Google just updated the Find Device app, and it now lets you share your location with other people. This additional feature makes the app far more useful, allowing it to go beyond just locating your Android devices.
Share Your Location to Selected People via the People (Beta) Tab
According to theGoogle blog post, the latest version of the Find Device app enables live location sharing via thePeople (Beta)tab. you’re able to then share your location with your Google contacts, allowing them to see where you are within the app.
But if the person you’re meeting up with doesn’t have an Android phone and doesn’t knowhow to use the share your location feature on WhatsApp, you can share a link with them instead. This will redirect them to a web page with a map, making it easy for them to find you.
To share your location, you should first install or update to the latest version (ver. 3.1.277-4) ofGoogle Find My Deviceon the Google Play Store. Once done, open the app and sign into your account.
When you’re logged in, tap on thePeople (Beta)tab, then tap on+ New Share. Under your name, tap theFor 1 hourbutton to change how long you’ll share your location. Aside from the default one hour, you can also pickToday only,Until you turn this off, orCustom duration.
You can then share your real-time location with your Google contacts by tapping on their profile in theIn-app sharingsection. If your desired contact is not listed, scroll down lightly to reveal theShare linkbutton.
Tap on the button and aShare with a link?window will appear. TapShareand sharing options will appear. You can then pick your desired sharing method, and the people you send the link to should be able to find you on the map.
If someone shares their location with you via the Find Device app, you will automatically see them listed when you tap on thePeople (Beta)tab. You can then share your location with them by tapping on their name and choosingShare your location.
If you want to share your location with another person, tap on the+icon on the lower right corner of the map in thePeople (Beta)tab and follow the instructions above.
When you want to stop sharing your location, go to thePeople (Beta)tab, selectYou’re sharing with, and then tap the name of the person (orSharing via link). From there, tapStop sharing, and the app will stop showing where you are.
The location sharing feature is already available on Waze, Google Maps, and several other apps. However, adding it to the app specifically made for locating items you want to find just makes sense.
Apple already lets you find people inFind My, which you can set up on your macOS devicealongside your iPhone or iPad. So, it makes sense for Google to add it to its own locating service app and make it easier for the people you care about to find you.
