Why Can’t I Share My Location On iPhone? Common Issues And Fixes

The topic of location tracking can be derisive. But those who love it, love it, and get pretty annoyed — and indeed worried — when it stops working. You’re truly in the right place if you’re one of these individuals. We understand just how beneficial iPhones’ location-sharing capabilities are for staying connected with your loved ones, remaining safe during travel, and coordinating huge group gatherings.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled an exhaustive list of ways to troubleshoot and fix your location-sharing service when needed. There’s no need to panic about getting lost or your family not having access to you during an emergency. We’re going through all the possible reasons and their solutions right here.

So, without further ado, let’s jump right into it.

#1 Location Services Disabled

The first step in troubleshooting location services is to ensure they’re enabled on your iPhone. It may seem like this should go without saying, but you’d be surprised by how many people forget to do this simple step when they’re panicking. Luckily, you won’t be one of these individuals!

All you need to do is follow the easy steps below to enable location services:

1. Open Settings. 
2. Head to Privacy & Security.
3. Select the Location Services.
4. Click the toggle next to the heading above.
5. When it turns green, you’ve successfully enabled location services. But you aren’t quite finished yet.
6. On the same page, choose Share My Location and turn it on. 

If you follow the above and realize that location services were already turned on, then there’s a deeper meaning behind its failure. But not to worry, you’re now one step closer to figuring it out!

#2 App Permissions Not Granted

Apple has always been big on privacy, so it’s unsurprising that they’ve ensured you can control exactly which apps have access to your geographic location. While this is undeniably safe, it can be a bit of a nuisance when you’re trying to ascertain the reason behind your location service failure — you need to check that your apps(like messages and Google Maps) have permission to access your location. To do this, follow the five-step tutorial below:

1. Navigate to the Settings app.
2. Choose Privacy & Security. 
3. Open Location Services.
4. Select the app you wish to grant location access to (e.g., messages or Google Maps).
5. Choose either While Using the App or Always to grant location access.

Depending on the number of apps you have installed on your iPhone, you may have to scroll before finding the relevant apps. But it’s certainly worth the time, as this may be all you need to fix the issue.

#3 Airplane Mode or Low Power Mode Enabled

As you probably already know, Airplane Mode switches off all wireless services, including location sharing. If you’ve recently been on a trip, you may have forgotten to turn this mode off after leaving the plane.

But Low Power Mode can also affect your phone’s location-sharing ability by restricting background processes and ongoing wireless connections. So, it’s wise to check both modes are disabled.

How to Turn Off Airplane Mode

Turning off Airplane Mode is as simple as:

1. going to Settings.
2. tapping the toggle next to Airplane Mode to turn it off. If it’s switched off, the toggle will be gray instead of green.

You can also switch Airplane Mode off via the Control Center. Simply follow these steps:

1. Open the Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of the screen (iPhone X or later) or by swiping up from the bottom of the screen (iPhone models with a home button).
2. Tap the Airplane Mode button (i.e., the icon with the airplane on it) to switch the Airplane Mode off. 

How to Turn Off Low Power Mode

You can turn off Low Power Mode (or check whether it’s turned on) by following this three-step process:

1. Head to Settings.
2. Choose Battery.
3. Tap the toggle next to Low Power Mode to turn it off. If it’s turned off, the toggle will be gray rather than green.

Alternatively, you can use Control Center to turn Low Power Mode off. Follow these steps to add the option to the Control Center for easier access next time:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Choose Control Center.
3. Select Customize Controls.
4. Hit Low Power Mode to add this option to the Control Center.

#4 Poor Network Connection

Even with the Airplane and Low Power Mode disabled, you may still have trouble with location sharing due to poor internet signal strength. Whether through wifi or cellular data, your phone requires a stable network connection to ensure accuracy and proper functioning of location-sharing services.

While there isn’t much you can do to change the signal strength in your area, here are two methods that may provide some relief:

• Move — If you’re out and about, try walking to a different location. The signal strength may improve and your location sharing will go back to normal.
• Turn it off and on again — If you can’t change location, turn your wifi or data off and on again. When it turns back on, it may establish a better wifi or cellular data connection.

#5 Find My iPhone or Family Sharing Misconfiguration

Are you trying to share your location with people in your family group? Then you need to make sure Find My iPhone and Family Sharing are properly configured. Don’t panic; it’s easier than you might think!

How to Set Up Find My iPhone

Apple likes to make things easy for its users and setting up Find My iPhone is no different. You’ll be able to set it up in just four steps: 

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Hit your name.
3. Select Find My.
4. Switch Share My Location by clicking the toggle next to it. When it’s green, it’s turned on.

If Find My is already switched on, you may need to restart the application to resume proper functioning. Luckily, it’s incredibly simple to do that. Simply:

1. Swipe upward from the bottom of the screen. 
2. Clear all current application cards to stop the Find My app.
3. Relaunch the application and check whether this fixes your problem.

How to Switch Family Sharing On

Once you have turned Find My iPhone on, you need to ensure Family Sharing is enabled. If you haven’t set it up yet, it’ll take a bit longer, but we promise it’s an easy-to-follow process:

1. Go to the Settings app.
2. Tap your name.
3. Hit the Family Sharing option.
4. If you already have Family Sharing set up, tap your name before hitting Location Sharing and selecting who you’d like to share your location to.
5. If you don’t have Family Sharing set up, follow the onscreen instructions to set it up and invite your family members. These onscreen instructions will appear upon clicking Family Sharing in step three.

#6 iOS Software Update

Location sharing thrives on the latest iOS software update. Using out-of-date versions can cause bugs that impact your phone’s ability to tell others your location. With that in mind, follow these steps to check for updates and install them if necessary:

1. Go to the Settings app.
2. Select General.
3. Tap Software Update.
4. If there is an update available, choose Download and Install. Your iPhone will restart during the update. Just put it on charge and leave it running until it’s finished. Then, try location sharing again.

The Bottom Line

There are many reasons behind location-sharing failure, like outdated software, app permissions, Airplane Mode, Low Power Mode, Family Sharing misconfiguration, and disabled location-sharing services. Regardless of the reason, you now know the steps to take to fix the issue — checking your settings, updating your phone, establishing a better network connection, and granting the necessary app permissions. And if you forget, you can always return to this handy guide to stay connected with your loved ones and increase your overall safety while out and about.

Family Orbit: The Ultimate Family Location Tracking Solution

Want more than basic location tracking services? You need Family Orbit. This powerful app lets you track relatives’ real-time locations, monitor their safety, and remain connected 24/7, no matter where they are. But it goes far beyond that.

You can access your children’s text messages, photos, browsing history, and call logs, implement geo-fencing, get instant alerts for inappropriate behaviors/content, and monitor all phone activity in real time. Holistic family safety is just a download away!