sound. No Apple device with you? Use Find Devices on iCloud.com. Find My has to be turned on before your phone gets lost (Apple: Locate a device in Find My).
Can I share my location with a group?
Yes. Add several people when you share in Find My, or share your location in a group conversation in Messages. Everyone in the group can then see where you are.