Google Maps is the main orientation tool for many. When you think of it, you think of getting from point A to point B. That’s its main purpose, of course, but there’s much more than that.
Google Maps can help both you and your friends get around with a single effort. For example, if you want to meet your friend for a cup of coffee in that nice new coffee shop, but can’t explain where exactly it is, it’s easier to send the coffee shop’s location to your friend via Google Maps, and you’ll both know where to go.
The service makes it easy for you to share your whereabouts with just a few taps. On top of that, there are also some additional options that will make your life even easier. And we’ll explore all of them in this article.
Share your real-time location with Google Maps
First, let’s clarify what’s “shareable” inside Google Maps. You can share a specific location (place, business, or address), direction, a whole map, or a Street View image.
Note: You can’t share your own maps (these are private), and distance measurements.
Here’s how to share a certain location with Google Maps:
- Open Google Maps.
- Tap the blue dot (this represents your current location).
- A menu with additional options will appear. Choose Share your location.
- You can choose for how long you want the link to stay valid. Options are 1 hour (or more) or until you turn it off.
- On Android, select a person with whom you want to share your location. This will deliver the link directly to Google Maps. You can also choose an external app (WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.) to send a private link.
- On an iPhone, tap Select People to choose a contact, and choose Message to send a private link through your messaging app. You can also choose More to send a private link via another app.
As mentioned above, the link will stay valid for one hour, or until you disable it. To stop sharing your location, look at the Sharing your location bar at the bottom of the screen, and just tap the X button.
Share directions with Google Maps
Sharing your real-time location is surely the most convenient option, but there’s more. While you can’t share the whole map, you can share already-established directions. Here’s how to do that:
- Open Google Maps.
- Search for a place you want to find directions to and tap the Directions button. Also, don’t forget to set your starting point.
- Tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner, and choose Share directions.
- Choose the app you want to share the directions with or share them directly through Google Maps.
Share your trip’s progress with Google Maps
Finally, the third option some will definitely find useful is the ability to share your trip’s progress, so the person you’re sharing it with will be able to ‘track’ your location and estimated arrival time while you’re en route to a particular destination. Here’s how to do that:
- Open Google Maps and start navigating towards your destination.
- Tap Start to enter the navigation mode.
- Now, tap the the ^ button, and choose Share trip progress.
- Choose the person (or an app) you want to share your progress with.
- The app will now share your trip progress until you arrive, or until you stop sharing by tapping the X button.
That’s about it. Now you know how to share your Google Maps location both in real-time or in the form of already-established directions. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, just let us know in the comments below.
