On an iPhone, the quickest safety option is Check In in Messages (iOS 17 or later): it tells a friend when you arrive and alerts them if you don’t. You can also share your live location from Messages or the Find My app. On Android, open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, choose Location sharing and pick who can see you and for how long. Google Maps is also the free location sharing app that works between iPhone and Android.
Updated 2 October 2026 · Sources: Apple Support, Google Support, Life360, GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk
Location sharing apps compared at a glance
▲ good fit ▬ check before relying on it. We make Safety App UK; it does not contact the emergency services, and sharing your location in any of these apps does not alert the police. In danger now? Call 999. Checked 2 October 2026 against Apple, Google and Life360’s own pages and app store listings.
Which location-sharing option should I use?
How do I use Check In on iPhone?
- Open a conversation in Messages with the person you want to check in with.
- Tap +, then More if needed, and choose Check In.
- Choose when you arrive (set your destination and how you are travelling) or after a timer.
- Pick what is shared if you don’t check in: Limited (your location, battery and signal) or Full (also your route and where your phone was last unlocked).
- Send it. When you arrive, your friend is told automatically.
If you don’t arrive and don’t respond to prompts, your friend gets a link to the information you chose. Both of you need iOS 17 or later.
How do I share my live location on Android?
- Open Google Maps and tap your profile picture.
- Tap Location sharing, then New share.
- Choose how long: for a set time, or until you turn it off.
- Pick the contact, or send a link by message.
- Stop sharing from the same screen when you are safely home.
Google Maps location sharing also works between Android and iPhone, so a friend with either phone can follow you.
Is it safe to share my location?
It is safe when you share with people you trust and for a limited time. Review who can see your location every few months, and turn off sharing you no longer need. If you are worried that someone is tracking you without permission, iPhone’s Safety Check (iOS 16 or later) shows and stops what you share; on Android, check location sharing in Google Maps and your Google account.
Which location sharing app should I use for my family?
If everyone in your family has an iPhone, Apple’s Family Sharing location in Find My is free and built in. If your family mixes iPhone and Android, Google Maps location sharing works on both. Family apps such as Life360 add place alerts, with a free plan and paid memberships. Compare them in our fair safety app comparison; for younger children, see what to teach them about strangers.
What is the best way to share location between iPhone and Android?
Use Google Maps on both phones. Google says real-time location sharing works on Android and iOS: open Maps, tap your profile picture, choose Location sharing, then pick a Google contact or send a link and set how long. Apple’s Find My is built for Apple devices. Google Find Hub uses the same Google Location Sharing, so shares from Maps show there too. Before a late journey, use our walking home checklist.
Is it legal to track someone’s location without consent in the UK?
Secretly tracking a partner or family member can be a crime. The Home Office’s statutory guidance on controlling or coercive behaviour lists “using location tracking on devices” and GPS trackers as examples, an offence under section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015. Following someone and monitoring their electronic communications are listed as stalking behaviours in the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. If you think you are being tracked, read what to do if someone is stalking you, or ask about a partner’s past under Clare’s Law.
Frequently asked questions
They usually see the last known location. With iPhone Check In set to Full, your friend can also see where your phone was last unlocked.
Live updates need a data connection or Wi-Fi. Without one, your contact sees the last location that was sent.
No. It only tells people you choose. In an emergency, call 999 or use Emergency SOS on your phone.
Sources
- Apple Support (UK): Use Check In for Messages on iPhone
- Apple Support (UK): Share your location with iPhone
- Apple Support (UK): Safety Check
- Google: Get help during an emergency with your Android phone
- Apple Support (UK): Share your location with your Family Sharing group
- Google: Share your trips and real-time location from Google Maps (Android and iOS)
- Google Help: Find your friends and family with Find Hub
- Life360: Plans and pricing
- GOV.UK: Controlling or coercive behaviour statutory guidance
- legislation.gov.uk: Serious Crime Act 2015, section 76
- legislation.gov.uk: Protection from Harassment Act 1997, section 2A
General safety information. Phone menus change between versions; if a step looks different, search your phone’s Settings. In an emergency, always call 999.
Keep reading
Location sharing that also raises the alarm
Built-in sharing shows where you are. Safety App UK goes further: your trusted circle sees your live location, gets an alert when you reach or leave a Safe Zone, and receives an SOS with your location and live video in one tap. Free for 7 days, then £2.99 a month.