3 Best and Easiest Ways to Share Your Location on Android

Sharing your location means telling someone where you are. It helps your family and friends find you easily. If you use an Android phone, sharing your location is very simple. In this article I will provide some of the easiest ways to share your location.

What is Location Sharing?

Location sharing means sending your place (where you are right now) to someone else using your phone. It uses GPS – a system that shows your position on the map.

When you share your location, the other person can see you on a map. It is like giving directions without speaking!

Why Share Your Location?

There are many reasons why location sharing is useful:

1. Meet your friends easily
   If you want to meet your friend in a new place, sharing your location helps them find you.
2. Stay safe
   If you are lost or in trouble, you can send your location to your parents or someone you trust.
3. Family can track you
   Parents can know where their children are. It makes them feel safe.
4. Delivery or pick-up
   If someone is picking you up or delivering something to you, sharing your location helps them reach you quickly.

Things You Need Before Sharing Location

Before you share your location, make sure of the following:

• Your phone has internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data).
• GPS/Location is turned ON.
• You have a Google gmail account.
• Install Google maps, WhatsApp or Google messages.

How to Turn ON Location on Android

Before sharing, you need to turn ON the location. Here’s how:

1. Scroll down your notification panel.
2. Look for location option.
3. Turn it on.

Or,

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Location.
3. Turn the switch to ON.

Method 1: Share Location Using Google Maps

Sharing your location with Google maps is the best and easiest way. You can easily share your location with anyone using Google Maps.

Here are the simple steps:

1. Open Google Maps on your Android phone.
2. Now click on your profile picture.
3. Click on Location sharing option.
4. Then click on Share location button.
5. Now choose how long you want to share your location, 15 minutes, 1 hours or share until you turn it off.
6. You will see your contacts, choose the contacts you want to share your location with. You can also copy the link and send it on WhatsApp, SMS, etc.
7. Tap Share.

That’s it! The other person can now see where you are.

Method 2: Share Location Using WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a popular app that most people use. You can easily share your location using WhatsApp.

Here are the steps to share location using WhatsApp:

1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Now open the chat of the person you want to share your location with.
3. In the chat there was a paperclip icon (📎) icon near right side of the message box.
4. Click on Location option.
5. Here you will see a map of our current location with two options.
   • Share live location: Use this option to share your real-time live location for a practical time (example, 15 mins, 1 hour, 8 hours).
   • Send your current location: You can share your current location with this option.
6. Choose any of them and click on Send button.

The other person can now see your location on a map in the chat.

Method 3: Share Location Using Google Messages (SMS)

You can also send your location through normal SMS using Google Messages.

Steps:

1. Open Google Messages.
2. Now open the message chat of the person you want to share location with.
3. Click on the + (plus) icon near the life side of the message box.
4. Choose the Location option.
5. In the next page, you will see your current location on a map.
6. Now click on the send icon at the bottom right corner.

After this steps the person will receive a SMS of a link of your current location.

How to Stop Sharing Location

If you want to stop the location sharing process, you can follow these steps:

To stop sharing on Google Maps:

1. Open Google Maps.
2. Tap your profile picture → Location sharing.
3. Tap the person’s name.
4. Tap Stop.

To stop sharing on WhatsApp:

1. Open the chat of the person that you shared your live location.
2. Then click on Stop sharing.

Tips to Stay Safe While Sharing Location

• For a safer side, always share your location with trusted people.
• Do not share with strangers.
• Stop location sharing after meeting or reaching a safe place.
• Keep your phone charged. GPS uses battery.

Other Safe Apps to Share Location

We already learned how to share location using Google Maps and WhatsApp. But there are some more good apps you can use. Let’s see them!

1. Telegram

Telegram is like WhatsApp.

You can share your location in telegram messege chat.

Just open the chat → Tap the paperclip or plus (+) icon → Tap Location → Then choose Live location.

2. Facebook Messenger

You can also share your location on facebook Messenger.

Open the chat → Tap the four dots (⋯) → Tap Location → Tap Share Live Location.

3. Life360

This app is good for families.

It shows where your parents or siblings are on a map.

It can tell when someone reaches home or school.

Only family can see your place.

4. Glympse

Glympse is a quick and easy app.

You can send your location to someone fast and the good thing is that the other person does not need to install the app.

Note: Install these apps from Google playstore, not from unknown websites.

Common Questions

Q1. Can I share my location if I don’t have the internet?

No, your phone needs internet to send your location.

Q2. Can I share location without GPS?

No, GPS helps your phone know where you are. It must be turned ON.

Q3. What is live location?

Live location shares your real-time movements. For example, if you send someone your live location, then the person can see your real-time updated location even if you move away to another location.

Q4. Can I share my location with more than one person?

Yes! At the same time, you can share your location with many people. You just need to share the link or you can choose many contacts in Google maps.

Q5. Is location sharing free?

Yes! It is free but uses a small amount of internet data.

Summary

Sharing your location on Android is very easy and very helpful. You can share your location in just a few clicks using Google Maps, WhatsApp, or the Messages app.

In this article, I have explained the easiest way to share your location with anyone in just a few steps.