It often happens that, for one reason or another, we need share our location in real time with a trusted person. For example, we are going to pick someone up in the car and we want that person to know exactly when we are going to arrive. It is also possible that we have lost our cell phone. Fortunately, there are tracking tools.
The problem, precisely, is that maybe there are too many unreliable tools sharing something as delicate as where we are. This is why it is advisable to only use safe applications and tools from developers with a good reputation. And in fact, it is It is very likely that we already have several installed on the mobile.
How to securely share your mobile location in real time
First of all, it is important to emphasize the following points: You should only share your location with people you trust. On the other hand, when you use apps or tools to share your location, they usually offer the option to share location only in real time. For a limited time. It is advisable to set this limit by revealing your location to anyone, whoever they may be.
This is important because even if you trust the person you are sending your location to, It is possible that someone else has access to your mobile. I know, this might sound a little paranoid, but it’s wise to be careful with information as sensitive as your real-time location.
Share your location in real time with WhatsApp
You probably already use WhatsApp to send (or maybe forward, if you’re one of those people) countless messages every day to friends, family, colleagues, classmates, and even stores and businesses in your area. city. But in addition to being able to send photos, videos and files (up to 2 GB), WhatsApp also lets you share your location. There are two ways to do this:
The first is share your current location. In an individual or group chat, you can tap the clip button and then select Location. Finally, tap “Send your current location”. This option does not send your real-time location but only the current position.
For the second option, select Location again by clicking on the clip in a chat, but now select “Real-time location“. Next, you can configure how long the receiver(s) will be able to see your location in real time. The options are 15 minutes, 1 hour, and 8 hours, and you can even add a message to the location.
Share your location with Telegram
If you are one of the users who They prefer to use Telegram as their main messaging app (or you simply have people you chat with through this platform), it is also possible to share your current location and real-time location if you are on the move, thanks to this messaging app. Simply follow the following steps:
Go to the individual or group chat you want to share your location with. Tap the paperclip icon next to the input bar. Select Location and, after granting the necessary permissions to the application, select Send your current location.
Follow the previous steps but after selecting the Location option this time, choose “Share my location in real time» to do just that. You can configure the app to share your location with members of this chat for 15 minutes, 1 hour, or 8 hours.
Share your location directly with Google
Of course, Google Maps also allows you to share your location with others directly within the Google Maps and navigation app. To do this from your Android mobile, follow the following steps:
- Access the app Plans on your mobile
- Click on your profile picture and select “Location sharing»
- Select the how long you want to share your location (15 minutes to a day), or select the share option until you turn it off. However, we recommend that you set a limited duration.
- Send the location to the person you want via text, email, or a messaging app.
At any moment you can stop sharing your location, even before the configured time. Simply return to Google Maps, click on your profile photo then Share Location. Finally, select stop sharing.
It is also possible share estimated arrival time when you start a trip on Google Maps. Simply select the “More” option, then “Share trip progress”. It is possible to stop sharing the estimated arrival time from the same menu.
Bonus: share your location with Waze
If you use Waze as a navigation app while drivingSince the app is installed on your mobile, you can technically also use Waze to share your smartphone’s location.
When you’re traveling, you can tap the button to access more options in Waze (bottom right corner on mobile), select “Share the ride» and, finally, select the application through which you want to share the information. But keep two things in mind: First, the person who receives the travel information may also pass it on. Second, you can stop sharing the trip at any time from this same section.
How to track your cell phone if you lost it
One of the first things to do when purchasing a mobile phone and setting it up for the first time is to activate the “Find my device” option. This can be found in the settings menu of your Android mobile, in the section called “Google”.
After enabling this option, you can go to any other device or desktop browser where you are logged in with your Google account, and navigate to the website android.com/find and there you can find your device location on map.
On this website it is also possible to perform actions such as make the mobile emit a sound, lock the mobile and log out of your Google account, display a phone number on the mobile screen in case the person who finds it wants to call you to give it to you, or erase all data from device. If you perform this last action you will no longer be able to locate the mobile.
Of course, some manufacturers also have their own system for tracking the mobile. Samsung, for example, has your own system to track Samsung Galaxy phonesas well as wearable devices such as smartwatches and headphones.
To activate this option on a Galaxy you must access the mobile settings menu, press your name to access the Samsung account options (you must have an account to use this function), select “Find my mobile» and activate the corresponding options.
This way you can track your mobile from the Samsung Smart Things Find website or from a device of another brand on which you are connected.
In Xataka Android | Are you worried that your mobile apps are tracking your activity? You can check it so easily
In Xataka Android | Prevent your mobile from connecting to WiFi networks you don’t want: this way you can delete those you no longer need
Table of Contents
