Google Maps recently added a new location sharing feature to its iPhone and iPad app. This is useful when you are trying to meet people, especially in large areas like parks or beaches. You can easily choose who you share with, for how long and how. The app also makes it easy to share routes to destinations, great for getting information about possible routes or for planning trips shared with other drivers.
See how you can share your locations and directions with Google Maps.
Sharing your location directly with Google Maps
Google Maps offers a few different methods for sharing your location. The first is to share directly on Google Maps with people on your Google contact list.
- Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad
- Touch Menu button (looks like three stacked lines)
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Touch Share location.
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Touch Start.
- Touch + or – buttons to increase or decrease the amount of time your location is shared with people. Alternatively, tap Until you turn it off disable location sharing manually.
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Touch Select people to share your location directly through Google Maps.
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Touch the icons of the people you want to share your location with.
- Touch To share.
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Touch Turn on.
Sharing your location on Google Maps with a link
Google Maps also allows you to share with people using a link that can be shared freely using Messages or third party apps.
- Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad
- Touch Menu button (looks like three stacked lines)
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Touch Share location.
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Touch Start.
- Touch + or – buttons to increase or decrease the amount of time your location is shared with people. Alternatively, tap Until you turn it off disable location sharing manually.
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Touch posts to share a text message or iMessage, or tap More to share in a third-party application like Messenger or WhatsApp.
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Choose who you want to send the link to in Messages or the third-party application.
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Touch Submit button in Messaging or in your application.
Sharing directions on Google Maps
This is useful if you are planning a trip and need information about other people’s routes or if you are planning a multi-vehicle tour to a shared destination.
- Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad.
- Touch the blue directions button at the bottom right of the screen.
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Enter your starting point and destination.
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Touch options button in the upper right corner of the screen (it looks like three dots stacked).
- Touch Share Directions.
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Touch the app you want to use to share the instructions (in this case, Messages).
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Choose who you send your directions to.
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Touch Submit button in your application of choice.
Questions?
If you have any questions about sharing your location or sharing directions on Google Maps, please turn to comments.