How do you share live location between iPhone and Android?
To share live location between iPhone and Android, use Google Maps on the sending phone or a service with a browser link for the recipient. Choose ongoing location sharing rather than sending a single map pin. Check that the other person can open the current share, see recent information and understand when sharing ends. If you also want a missed-return alert, configure that separately; access to a map is not the same as an overdue check-in.
Set up the sender and recipient separately
01Choose how the recipient will view the share
There are two roles: the phone sending updates and the person reading them. Google Maps supports iPhone and Android senders signed into a Google account. You can share with a selected Google contact or use a link for someone without an account. Holler offers a private live link that Guardians open in a browser without installing an app or creating an account. Choose the arrangement with the recipient before starting.
02Start a Google Maps share from iPhone
In Google Maps, open your profile picture, Location sharing and New share. For a named recipient, select the person and duration, then share. For the link route, use the sharing options to send the link through your preferred messaging app. Google documents link sharing for up to 24 hours. Check the recipient rather than assuming the first suggested contact is the person you intended.
03Start a Google Maps share from Android
Open Google Maps, then your profile picture, Location sharing and New share. Select the person and duration, or use Copy to clipboard to send a link yourself. A link recipient does not have to switch phone brands. For more detail about this setup, see the Google Maps outing guide. Keep the share private and review who will receive it before sending.
04Confirm the experience on the receiving phone
Ask your contact to open the link you just sent, identify the current outing and check the update time. Try this on the phone they will actually carry, not only on your own signed-in device. The sender needs connectivity to upload new positions; the recipient needs connectivity to obtain fresh information. A page left open without a connection can show old data. If it is unclear whether sharing started, resolve that before leaving.
05Add a return plan if someone should notice lateness
Say when you expect to finish and who will follow up. With Holler, a return time saved before departure can trigger an overdue alert after the five-minute grace period if you do not check in. Selected Guardians receive it through the configured email or push channels, subject to delivery. A browser map opening successfully does not enable every notification channel. The dead-phone answer explains why a saved deadline and new location updates have different requirements.
06Stop the share and confirm that you are back
Make an explicit finish part of the plan. In Google Maps, return to Location sharing and use Stop for the relevant share. In a separate safety service, complete that outing or check-in too. Then tell your contact if there is any uncertainty about your status. Ending one service does not necessarily end another, so keep track of what you started rather than assuming that putting the phone away closes every share.
Related questions
Can an Android contact receive Apple Check In?
Apple Check In requires iOS 17 or later for both people. Use a compatible sharing method for an Android contact. The phone running the outing and the phone viewing it do not need to match when the chosen method supports both roles.
Does a browser recipient mean there is a native Android app?
No. Browser access describes how someone views a link. Holler currently runs in a phone browser, and its native iPhone app is in private beta. Continuous browser sharing requires the sending page open and the screen on.
Is a screenshot or dropped pin enough for live sharing?
A fixed image or single position does not establish a stream of fresh updates. Ask the recipient to identify the update time and confirm what they are viewing. A screenshot can provide context, but it cannot show movement after it was taken.
Will a sharing link automatically alert someone if I am late?
Do not assume that it will. Make the missed-return arrangement explicit and save any timer in the service that provides it. Tell your contact which notification to expect and what to do if they cannot reach you.
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Sources, checked October 1, 2026: Google Maps: iPhone location sharing and link recipients, Google Maps: Android location sharing and stopping a share, Apple: Check In compatibility requirements, Holler: current sharing and return-time features.
More safety answers, or see the safety guides.