This is how you share your location with friends and family

As the days get warmer, many people spend more time outdoors. Be it sports activitiessuch as hiking, jogging or cycling, or just going for a walk and getting some fresh air.

In all activities there is always a small risk of having an accident. Taken a curve too sharply and, in the worst case, a cyclist lies unconscious on the side of the road on an otherwise little-used route. For such scenarios, it can be useful if other people know your own location, which is always updated in real time.

Sharing location can also have other practical uses Advantages have. For example, when you are on your way to friends or family and want to let them know exactly where you are or when you will arrive. Or when you see that your partner is already on the way home from work and you want to start preparing for dinner in time.

Sharing your own live location is now possible thanks to smartphones with integrated GPS receivers easily and with just a few clicks. Often you don’t even have to install a new app. We show how this works.

Google Maps

Who Google’s in-house maps app Google Maps uses and has an account with the Internet group (e.g. for Gmail) can share the location for others in this way. This works in Google’s own operating system Android as well as in Apple’s iOS under iPhones. The only requirement is that you and the person you want to tell your location to each have a free Google account.

1. To use the function, you have to go to Maps with your Google account logged in be. You can see whether this is the case in the upper right corner of the app, on the far right in the “Search here” bar. Then dive in there Profile photo or if you haven’t uploaded one, your own initials
2. If you tap on the circular symbol at the top right, a menu opens
3. In this one must make the point “location sharing” choose
4. With a click on “New release” you can share your location
5. The invitation can be sent to any email address. In order to actually call up the location, the recipient must also be logged into Google
6. Select location sharing duration
7. Click on “Share”

You can even do that permanent release set. The latter should only be used with people who are very close to you. When permanent sharing is turned on, Google will periodically send email reminders that your location is being shared.

The recipients then see a circular icon with the profile picture of the person whose location is being shared in their usual Google Maps app. There you can also see how much battery the person has left. If the battery level is only a few percent, you immediately have the explanation why the location is suddenly no longer updated.

Apple

Also iPhones offer mutual location sharing. In contrast to Google Maps, you are on here Apple devices limited. That means both the person sharing and receiving the location must use iPhones in addition to an Apple account.

1. The feature can be found in the Apple app called “Where is?”, which can also be used to locate lost iPhones or AirPods
2. To share your location, you have to open the app and click on the “persons” choose
3. One click on that Plus-Symbol opens a menu
4. “share location” choose
5. You can then select the location recipient. Either directly from the The iCloud contact or by Telephone or email address
6. Now you can set the period (about 2 hours) for which the location will be released

Notification upon arrival or departure

Apple and Google offer even more options than showing live location. For example, you can have people notified when you are at a arriving or leaving a certain place.

1. To find this option on iOS, one must use the select shared contact
2. Then under “Messages” the menu item “Inform friend” choose
3. Then a menu opens where you can set the notifications

This automatism can only be carried out once at Apple. This is useful, for example, if you want to let a friend know automatically that you have arrived at the agreed meeting point.

With Google, this feature works from the other side: If someone shares his or her location with me, I can set myself to receive notifications about location changes.

1. For this in Google Maps on the Click the person’s profile picturewhose location has been approved
2. Under “notifications” set the appropriate options

WhatsApp

The live transmission of your own location is also supported by WhatsAppthe messaging app of the Facebook group Meta, supports. This works equally well with both Android and iOS devices.

1. To do this, you have to open a WhatsApp chat or a group
2. Then click on the Paperclip next to the text entry field
3. There you will find the option “Location”
4. If you click on it, the top menu item appears “Share live location” on. Caution: If you click on one of the nearby locations below, this location will only be sent once
5. If you have selected the right option, you can specify a period of time in which the location is passed on. The specified periods are limited to 15 minutes, one or 8 hours. You can also add a comment to share