Sharing your location with family and friends can make meetups easier, help loved ones feel safe, and keep everyone coordinated when you’re on the move. Google Maps includes powerful built-in tools that let you share your real-time location, a specific place, trip progress, and more — all with controls to protect your privacy. This guide is updated for 2025 and works on most Android and iPhone devices. (Google Help)

A Quick Privacy Reminder

Before we dive into how it works, a quick word about safety: only share your location with people you trust, and choose a time limit that makes sense for your situation. Google Maps uses encryption to protect your data, but it’s still wise to be mindful of who can see where you are. (Google Help)

How to Share Your Real-Time Location

Real-time sharing lets someone track your movements on the map as you travel. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Google Maps app on your Android or iPhone.
2. Tap your profile picture or initial in the top-right corner.
3. Select Location sharing.
4. Tap Share location.
5. Choose how long you want to share (for example, one hour or until you turn this off).
6. Select a contact from your Google contacts or tap Copy to clipboard to generate a shareable link you can send via messaging apps or email.
7. Send the link or share with the selected person. (Google Help)

If you want to share with someone who doesn’t have a Google account, creating a link is convenient, and they can view your real-time location in their browser or Google Maps until the sharing period ends. (Google Help)

Share Location From a Desktop Computer

You can also share your location from a laptop or desktop:

1. Go to google.com/maps and sign in.
2. Click the Menu (three horizontal lines) in the top-left.
3. Select Location sharing.
4. Click Share location and follow the prompts to choose a contact or generate a link. (Google Help)

This is especially useful when you’re planning a meetup while using your computer.

Share a Specific Place (Not Your Real-Time Location)

Sometimes you simply want to send someone a location — like a café, park, or event spot:

1. Open Google Maps and search for the place or drop a pin by long-pressing on the map.
2. Tap the location’s name or pin info card.
3. Tap Share.
4. Choose how you want to send the link (messaging app, email, etc.).

The recipient will see the exact spot you shared and can get directions to it. (Useful Tools & Products)

Use Plus Codes to Share Locations Without Addresses

Every spot on Google Maps has a plus code, a short string that acts like a digital address. If a place doesn’t have an official street address:

1. Tap the info card’s address line.
2. Look for the plus code.
3. Tap to copy it and send it to your friend.

When they paste it into Google Maps, the exact location appears — perfect for remote or unnamed places. (Useful Tools & Products)

Share Trip Progress and ETA

Google Maps also lets you share your progress and estimated time of arrival when navigating:

1. Start Navigation to your destination.
2. Swipe up on the info card at the bottom.
3. Tap Share trip progress.
4. Choose who to share with.

Your contacts will see your route, current position, and ETA in real time, and sharing automatically ends when you reach your destination. (Google Help)

How to Stop Sharing Your Location

When you’re done sharing:

1. Open Google Maps.
2. Tap your profile picture and select Location sharing.
3. Find the person or link you shared with.
4. Tap Stop to end sharing immediately. (Google Help)

For place links or plus codes, there’s no ongoing sharing to stop because they point to a static location.

Adjusting Sharing Duration

If you want to change how long someone can see your location:

• Open the Location sharing screen.
• Tap the clock icon next to the person’s name.
• Choose a new time period (shorter or longer). (Google Help)

This lets you extend access if your plans change without stopping and restarting the whole process.

Family Safety and Parental Controls

For families, tools like Google Family Link can help you see where your child’s device is located as long as they’ve agreed to share it with you. Family Link also provides notifications for arrival or departure from known places. (Google Families)

Troubleshooting Tips

If your location isn’t updating properly or sharing stops unexpectedly, check:

• Your internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular). (AirDroid)
• That location services are enabled in your phone’s settings. (AirDroid)
• That Google Maps has permission to access your location all the time (especially on iPhone). (Google Guidebooks)
• That background app refresh is enabled so your location can update even when Google Maps isn’t the active app. (AirDroid)

Extra Ways to Share Location

Some messaging apps like Google Messages, WhatsApp, and Telegram integrate location sharing. In Google Messages, for example, you can tap the plus (+) icon in a chat and select Location to send where you currently are. This uses Maps data but is done within the messaging app itself. (AirDroid)

Final Thoughts

Google Maps makes location sharing simple, flexible, and fairly secure in 2025. Whether you’re meeting friends, coordinating travel, checking in with family, or navigating unfamiliar areas, knowing how to share your real-time location, a place, or trip progress is a valuable skill. Always be thoughtful about who you share with and for how long, and keep your app updated to access the latest features and security improvements. (Google Help)

For more guidance, you can visit the official Google Maps help page.

External link: https://support.google.com/maps/answer/7326810?hl=en.