Adding a person to Find My iPhone

To add someone to Find My iPhone, you share your location with them through the Find My app on your device. Open Find My, tap the People tab at the bottom, then tap the plus sign and choose "Share My Location." Select the contact you want to share with, pick how long they can see your location (15 minutes, one hour, or indefinitely), and send the invite. They'll receive a notification and can accept to start tracking your device's location in real time.

The person you share with doesn't need to do anything special on their end — they just need to accept your invitation. Once they do, they can open Find My on their own iPhone, iPad, or Mac and see your location on a map whenever they open the app. You stay in control: you can stop sharing at any time by going back to the People tab and tapping "Stop Sharing My Location."

Key Takeaways

  • Find My's location sharing is separate from adding someone as a trusted contact — sharing shows your live location on a map, while trusted contacts can help you recover a lost device.
  • You choose the duration when you share (15 minutes, one hour, or indefinitely), and you can change or revoke it whenever you want.
  • The person you share with sees your location in the Find My app on their own device; they don't need to install anything new or create an account.
  • Location sharing works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, so a family member on Android cannot see your location through Find My.

The difference between sharing location and adding a trusted contact

Find My has two separate features that sometimes get confused. Location sharing lets you show someone your live location on a map for a set time. Trusted contacts

If you want family members to know where you are day-to-day (for safety, coordination, or peace of mind), use location sharing. If you want to give someone the ability to help you find a lost iPhone but don't want them tracking your movements, add them as a trusted contact instead. You can do both with the same person if you choose.

Step-by-step: sharing your location with one person

Open the Find My app and tap the People tab at the bottom of the screen. Tap the plus sign in the top right corner. You'll see two options: "Share My Location" and "Notify When Found." Tap "Share My Location."

Select the contact from your phone's address book. If the person isn't in your contacts yet, tap "Create New Contact" and add their name and phone number or email. After you select them, choose how long they can see your location: 15 minutes, one hour, or indefinitely. Tap "Send" to send the invitation.

The person will get a notification on their device. Once they accept, they can open Find My on their own iPhone, iPad, or Mac and see your location on a map. If you set an expiration time, the sharing stops automatically when that time runs out.

Sharing your location with a family group

If you've set up Family Sharing on your Apple account, you can share your location with everyone in the group at once. Open Settings, tap your name, then Family Sharing, and make sure "Share My Location" is turned on. Family members who have location sharing enabled will see your location in the Find My app without needing individual invitations.

Family Sharing location is different from one-time sharing: it's ongoing and doesn't expire unless you turn it off. You can turn off Family Sharing location for just yourself without affecting other family members' sharing settings. Go to Settings, tap your name, then Family Sharing, and toggle "Share My Location" off.

Stopping location sharing or changing who can see you

To stop sharing your location with one person, open Find My and tap the People tab. Find the person's name and tap it. Tap "Stop Sharing My Location" at the bottom of the screen. They will no longer see your location, though they won't receive a notification that you've stopped sharing.

If you set a time limit (15 minutes or one hour) when you shared, the sharing stops automatically at that time. You don't need to do anything — the person's access just ends. If you shared indefinitely, you have to manually stop it using the steps above.

What happens if someone declines your location share request

If the person you invite declines your location share request, you'll see their name in the People tab with a "Not Shared" status. You can send another invitation, but they have to accept it. Declining doesn't block you from sending future requests.

If someone repeatedly declines and you want to stop trying, you can delete them from your contacts or straightforward leave them in the People tab without sending another request. There's no penalty or notification involved — it's just a matter of whether they choose to accept.

Location sharing on iPad and Mac

You can share your location from an iPad or Mac the same way you do from an iPhone. Open Find My, tap or click the People tab, tap or click the plus sign, and choose "Share My Location." The process is identical, and people can see your iPad or Mac's location on their map just as they would your iPhone's.

Keep in mind that sharing your iPad's location shows where that specific device is, not necessarily where you are. If your iPad is at home and you're at work with your iPhone, someone tracking your iPad will see your home location. Make sure you're sharing the device you actually want people to track.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share my location with someone who has an Android phone?

No. Find My is an Apple-only service, so Android users cannot see your location through it. If you need to share location with someone on Android, you'll need to use a different app like Google Maps or Life360.

Does the person I share with know my exact address?

They see your location on a map, which shows your general area. If you're at home, they can see you're at that location, but Find My doesn't display your street address as text. They see a pin on the map marking where you are.

What if I want to share my location but hide it from one family member?

Turn off Family Sharing location in Settings, then use one-time sharing invitations for the specific people you want to see your location. This way you control exactly who can track you instead of sharing with the whole family group.

Can someone see my location history, or just where I am right now?

They see only your current location in real time. Find My doesn't show where you've been or a history of your movements — just a live map pin of where you are at that moment.

If I share my location indefinitely, can I change my mind later?

Yes. You can stop sharing at any time by opening Find My, tapping People, selecting the person's name, and tapping "Stop Sharing My Location." There's no waiting period or approval needed.