Live location sharing can make it easier to meet while traveling or provide safety in an emergency. The problem arises when access enabled for a few hours is left on indefinitely or the same sharing remains active across multiple services. A map app, messaging service, family account, photo sharing, and vehicle app can each create independent access. Turning off the phone’s general location switch is not the same as understanding these connections.

A sound review begins with four questions: Which person can see my location, which app is transmitting it, which device is being used as the source, and when will access end? Because you may not find the answers on a single screen, examine the account, app, and device layers separately.

Start by inventorying your sharing

Open the Location Sharing section in your Google Account, the profile picture > Location sharing screen in Google Maps, and any family safety apps you use. According to Google’s help documents, sharing is managed per account and device; if you use multiple devices with the same account, you need to review each one. The recipient may see your name, profile picture, real-time or recent location, and battery status. In some cases, your mode of travel, arrival time, or notifications when you arrive at or leave a particular place may also be available.

Check sharing links separately. A Maps link sent to someone without a Google Account may allow anyone with access to the link to see the location and, according to Google’s current explanation, can be used for up to 24 hours. Do not assume the link will remain only with the original recipient; it can be forwarded or pasted into the wrong chat. Sharing through an account with a specific person provides more control than sending an open link.

On iPhone, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check. “Manage Sharing & Access” lets you review people and apps separately. “Emergency Reset” is designed to quickly stop sharing with all people and apps. In addition to location shared through Find My, Safety Check can show other connections such as calendars, shared photos, Home access, Health data, and shared passwords. Removing one person from the map may therefore not end all shared access.

Distinguish app permission from sharing with a person

An app’s permission to access your location is not the same setting as allowing a particular person to see your location. For example, removing Maps’ location permission may stop current transmission, but it may not necessarily delete the account-level record of the sharing relationship. Conversely, after you stop live sharing with someone, the app may continue to access your location for navigation.

For this reason, perform two checks. First, use the operating system’s Privacy or Permission Manager screen to see which apps can access your location “all the time,” “while in use,” or approximately. Then open each app’s own people and family sharing screen. Reduce apps that do not need continuous background access to “only while in use.” Choose approximate location for a service such as weather that does not require precise coordinates.

Set a purpose and end time for every share

Do not make indefinite access the default choice. For a trip, share until arrival; for an evening event, share for a few hours; or for a hike, share for the duration of a Safety Check. Safety Check in Android’s Personal Safety app can notify selected emergency contacts if you do not respond at the end of the time you set; feature and country support may vary by device.

If permanent family sharing is necessary, review the participants every three months. A former partner, former roommate, previous work phone, or unused family account should not remain on the list. Rules may work differently for a child’s managed account; do not confuse parental controls such as Family Link with ordinary sharing on an adult account.

Consider the safety impact of stopping sharing

If there is a risk of unwanted tracking or intimate partner violence, suddenly ending access may alert the other person or make them notice a change in behavior. Apple also recommends considering the personal-safety consequences before making changes. If possible, plan with someone you trust or a local support organization using a safe device. Quick Exit in iPhone Safety Check rapidly closes the Settings app and saves changes made up to that point, but it is not a tool that removes every trace, such as browser history, carrier records, or notifications on other devices.

After stopping sharing, check the account for devices you do not recognize, recovery phone numbers, and shared sessions. Change the account password from a safe device, review two-step verification, and update the screen lock. Each person should have a separate account instead of sharing an Apple or Google Account. Otherwise, photos, calendars, and device-finding information may remain visible through other channels even after location sharing is turned off.

For a monthly mini-audit, use this order: people lists, expiration times, sharing links, devices signed in to the account, family groups, and app permissions. The goal is not to turn off location entirely, but to match access to a specific person, a clear purpose, and a limited period.

Research sources

  • Google Maps Help — Share your real-time location: https://support.google.com/maps/answer/15437054?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en
  • Google Account Help — Manage Location Sharing settings: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/9363497
  • Apple Support — Safety Check for iPhone: https://support.apple.com/guide/personal-safety/safety-check-iphone-ios-16-ips2aad835e1/web
  • Android Help — Emergency and Safety Check features: https://support.google.com/android/answer/9319337?hl=en<figure class="article-inline-image"><img src="/api/media/019ffc19-a576-7a75-b191-19cf76d8635b?v=9672" alt="User reviewing person-specific live location access on their phone" width="1200" height="675" loading="lazy"></figure><figure class="article-inline-image"><img src="/api/media/019ffc19-a5e4-7a09-9696-d2fee03b66f0?v=8664" alt="Person comparing the location permissions of different apps at home" width="1200" height="675" loading="lazy"></figure>