How to Share Your Location Using Google Maps

This article explains how to use Google Maps on iOS and Android devices to share your location with other people. Also included are instructions for sharing your location with people who don't have a Google Account.

How to Share Your Location Using Google Maps

After downloading the Google Maps app for iOS or Android, follow these steps to share your location with contacts:

1. Launch Google Maps and tap your profile icon in the upper-right corner (next to the search bar).

2. Select Location Sharing, then select Share Location.

3. Choose how long you’d like to share your location:

   • Select the drop-down menu and choose Until you turn this off to enable sharing until you decide to turn it off manually.
   • Set a time of your choosing: Tap the plus (+) or minus (-) icons to turn off sharing within the specified time automatically.

4. Select a contact to share your location with that contact. If the contact with whom you'd like to share your location is not listed, scroll through the contacts and tap More to access your Contacts list.

   To share your location with someone who doesn't have a Google account, go through the steps outlined above, then select More > Copy to Clipboard. That will give you a link to pass along to friends via text, email, and Facebook Messenger so that they can find you. However, they can't share their locations without a Google account.

5. Once you choose a person and send the information, they’ll get a notification letting them know you’ve shared your location with them. They'll be able to access your location via Google Maps on their device. 

How to Add Contacts in Google

You may need to add contacts to your address book to share your location with them. Here's how to add contacts in Google.

1. Log in to Gmail and select the Google apps menu.

2. Select Contacts > Create a contact.

3. Fill in the contact details, then select Save to create contact.