How to request someone's location, the respectful way

A location request is a question, not a switch. Apple and Google both build it that way: the other person gets a notification and chooses to share, or not. That's good news. Someone who agreed to share is someone who won't feel watched, and it's the only way that works: there is no setting that turns on another person's sharing for them.

The steps below follow Apple's iPhone User Guide (iOS 27; iOS 26 uses the same labels) and Google's help pages, checked on 7 November 2026.

Which way to ask

On iPhone: Find My

Apple's rule first: you can only ask someone who can already see you. "If you don't see a person in the list, make sure you're sharing your location with them" (Apple).

1. Open Find My and tap People.
2. If the person isn't listed, tap + > Share My Location, add them and choose how long. That puts them in your list.
3. Tap the person's name.
4. Tap Ask To Follow Location.

They get a notification. In their Find My they tap Share below your name and choose how long, or Cancel (Apple). Once they share, they appear on your map.

On iPhone: Messages

In a conversation with one other person (Apple):

1. Tap +, then Location.
2. Tap Request, then send.

Shortcut: send a message that ends with "Where are you?" and tap Request Location above the keyboard. Apple says that after someone shares, "their location appears below their name at the top of the conversation." Requests in Messages work one-to-one, not in group chats, and need an iPhone on both ends: Apple says Live Location needs "an iPhone with iOS 15 or later" for both people (Apple).

On iPhone: Google Maps (to ask an Android user)

1. Open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, then Location sharing.
2. Tap a contact who has shared with you before.
3. Tap Request, then confirm.

Google says the other person gets a notification that includes your email address (Google).

On Android: Google Maps

1. Open Google Maps and tap your profile picture.
2. Tap Location sharing.
3. Tap a contact who has shared with you before, then Request, and confirm (Google).

If you have never shared with this person, start by sharing your own location with them (New share). Many people share back right away, and you can request later.

On Android: Find Hub

Google's Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) has its own people sharing. Open Find Hub, go to the location sharing tab, tap Request location, then Request (Google). Google says recipients with Find Hub or Google Maps get a notification, and others get an email. More on the app: Google Find Hub.

On Samsung Galaxy

Samsung phones run Google Maps and Find Hub like any other Android phone, so the two sections above apply. Samsung-specific paths: share location on Samsung.

In WhatsApp and Snapchat

WhatsApp has no request button: send a message asking, and the other person shares Live Location from the attachment menu in the chat (WhatsApp); steps in how to share location on WhatsApp. For Snapchat's Snap Map, see share location on Snapchat.

Warden (top pick): invite instead of request

Warden takes the request idea one step further. You don't ask for one location; you invite someone into a circle, and they decide everything on their own phone:

1. You start a circle and share the invite code (text it, say it, write it down).
2. They enter the code in Warden on their own iPhone or Android phone, and you approve the request.
3. Warden shows them exactly what the circle will see: live location, battery, place alerts, the "hasn't moved" alert and 30 days of history.
4. They switch sharing on themselves, or don't. Nobody can switch it on for someone else.
5. Once they share, you can tap Locate now to ask for a fresh position, and you both get an alert when someone arrives at or leaves places you add, like home.

They can pause anytime; the circle then sees "Paused". Everyone can see who can see them, and everyone is told who joins and leaves. It works the same on iPhone and Android, in one circle.

How to ask, in words

The button is the easy part. The ask itself works better with a reason and an exit:

• Give the reason: "You drive home late on Fridays. Could I see when you get in, so I don't text you at midnight?"
• Make it mutual: "I'll share mine too."
• Name the exit: "You can pause it anytime, no questions."
• Agree on what it's for: arrival alerts, meeting up, emergencies. Not checking where someone was all day.

For partners there's a longer checklist in should couples share location?.

If the request doesn't work

If they say no, or don't answer

That's an answer too. A request can't be forced, and trying to get around it (a hidden app, someone else's login, their phone in your hands) isn't a request anymore. If you're worried about someone, call them. If you think someone is in danger right now, call 911 (or your local emergency number).

FAQ

How do I request someone's location on iPhone?

Open Find My, tap People, tap their name and tap Ask To Follow Location. You must be sharing your location with them first. In a one-to-one Messages chat you can also tap +, Location, Request.

How do I request location on iPhone in Messages?

Tap + in the conversation, then Location, then Request, and send. Or type a message ending with "Where are you?" and tap Request Location above the keyboard.

Why can't I request someone's location on iPhone?

Usually because you aren't sharing your own location with them yet; Find My only shows Ask To Follow Location for people in your People list. Messages requests also need iMessage, a one-to-one chat and an iPhone on both ends.

Does the other person know when I request their location?

Yes. A location request on iPhone or Android sends them a notification, and they choose whether to share and for how long.

How do I request someone's location on Android?

In Google Maps, tap your profile picture, Location sharing, a contact who has shared with you before, then Request. In Find Hub, open location sharing and tap Request location.

Can I request the location of someone with an Android phone from my iPhone?

Yes, with Google Maps on your iPhone (Location sharing, then Request on a contact who shared before), or by inviting them to Warden, which runs on both.

How do I see someone's location after they accept?

On iPhone, they appear in Find My under People and at the top of your Messages chat. On Android, they appear in Google Maps under Location sharing. Details in our guide to seeing someone's location.

Can I see someone's location without asking them?

No. Every request on iPhone and Android notifies the other person, and Warden only shows people who joined and switched sharing on themselves.