If you are a parent, you may feel the need to keep an eye on your child’s whereabouts. Or if you have a friend who is new to town and likely to get lost, it’s good to know that you can always find them again. These are just two examples of why you should share your location on WhatsApp. We look at both sending your current location and real-time location tracking in WhatsApp mobile app.
Read more: How to use WhatsApp — a step-by-step beginner’s guide
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To share your location on WhatsApp, tap the Venue button next to the message box. If your privacy settings allow it, your phone will now show your current location. Otherwise, you must enter the address manually. Or you can track your movements in real time for a specific period of time.
SKIP TO IMPORTANT SECTIONS
How to Share Your Location on WhatsApp (Android)
To share your location on WhatsApp Android app, first tap the Venue icon.
If you have enabled GPS in your privacy settings, you will now immediately see your current location on the map. Crane Send your current location to have your location sent to your WhatsApp contact.
Alternatively, you can allow your WhatsApp contact to track your whereabouts in real time for a set period of time – 15 minutes, an hour, or eight hours. Choose whichever one you prefer and the map will instantly update as you move.
How to Share Your Location on WhatsApp (iPhone)
The iOS method is largely the same, but getting to the map takes a slightly different route.
To send your current location to a WhatsApp contact on iPhone, first tap the + icon to the left of the message box.
This will open a menu. Select Venue.
A map will now appear on your screen. If you’ve enabled GPS in your privacy settings, your location will automatically be shown on the map, along with a list of potential businesses and other nearby locations to choose from. If your privacy settings do not allow this, you must enter the address manually. Crane Send your current location to send it to your contact.
The card will now appear as a message in the WhatsApp chat message to your contact.
Tapping on the map opens your contact’s default Map app on their phone, where they can zoom in and out to get better information about your location.
The other option is to have someone follow you in real time for a period of time. They can give you step-by-step directions via phone or WhatsApp, while watching you move on the map.
To do this, repeat the same process as above, and when the map appears, select Share live location. You will then be asked to choose how long the other person can follow you.
No, this is currently not possible with the method described above.