How to Share Location on Android
While there are third-party location-sharing apps that also share your location, this article will focus on three ways to share your location using Google Maps.
Send Your Location With Automatic Updates
The first and arguably the best method, depending on your situation, is to use the Location sharing feature built-in to Google Maps. This lets the other person keep tabs on your location for as long as you let them—you can pick a specific duration or provide your real-time location indefinitely, so it never expires. The person will need a Google account for this method of location sharing.
Tap your Google profile image at the top right to open the menu. Select Location sharing. Select the New share button on the bottom. Choose how long to share your location. You can pick the limited-time option so the other person will see your location for anywhere from 15 minutes to up to a full day. Or, to share it indefinitely, pick Until you turn this off. Select one or more contacts from the list. You can scroll to the right to view more people. Tap Share or Send, depending on how you chose the contact.
Send Your Real-Time Location to Non-Google Users
Use this method if you’re sending your location to someone who doesn’t use a Google account, or you don’t want them to have to bother logging in. This is also a great way to quickly send your location to several people at once, like in a group message or email.
The steps to take for this method are very similar to the ones shown above. A big difference is you can’t send your permanent, auto-updating location; the link to your location will expire, depending on the duration you choose.
Repeat steps 1–3 as they’re shown above: profile image > Location sharing > New share. Choose how long your location should be shared. Your options are various durations from 15 minutes up to 24 hours. Choose an app to share the link through. If you scroll to the far right, you can select Copy to clipboard if you’d rather send the link later or in an app not listed there. Select Share on the prompt explaining that anyone with the link will you see your name, photo, and location. The countdown will start immediately. Return to the Location sharing screen (see step 1) to add time or stop sharing your location.
Send Your Current Location Only
The Messages app includes a Location option that will send your current location to whoever is in the conversation. This is your current location only, meaning it just sends the address you’re at right now, and it won’t update for the recipient when you move. They do not need a Google account for this.
With a new or existing conversation open with the person, tap the plus sign to the left of the keyboard. Select Location from the list of options. Tap Send this location to share a Google Maps link to your whereabouts. Select anywhere on the map to send a different location, or to correct your real location if the one found by GPS is wrong. There’s also a search tool and a list of nearby locations if you’d rather share the location of a nearby business.
