How to share your location on iPhone

Every way to share your location on an iPhone ends up in the same place: Apple's Find My service. Messages, Maps and your contact card all use it. So the order is simple: switch sharing on once, then pick the app that fits the moment. Below are all the ways, with the exact labels from Apple's iPhone User Guide (iOS 27, checked 7 November 2026; iOS 26 uses the same labels), and a troubleshooting section for when the other person still can't see you.

The three kinds of sharing on iPhone

Apple separates location sharing into three kinds (Apple, published 5 October 2026):

Pick the kind first. A pin is enough for "I'm at the north entrance". An ETA fits "on my way, 20 minutes". Ongoing sharing is for the people who should simply know where you are.

Step 1: switch sharing on (once)

1. Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and make sure Location Services is on.
2. In the same list, tap Find My and allow location access. Apple's note: "If you set up location sharing and others still can't see your location, make sure Location Services is on in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Find My" (Apple).
3. Open the Find My app, tap Me, then turn on Share My Location.
4. Check the line Sharing From. If it names your iPad or an old iPhone, tap Use This iPhone as My Location.

You can also reach the same switches in Settings > [your name] > Find My.

Way 1: Find My (ongoing sharing)

This is the main way, and the one to use for a partner, family or close friends.

1. Open Find My and tap People.
2. Tap +, then choose Share My Location.
3. In the With field, type a name or number (or tap the add button and pick a contact).
4. Tap Send and choose how long: for an hour, until the end of the day, indefinitely, or Custom to set a duration or an end time (Apple, Apple).

The person gets a notification and appears in your People list. They can share back, and then you see each other on the map. If they don't share back, their row reads "Can see your location".

Share with your Family Sharing group

If you're in a Family Sharing group, go to Settings > Family > Location Sharing and turn on Location Sharing for each family member you want to share with; each one gets a message and can choose to share back. Automatically Share Location includes members who join later (Apple). Our family location sharing guide covers mixed iPhone and Android families.

Label your location

In Find My, tap Me > Location Label and pick Home, Work or Add Custom Label. People who follow you then see "Home" instead of a street address.

Way 2: Messages (in the conversation)

1. Open the conversation in Messages.
2. Tap +, then Location, then Share.
3. Choose how long. "Tap Indefinitely if you want to share your location until you manually stop sharing it" (Apple).
4. Tap the send arrow.

Shortcut: when someone texts "Where are you?", tap Current Location above the keyboard. Your live location then sits in the chat and updates as you move. More detail, including group chats and SMS: share location through iMessage.

Way 3: Send a one-time pin

1. In a Messages conversation, tap + > Location.
2. Tap the map pin button in the corner, drag the map until the pin is right, then tap Send Pin.

Apple: "Pinned locations don't update as you move." A pin also works in green-bubble SMS chats, where Live Location doesn't. In Maps, you can share a pin from Share My Location in the card at the bottom. All one-off options are in how to send your location.

Way 4: Share your ETA from Maps

In Maps, search for the place, tap Go, tap the route card at the bottom and tap Share ETA, then pick contacts (Apple). Apple says sharing your ETA shares your Live Location while you navigate, and the route and ETA are viewable until you arrive (Apple). People on Android get it as an SMS. Full steps for Apple Maps and Google Maps: how to share your ETA.

Way 5: Check In (share only if something goes wrong)

Check In in Messages tells someone you arrived. Apple: "Check In doesn't automatically share your location. Your location is shared only if there's an unexpected delay during your trip or activity and you're unresponsive" (Apple). It's a good middle ground for a late walk home. Walkthrough: Check In on iPhone.

Way 6: Share with someone who has Android

Find My and Messages Live Location stay inside Apple's world: "both you and the person that you're sharing with need an iPhone with iOS 15 or later" (Apple). For an Android phone you need an app that runs on both:

• Google Maps: profile picture > Location sharing > New share > pick how long and the person. Google says the recipient needs a Gmail account; a link share lasts up to 24 hours (Google). Step by step: Google Maps location sharing.
• WhatsApp: in the chat, + > Location > Share Live Location (how to share location on WhatsApp).
• Warden: see the next section.

Full cross-platform guide, including sharing indefinitely with Android: share location from iPhone to Android.

Warden (top pick): share every day with iPhone and Android

Find My is excellent when everyone carries an iPhone. When your people mix iPhone and Android, or you want a note when someone gets home without anyone texting, Warden is built for exactly that:

1. Install Warden, start a circle and share the invite code.
2. Each person enters the code on their own phone; you approve each request.
3. Each person switches sharing on for themselves. Sharing starts off, and nobody can switch it on for someone else.
4. Add places like home, work or the gym. The circle gets an alert when someone arrives or leaves.
5. Pick a battery mode (Precise, Balanced or Battery saver) so sharing fits your day.

Anyone can pause anytime, and the circle then sees "Paused" instead of an old dot. Everyone can always see who can see them. Warden runs on iOS 17 or later and Android 8.0 or later, and one plan covers a circle of up to 10 people.

Which way to use

How long does sharing last?

• One hour and until the end of the day stop on their own.
• Indefinitely stays on until you stop it, even after restarts and iOS updates.
• Custom lets you set an exact end time.

To change the length later, stop sharing with that person and share again with the new duration. To stop for everyone at once, turn off Share My Location under Me. Every way to stop or pause: how to stop sharing location.

Troubleshooting: they still can't see you

Three quick checks fix most cases:

1. Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Find My: set to While Using the App and Precise Location on.
2. Find My > Me: Share My Location on, Sharing From = this iPhone.
3. Restart the iPhone and check it is online (not in Airplane Mode, with mobile data or Wi-Fi).

iOS 26 and iOS 27: what changed

On the pages we checked, the Find My and Messages steps read the same for iOS 26 and iOS 27: Me > Share My Location, People > + > Share My Location, and + > Location in Messages. Apple notes that "some location sharing options require iOS 17" (Apple), so on older iPhones update first. On an iPhone 14 or later you can also send your location via satellite from Me when you have no signal; Apple allows that once every 15 minutes (Apple).

FAQ

How do I share my location on iPhone?

Open Find My, tap Me and turn on Share My Location. Then tap People, +, Share My Location, enter a name, tap Send and choose how long. In a Messages chat you can also tap +, Location, Share.

How do I share my location indefinitely on iPhone?

When Find My or Messages asks how long to share, choose Indefinitely. Sharing then stays on until you stop it with Stop Sharing My Location or turn off Share My Location under Me.

How do I share my location with someone on iPhone without Find My?

Every Apple sharing option uses Find My in the background, including Messages and Maps. Without it, use Google Maps, WhatsApp or Warden, which run their own location sharing.

Why can't I share my location on my iPhone?

Check that Location Services is on for Find My, that Share My Location is on under Me, and that Sharing From shows this iPhone. If the switch is greyed out, Screen Time or a work profile may block it; our share location unavailable guide covers every case.

Can I share my location from iPhone with an Android phone?

Not with Find My or Messages Live Location, which need an iPhone with iOS 15 or later on both ends, according to Apple. Use an app that runs on both, such as Google Maps, WhatsApp or Warden.

Does the other person get notified when I share my location?

Yes. When you share from Find My or Messages, they get a notification and you appear in their People list. They can choose to share back.

How do I share my location on iPhone 17?

The steps are the same as on every iPhone with iOS 26 or 27: Find My > Me > Share My Location, then People > + > Share My Location.

Does sharing location drain my iPhone battery?

Some, because the phone has to work out and send its position. Our battery guide explains what uses power and what helps.