Google Maps gets WhatsApp-like live location sharing: Here’s how to use it
Google recently added a new feature to its Maps app that lets users share their live location with others as well as see the estimated time of arrival if they are navigating somewhere. Here's how to use it.
Google Maps also shows how much battery is left and if the device is charging or not. (Express Photo)
Google Maps is the go-to app for millions worldwide to navigate from one place to another. The tech giant recently introduced a new feature that allows users to share their live location with friends and family.
Similar to messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, Google Maps’ live location-sharing feature lets you fine-tune who you want to share your location with and for how long. Moreover, it also shares some additional information like the battery level of your device, whether it is charging or not and even shows the estimated time of arrival if you are navigating somewhere.
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Here’s how you can quickly share your live location with others using Google Maps. (Image Source: Google)
How to share live location using Google Maps
1. To share your live location, open Google Maps on your phone and tap on the profile icon that appears on the top right of the screen.
2. Now, tap on ‘Location Sharing’ and on the screen that appears, press the ‘Share Location’ button.
3. Doing so will open a new window where you will be able to choose if you want to share your location for some time or until you turn it off. Here, you will also be able to share the link with others.
If you want to stop sharing your live location, open Maps, tap on the ‘Sharing via link option’ and press the ‘Stop’ button that appears.
As opposed to WhatsApp or Telegram, where users can share their location in the app itself, Google Maps lets you send your location on other apps as well. Moreover, the live location-sharing feature works even when ‘Location History’ is turned off.
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Since Google Maps comes pre-installed on most Android devices and is the preferred choice for many iOS users as well, the functionality might come in handy for those who don’t want to limit themselves to a handful of apps.
Google says that the feature won’t be available for children under 13 years of age in India. Moreover, it won’t work with Google Workspace domain accounts and is not available on Google Maps Go.
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