How to set up my location on iphone

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Knowing where you are helps many apps do their jobs

Updated on December 13, 2021

What to Know

  • iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and move the switch next to Location Services to the On position.
  • Android: Tap Settings > Location and move the slider to On.

Here's how to turn on Location Services on iPhone (iOS 8 and up) and Android devices (most versions). It includes information on apps that request the use of location services.

How to Turn On Location Services on iPhone

You'll find Location Services in your iPhone's Settings:

  1. Tap Settings > Privacy.

  2. Tap Location Services.

  3. Move the Location Services slider to on/green. Location Services are now on. Apps that need them can start accessing your location right away.

How to Turn On Location Services on Android

Location Services are turned on during the setup of your Android device, but you can also turn them on later by doing this:

  1. Tap Settings > Location.

  2. Move the slider to On.

How to Share Your Location on iPhone or iPad

About Location Services

Location Services is the name for a set of features that determine the location (or the location of your phone, at least) and then provide content based on that. Google Maps, Find My iPhone, Yelp, and many more apps use your phone's location to tell you where to drive, where your lost or stolen phone is, or where you can find restaurants within a quarter-mile.

Location Services works by tapping into your phone's hardware and data on the internet. The backbone of Location Services is usually GPS, which is usually accurate and available. To get better information about where you are, Location Services also uses data from cellular phone networks, nearby Wi-Fi networks, and Bluetooth devices to pinpoint where you are.

Combine GPS and network data with crowd-sourced data and extensive mapping technology from Apple and Google, and you have a powerful way to figure out what street you're on, what store you're near, and more. Some smartphones add a compass or gyroscope that determines what direction you're facing and how you're moving. 

What to Do When Apps Ask to Access Location Services

Apps that use Location Services might ask for permission to access your location the first time you launch them. When making this choice, ask if it makes sense for the app to use your location.

Apple Inc.

Your phone might also occasionally ask if you want to keep letting an app use your location. It's a privacy feature to make sure you're aware of what data apps are accessing.

Apple's privacy options for this feature are more robust than Android's. The pop-up window lets you choose to allow the app to access your location at all times, only when you use the app, or never. It also shows where the app has tracked you to understand better what the tracking means.

If you decide to turn it off or wish to prevent some apps from using that information, you can turn off location services on your iPhone or Android.

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With Family Sharing, you can share your location with family members in the Find My app or the Messages app. You can even help family members locate their missing devices in Find My iPhone.

How it works

The family organizer sets up location sharing in Family Sharing settings. After location sharing is turned on, the organizer's location is automatically shared with everyone in the family group. Then each family member can choose whether or not to share their location. When you agree to share, your family members see your location in the Find My app and Messages. If they have watchOS 6, they can also see your location in the Find People app.

With location sharing enabled, if your device is lost or stolen, you can ask a family member to use the Find My app to help you locate it. 

Location sharing isn't supported in South Korea and might be unavailable in other regions due to local laws.

Share your location with a family member

  1. On your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, open the Find My app.
  2. Tap or click the People tab.
  3. Tap or click a family member's name, then tap it again to see the menu.
  4. Tap or click Share My Location.

You can stop sharing your location at any time. Learn how to stop sharing your location.
 

Get notifications about a family member's location

You can set up recurring location-based notifications. This lets you know if someone has arrived at or left a location, or isn't at a particular place during a specific time window.
 

Choose which device to share your location from

You can share your location from a different device. For example, if you share your location from an iPad, you can share your location from an iPhone that you own instead.

  1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app.
  2. Tap your name.
  3. Tap Family Sharing, then tap Location Sharing.
  4. Tap Use this [device] as My Location.
     

Family members can help you find a missing device

If you share your location with your Family Sharing group and you turned on Find My on your missing device, your family can help you locate the missing device. Family members can:

  • See the location and online or offline status of your device.
  • Play a sound on your missing device to help you find it.
  • Put your device in Lost Mode if it was already set up with a passcode.
  • Remotely erase a device.

If you don't share your location, family members can’t access location information about your devices. Without location information, family members can still help you. They can check your missing device's online or offline status, play a sound on the device, put the device in Lost Mode, or remotely erase the device.

Published Date: April 19, 2022

How do I set my location on iPhone?

Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Make sure that Location Services is on..
Never: Prevents access to Location Services information..
Ask Next Time: This allows you to choose Always While Using App, Allow Once, or Don't Allow..

How do I set my location?

Open your phone's Settings app..
Tap Security & Location. Location. If you don't find "Security & Location," tap Location..
Tap Mode..
Select a mode: High accuracy: Use GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and sensors to get the most accurate location..