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Google Maps has two separate ways to let someone follow you: Location sharing sends your real-time position for a duration you choose, while Share trip progress sends your destination, current position and estimated arrival time during an active navigation session. Use Location sharing when someone needs to keep track of you beyond one journey; use trip progress for a temporary ETA update that ends when you arrive or stop navigating.
Both features are available in the Google Maps mobile app on Android and iPhone/iPad. A Google Account is not required for the recipient when you send a link, but link-based real-time sharing lasts for a maximum of 24 hours.
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Location sharing versus Share trip progress
The two controls look similar but solve different problems. Choosing the right one prevents a share from ending too soon or exposing more information than your journey requires.
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| Feature | When to use it | What the recipient gets | How it ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location sharing | Someone needs to follow your movements for a period you select, whether or not you are navigating to a destination. | Your recent device location, name and profile photo, battery level and charging status. Arrival and departure alerts can be added in eligible cases. | You choose the sharing duration, or stop it manually. A link shared with someone without a Google Account works for up to 24 hours. |
| Share trip progress | You are already navigating by car, on foot or by bicycle and want to send an ETA and destination. | Your destination, estimated arrival time and current location for that navigation session. | Automatically when you reach the destination or stop navigation, or earlier when you tap Stop sharing. |
Google describes the basic control this way: “You can choose who can find your location and how long you share it in Google Maps.” The duration and recipient are selected inside the Maps app rather than through a separate tracking service.
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What you need before sharing
- The current Google Maps app on an Android phone or an iPhone/iPad.
- A Google Account signed in to the Maps app to start sharing.
- Location access enabled for Maps and a working mobile-data or Wi-Fi connection so the device can send updates.
- A person or messaging method ready for the share. A recipient can receive a direct account-based share, or you can send a link by text, email or another messaging app.
Google says a mobile device is required to start real-time Location sharing. A computer can control some settings, but it cannot replace the phone for initiating the share. Menu wording can change as Google updates Maps, so look for the labels Location sharing, New share, Share trip progress and Stop sharing.
How to share your live location in Google Maps
On Android, iPhone and iPad
- Open the Google Maps app and sign in.
- Tap your profile picture or initial in the upper-right corner.
- Choose Location sharing.
- Tap New share.
- Choose how long you want the location shared. Use the duration selector shown by Maps; do not assume that every account offers the same choices.
- Select the person who should receive the share.
- Tap Share and, if prompted, confirm the contact or sharing method.
The same sequence is documented for Android and for iPhone/iPad. Once active, Maps updates the recipient with your device’s recent location for the period you selected. You do not have to start turn-by-turn navigation for this type of share.
Sharing with someone who does not have a Google Account
If the recipient cannot be selected as a Google contact, choose the option to create a Location Sharing link. Copy or send that link through text, email or another messaging app. Anyone who has the link can use it to view the shared location during the active period, so send it only through a channel and to a person you trust.
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Choosing a duration
Duration is part of the Location sharing setup. A longer period is useful for an extended outing, a commute with several stops or a day when another person needs to know where you are. A shorter period reduces the time during which the recipient can see updates. If your plans change, you can end the share from Maps instead of waiting for the original duration to finish.
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How to share trip progress and ETA while navigating
Start the navigation share
- Open Google Maps, search for your destination and select a route.
- Start navigation by car, on foot or by bicycle.
- Swipe up on the navigation information card at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Share trip progress.
- Select the person who should receive the update.
- Tap Share.
This sends the destination, your estimated arrival time and your current location. It is designed for a single active trip rather than continuous location monitoring. If you change the route or the ETA changes, the information associated with that navigation session can update for the recipient.
End trip-progress sharing early
Trip-progress sharing normally ends automatically when you reach the destination or stop navigation. To end it before either event, swipe up on the navigation information card and tap Stop sharing. Google summarizes the automatic behavior as: “When you reach your destination or stop navigation, you stop sharing your location.”
Stopping navigation and stopping the share are related but distinct actions in the interface. If you want to keep navigating but no longer send progress, use Stop sharing when that control is available rather than relying on the destination arrival to terminate it.
What the recipient can see
For an active Location sharing session, Google says the recipient may see:
- Your name and profile photo.
- Your device’s recent location, including updates from the device even when you are not actively using a Google app.
- The device’s battery power and whether it is charging.
If the recipient adds an eligible Location Sharing notification, they may also receive arrival and departure times for a selected place. These are location-based alerts, not a continuous record of every movement. The notification feature is separate from simply opening the shared map.
