Whether you are embarking on a cross-country road trip or simply want a loved one to know you are safe during a late-night commute, sharing your real-time location provides immediate peace of mind. While many users know how to share their ETA via text message, Google Maps includes a dedicated feature that allows you to broadcast your exact GPS coordinates to a specific contact indefinitely, ensuring they can always see your location until you manually turn it off.
How to Share Your Location on Google Maps (iOS & Android)
The location-sharing feature is built directly into the Google Maps mobile application. To share your location indefinitely, the recipient must also have a Google account.
- Open the Google Maps app on your smartphone.
- Ensure your device’s GPS/Location Services are turned on.
- Tap your Profile picture (or initial) located in the top right corner of the search bar.
- Select Location sharing from the menu.
- Tap the blue Share location button.
- A configuration window will appear. At the top, you will see a duration setting (e.g., “For 1 hour”). Tap the + (Plus) icon until it reaches the maximum, or simply tap the option below it labelled Until you turn this off.
- In the row of contacts below, select the specific person you want to share with. (If they are not in your recent list, scroll to the right and tap More to search your contacts).
- Tap Share.
Google Maps will immediately send a push notification to the recipient’s phone, alerting them that you are broadcasting your location. When they open their Google Maps app, your profile picture will appear as a live pin on their map, moving in real-time as you travel.
How to Stop Sharing Your Location
Because you selected “Until you turn this off,” Google Maps will continue broadcasting your GPS data in the background forever, even if you close the app or restart your phone. It is crucial to remember to disable the feature when the journey is over.
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Tap your Profile picture in the top right corner.
- Select Location sharing.
- At the bottom of the screen, you will see a list of everyone who can currently see your location. Tap on the person’s name.
- Tap the Stop button.
The link is instantly severed, and your live pin will vanish from their map immediately.