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If you’ve ever met a friend in a new place, you’ve probably fallen prey to the most annoying version of the hide-and-seek game known to man.
Just a picture, “Where are you?” “Where do I park my car?” “Which side of the building are you on?” “I can’t see you, where do we meet?”
All while holding the phone to your ear and walking around the building.
It’s 2022, folks. We are still some time away living among robotsbut we definitely have better ways to share our locations and easily meet people without walking in circles.
How to share your location on Android
There are several ways to share your location from Android phoneMost of this can be done via either Android or iOS. Google Maps It is one of the best ways to share your location with others. It is fast and direct.
Find and launch the Google Maps app to access your location information.
Screenshot by Maria Diaz / ZDNET
Click on the icon at the top right of the screen to access your profile settings and information. If you haven’t signed in yet, now is the time to do so.
Screenshot by Maria Diaz / ZDNET
The option to share the location is available in your account menu. Select this to access the location sharing settings.
Screenshot by Maria Diaz / ZDNET
Click on the blue button that says Share location. When you do this, the people you share your location with will be able to see your photo and name, as well as your location, in real time, whether or not you close Google Maps.
Screenshot by Maria Diaz / ZDNET
Google Maps offers a few options for how long to share your location: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, or whatever number of hours you prefer. You can also choose “until you turn this off”.
Next, select one of your contacts to share your location with. They will receive a notification link with your location information, as well as some account details, such as your profile picture and name.
Screenshot by Maria Diaz / ZDNET
You’ll know your location has been shared with a contact when their profile picture or initials are replaced with a checkmark.
It’s a good idea to keep in mind how and with whom you share your location. Knowing the wrong party about your location in real time can be a security risk.
also:10 people you don’t know where you live and how to stay safe
Be aware that sharing your location with others via Google Maps may also share if you’re driving or walking, places you’ve visited recently, as well as your saved or favorite places, such as home or work.
Other ways to share your location on Android
Although Google Maps is the gold standard for location services on Android, there are other apps that allow you to share your location using your Android phone.
WhatsApp to share location
The WhatsApp It makes it very easy to share your location with others, and see a list of people you are currently sharing your location with. To share your location via WhatsApp, follow these steps:
1. Open a file chat In WhatsApp you want to share your location.
2. Press + (Plus) Signal.
3. Select Site.
4. Select the location option to send:
Submit your current location: This is a one-time option to send your location to someone at the time you sent it. It’s perfect if you need to give someone directions to where you are, for example.
Share the live site: This will stay updated in real time according to your live location. You can share your live location via WhatsApp for 15 minutes, 1 hour or 8 hours.
To see if you currently share your location with anyone via WhatsApp, simply go to Settings within the WhatsApp app and choose Privacy. This will show you the list of contacts you are currently sharing your location with.
dead It might not be a company that you want to associate with location sharing, but many people have friends and family members who use Facebook Messages exclusively to keep in touch.
If you want to share your location with someone via Facebook MessengerYou only need to follow these steps:
1. Open the conversation you want to use to share your location.
2. Press + button on the left.
3. Select the location Arrow on the right.
4. Press Start sharing live location.
Sharing your location with someone via Facebook Messenger only works if you give the app permission to access your location in your settings.
Google Maps will share your location with the designated party for the length of time you chose when setting it up, with options including sharing indefinitely. If you want to stop sharing your location with others, open the Google Maps app, then:
1. Go to your account by clicking on your profile picture.
2. Select Share location.
3. Choose the contact you want to stop sharing your location with.
4. Press Stop.
Can you share location between iOS and Android?
You can definitely share the location between a file Iphone and Android device, and there are several easy ways to do it: Google Maps, WhatsApp, and even Facebook Messenger let you do it.
When you share your location using these three platforms, it doesn’t matter whether the recipient is using Android or iOS; Location sharing works on both.
Can I share ETA on Android?
A great feature for commuters is that Android and iOS users can share ETA with others. Google Maps allows users to share their real time ETA with another person when they start navigating, which is useful when meeting or picking someone up. To share your ETA on Google Maps:
1. Start navigating to the destination of your choice.
2. Select More, if necessary, then tap Share the trip.
3. Choose the contact you want to know your ETA.
4. Select Involved.
This makes the person aware of your arrival time, but will stop sharing this information with them if you stop moving around.