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Trip-progress recipients receive the information relevant to that navigation session: your destination, current location and estimated arrival time. The share is temporary and tied to the route you started in Maps, rather than to a duration you set in the Location sharing menu.
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How to stop sharing your live location
Stop an ongoing Location sharing session
- Open Google Maps.
- Tap your profile picture or initial.
- Choose Location sharing.
- Select the person whose access you want to end.
- Tap Stop.
Stopping the individual share ends that person’s access. If you have shared with more than one person, check the list and stop any other active shares you no longer need.
Stop a trip-progress share
While navigation is active, swipe up on the information card and tap Stop sharing. The share also ends when you stop navigation or arrive at the destination. Closing the app is not the documented control; use the in-app command so Maps records that the share has ended.
Check whether a share is still active
Return to the profile menu and open Location sharing. Active people or links should be listed there. Review this screen after an event, a commute or a trip if you are unsure whether a duration-based share remains enabled.
Arrival and departure notifications
A recipient can add a notification for when you arrive at or leave a selected place. Google says these notifications are unavailable for some account types and cannot be added to link-based sharing. They also stop when the underlying Location sharing session stops.
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Because notification availability depends on the account and sharing method, do not promise an arrival alert when you have sent only a link. If an alert is important, use a direct Location sharing connection and verify that the recipient can add the notification in their Maps interface.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Using a computer to manage sharing
Google’s computer help explains that a mobile device is needed to start real-time Location sharing. Some settings can be controlled from a computer after sharing is configured, but the initial share, recipient selection and mobile location updates depend on the phone or tablet running Maps.
If the computer view does not show an option to start a share, open Maps on the signed-in Android device or iPhone/iPad instead. Treat the phone as the source of the live location and the computer as a limited management surface.
Why Location sharing may be unavailable
Google lists several eligibility and policy limits that can prevent the control from appearing or working:
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- Google Workspace restrictions: An organization can disable or limit the feature for accounts managed by its Workspace domain.
- Account age requirements: Some accounts may be blocked because of age-related rules.
- Device requirement: A computer alone cannot initiate real-time sharing; use a supported mobile device.
If you cannot find Location sharing, first confirm that you are signed in to the intended account and using the mobile Maps app. If it is still missing, the limitation may be tied to the account, organization or region rather than a setting you can change inside the route screen.
Troubleshooting an update that is missing or stale
The recipient sees an old position
- Confirm that the phone has a data connection and that Maps can access location.
- Open Maps and check the Location sharing screen to verify that the share is still active and has not expired.
- Check the phone’s battery status. A low or depleted battery can prevent new updates from reaching the recipient.
- If you used a link, confirm that it has not passed its 24-hour maximum.
The trip-progress option is not visible
Share trip progress appears during active navigation by car, foot or bicycle. Set a destination and start navigation first, then swipe up on the navigation information card. It is not the same control as the profile-menu Location sharing feature.
The share will not stop
Use the documented in-app path rather than simply leaving Maps: profile picture or initial, Location sharing, select the person and Stop. For navigation, swipe up on the information card and choose Stop sharing. Reopen the relevant screen to confirm that the person or trip is no longer listed as active.
Which method should you use?
Use Location sharing when the person needs ongoing visibility
Choose this for a family member waiting for you during a long outing, a friend monitoring a multi-stop journey or a trusted contact who needs your position even when you are not following one route. You set the recipient and duration before leaving, and you can stop access manually.
Use Share trip progress for a simple ETA
Choose this when the practical question is “When will you arrive?” Start navigation, share the trip and let Maps end the session at the destination. It avoids setting up a longer location-sharing period for a single drive, walk or bicycle ride.
Use a link only when a Google Account is not available
A link lets a non-Google recipient view the live share, but the maximum duration is 24 hours and link-based shares do not support the same notification options as eligible direct shares. For a longer or notification-dependent arrangement, use a direct recipient where possible.
Privacy and control checklist
- Before tapping Share, confirm the recipient name or the messaging destination.
- Choose the shortest duration that covers the actual need.
- Remember that Location sharing can reveal your recent position, battery state and charging status, not merely a one-time pin.
- Do not treat a link as permanent; it expires after up to 24 hours.
- After reaching home or finishing an event, open Location sharing and stop any session that should not continue.
- When using trip progress, stop sharing manually if you finish the ETA update before reaching the destination.
Key distinctions to remember
Location sharing is a duration-based, recipient-focused feature in the Maps profile menu. Share trip progress is a navigation-based feature that sends destination and ETA and ends with the trip. Both require the Maps mobile app to initiate, and both can be stopped from their respective in-app controls. The correct choice depends on whether the other person needs a continuing view of your location or only the progress of one route.
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