How to See Someone’s Location on an iPhone.
Viewing real-time locations on iPhone makes it easier for you to meet people in new places, follow loved ones on a night out or hike, direct people to unfamiliar areas, and more.
If the other person also has an iPhone, you can track them using Latitude, Messages, and Apple Maps. If they are using Android devices, you can use cross-platform apps like Google Maps and WhatsApp to find out their location.
Use Find My to See Someone’s Location
The Find Me app on iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad is the easiest way to keep track of friends, colleagues, and family using Apple devices. It works by syncing location data through your iCloud account.
Note. Starting with iOS 13, the Find My app consists of the old Find My iPhone app and the Find My Friends app.
Just ask another person:
1. Open the Find My app on your iOS or iPadOS device. If Location Services is disabled, they should open the Settings app, go to Privacy > Location Services, and activate the toggle next to Location Services before continuing.
2. Click the People tab and click Start Sharing Location or Plus > Share Location.
3. Select your name and click Submit.
4. Choose a duration – “Share for one hour”, “Share for the rest of the day” or “Share for an indefinite period”.
5. Click Submit > OK.
Then on iPhone you can:
1. Tap the time-sensitive “Find” notification.
2. Choose whether you want to share your location or not: share for one hour, share for the rest of the day, share forever, or don’t share.
3. View a person’s current location in the People tab of the Find My app.
You can also tap a person’s name in the People tab to do the following:
Contact: view the person’s contact card.Directions: get directions to the person via Apple Maps.Notifications: set geofences . For example, you or another person can choose to receive alerts when they arrive at or leave a particular location.Add [person’s name] to your favorites. Mark a person as a favorite so they always appear at the top of the page. on the People tab.Edit Location Name: Add a label to a person’s location – Home, Work, School, etc.Share Your Location/Don’t Share My Location: Share or stop sharing your location. li>Remove [person’s name]: Remove the person from the People tab.
Advice. If you or someone else is using an Apple Watch, use the Find People app to manage location sharing.
Use the Messages App to See Someone’s Location
Another handy way to check another iPhone user’s current mobile location is to use the Messages app.
Again ask the interlocutor:
1. Open the Messages app.
2. Open or create an iMessage conversation with you.
3. Tap the portrait or name icon at the top of the screen.
4. Click Start Location Transfer.
5. Choose a duration – “Share within one hour”, “Share until the end of the day”, or “Share indefinitely”.
Note. The user can also share their current location by clicking the “Share my current location” button in step 4.
On your iPhone, you can tap the time-sensitive “Find Me” notification and follow the instructions in the section above to view a person’s location. Or:
1. Open the Messages app and tap the other person’s iMessage conversation.
2. Click on the person’s name at the top of the screen.
3. View the location of the person’s iPhone on the minimap.
You can also:
tap Share Location to share your location with another person.tap the minimap to enlarge it.tap Directions to get directions to your location person through Apple Maps. .
Use Apple Maps to See Someone’s Location
You can also check the location of a family member or friend by asking them to share their current location as a link to Apple Maps.
The person must:
1. Open the Apple Maps app.
2. Drag the marker at the bottom of the screen and click Share Location.
3. Share the location in the form of a link via text message or email using an app like Messages, Mail or WhatsApp.
Then on iPhone you can:
Click the link to view the other person’s location in Apple Maps.
You can also:
tap Directions if you want to get directions to a person’s location.Select Add to Favorites to add the location to your favorites.
See the Location of a Person in a Family Sharing Group
If a family member uses an iPhone and is in a family group, just ask them:
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Apple ID > Find Now.
3. Tap your name in the Family section.
4. Click Share Location.
Then on iPhone you can:
Tap the time-sensitive Find My notification and follow the steps in the sections above to view a family member’s location in the Find My and Messages apps.
Use Google Maps to See Someone’s Location.
If the other person is using an Android device, they can use the stock Google Maps app to share their location with you. Just remember to install Google Maps via the App Store on your iPhone and sign in with your Google account. The following method also works between Apple devices and may be useful in areas with poor Apple Maps coverage.
First ask the interlocutor:
1. Open Google Maps.
2. Tap their profile picture and select Share location.
3. Tap Share Location or New Share.
4. Specify how long they will share their location.
5. Select a means of transmitting location data, such as text messages or email.
6. Click Submit.
Then on your iPhone:
Tap a link in a text message or email to view the person’s location on Google Maps. Or open Google Maps and tap the person’s name on the map.
Then you can:
Click “Share location with [person’s name]” to share your location with another person.
Tap Directions to get directions to another person.
Use WhatsApp to See Someone’s Location on iPhone
You can also use WhatsApp to view someone’s location (a popular third-party messaging app among Android users). Before you start, install WhatsApp on your iPhone and set it up with your phone number.
Then ask the other person:
1. Open WhatsApp and select or create a conversation thread with you.
2. Tap the attachment icon and select Location.
3. Click Share Current Location. A person can also send their current location only by clicking “Submit your current location”.
4. Choose the duration: 15 minutes, 1 hour or 8 hours.
5. Tap the Submit icon.
Then on iPhone you can:
1. Open WhatsApp.
2. Open a conversation thread with the person.
3. Click View Current Location to start tracking your location.
Wrapping Up
Using the Find My app on iPhone is the best way to keep track of the location of another person. But as you’ve seen, you also have many other ways to keep track of friends and family, even if they don’t use Apple devices.
Before wrapping up, it’s worth mentioning that you should refrain from using any methods that track people without their knowledge, such as Bluetooth/GPS tracking devices (like AirTags) or third-party monitoring apps that violate privacy. Not only is this wrong, it’s illegal in most countries and can get you into a lot of trouble.
How to See Someone’s Location on an iPhone
How to See Someone’s Location on an iPhone