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Google Maps location sharing usually fails for one of five reasons: the wrong Google Account or device is being used, device location or internet access is off, the share or recipient is configured incorrectly, an account or age policy blocks sharing, or the recipient is viewing stale data. A navigation error such as “GPS Signal Lost” is a separate reception problem, not an explanation for every sharing failure.
Work through the checks below on the phone that is sending the location first. Then verify the recipient’s account, refresh their view, and use the age-verification and new-share procedure if the failure has lasted more than 24 hours.
Identify the exact Google Maps symptom
Choose the description that matches what you see. Different symptoms point to different fixes, so changing GPS settings will not repair an account eligibility problem, and recreating a share will not fix a phone that has no internet connection.
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| “Google Maps won’t share my location” or sharing cannot be started | Google Account, device location, internet, eligibility, or recipient details | On the sending phone, confirm the intended account is signed in, “Use location” is enabled, and the phone is online. |
| The recipient cannot see you, or the map says the location is offline | Expired or stopped share, sender offline, wrong account, or stale recipient view | Check the active share on the sender’s device, then have the recipient open the profile and choose More > Refresh. |
| “Google Maps location sharing not updating” | Sender connectivity, stopped duration, or an unrefreshed profile | Confirm the sender is online and still sharing; refresh the recipient’s profile. |
| Sharing stops after a day | Link-sharing limit, age restriction, or a share duration that ended | Use the age-verification and new-share flow described below. Link shares are limited to 24 hours. |
| Notifications about a shared location do not arrive | Offline sender, old Maps version, age eligibility, or an unsigned-in link viewer | Check those notification-specific conditions instead of assuming the share itself is broken. |
| “GPS Signal Lost” while turn-by-turn navigation is running | GPS reception, permissions, power-saving, car-window film, or hardware | Move to a clear outdoor view of the sky and test GPS separately from Location Sharing. |
Start with the person whose phone is meant to send the location, not the person looking at the map. If the sender’s phone is offline or the share has ended, changing settings on the recipient’s phone will not restore a live location. Conversely, if the sender confirms an active share and is online, the next useful check is the recipient’s view and account.
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Check the sender’s account, device and connection
Location Sharing is tied to both the Google Account and the device being used. If the same account is signed in on a phone, tablet, or another handset, changing settings on the unused device will not change the share sent by the active one.
Confirm the intended Google Account
- On the device that should send the location, open Google Maps and look at the profile picture or initial.
- Verify that the displayed Google Account is the one the recipient expects. If several accounts are present, switch to the intended account before checking the share.
- Keep that device powered on and connected while testing. Location Sharing requires an active internet connection as well as a Google Account.
Make this check on the actual sending phone even if the same account is signed in elsewhere. A recipient may be expecting a position from one device while the sharer is checking Maps on another. The relevant combination is the account and device used to set up the share; matching the account name alone does not establish that the correct device is publishing the location.
Turn on device location
The phone’s system-level location switch must be enabled. On Android, the setting is commonly labelled Use location; the exact wording and menu location vary by manufacturer and Android release. Use the Settings search field for “location” if the quick-settings tile is not visible. On iPhone or iPad, open iOS Settings and review Google Maps’ Location permission and related app settings; Apple changes the precise labels between releases, so use Settings search rather than relying on an old menu path.
Confirm internet access
Try a webpage or another online service on the sending phone. A Wi-Fi connection that requires a sign-in page, disabled mobile data, airplane mode, or a very weak signal can leave Maps unable to publish a current position. Reconnect before rebuilding the share.
Location and internet are separate requirements: a phone can know where it is but be unable to send that information while offline, or it can be online while its location switch is disabled. Check both before changing the share itself. If one is unavailable, fix that condition first, then check whether the existing share resumes before creating another one.
Start or repair a standard location share
Google’s current sharing flow is similar on Android and iPhone/iPad. Direct sharing is intended for a recipient with a Gmail account. If the person does not have a Google Account, use a shareable link instead; that link remains available for up to 24 hours.
These methods are not interchangeable in every respect. Direct sharing is the option to use when the recipient has a Gmail account and you want to select that person in Maps. A link is the alternative for someone without a Google Account, but it has a 24-hour limit. If a share appears to stop after a day, first identify which method was used rather than assuming that an ongoing direct share and a link share have the same duration rules.
Send directly to a Gmail recipient
- Open Google Maps and tap your profile picture or initial.
- Choose Location sharing, then New share.
- Select how long to share. You can choose a limited duration or, where eligible, Until you turn this off.
- Choose the person and tap Share. If Maps asks for contact access, allow it so the recipient suggestions can be used.
If the person does not appear, do not assume the phone’s GPS is defective. Check that you are signed in to the expected account, that the recipient has a Gmail address for direct sharing, and that Maps has the contact access it requested. You can also use the search option in the recipient picker instead of relying on the suggestions.
Check the selected duration before tapping Share. A limited-duration share will end when that duration runs out; that is different from a share that fails to update while it is still active. If the recipient is missing from the suggestions, use the search function and verify the name, phone number, or email against the intended person before sharing. Contact permission helps Maps offer contacts, but it does not remove account eligibility or duration limits.
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Use a link for someone without a Google Account
Select the link-sharing option in the same Location sharing flow and send the generated link through your preferred messaging method. The recipient can open the link without a Google Account, but the share is limited to 24 hours. A person who opens a link while not signed in may also miss some location-sharing notifications.
When troubleshooting a link, confirm that the recipient is opening the current link and that it has not reached its 24-hour limit. If the person needs an ongoing share and has a Gmail account, set up direct sharing instead and choose an appropriate duration. If the recipient cannot receive notifications from a link, that does not by itself prove the link or location is unavailable; notification availability has its own conditions.
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Fix a problem that lasts more than 24 hours
For a failure that continues beyond a day, Google’s documented path begins with age verification. This is separate from simply turning location back on.
- Complete Google’s age-verification prompt for the account, if one is shown.
- If sharing still fails, return to Google Maps, open your profile picture or initial, and choose Location sharing > New share.
- Select Until you turn this off as the duration.
- Swipe across the suggested recipients and tap More.
- Search for the person by name, phone number, or email address, select the correct result, and tap Share.
Users under 18 may be unable to share for longer than 24 hours. In that case, repeatedly recreating a permanent share will not bypass the age rule; use the duration the account is allowed to use.
Use this procedure for the documented long-running failure rather than jumping straight to it for every short interruption. First make sure the sender is online and location is enabled. Then verify the account and current share. If the problem is still present beyond 24 hours, follow the age-verification step and create the new share with the specified recipient search. Choosing a duration and locating the person in More are part of the flow; simply tapping the first suggested contact may not be equivalent.
Look for account and availability restrictions
A phone can have perfect location settings and still be unable to use Location Sharing. Check these policy-level causes when the basic setup is correct.
Google Workspace account controls
An account managed by an employer, school, or other Google Workspace domain may have Location Sharing restricted by the administrator. Test with an eligible personal Google Account if appropriate for your situation, or ask the domain administrator whether the feature is permitted.
Country or region availability
Google states that Location Sharing availability can vary by country or region. If the feature is absent or an otherwise eligible account is refused, confirm that the service is supported where the account and device are being used.
Supervised accounts and Family Link
A supervised account can be managed by a parent or guardian through Family Link. The supervising adult may need to change the relevant permission, and some sharing durations can remain unavailable for a minor account.
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These are account or service restrictions, not evidence that the phone’s GPS receiver is broken. If location is enabled, Maps is online, and the intended recipient and duration are correct, consider whether the signed-in account is managed, supervised, or subject to age eligibility. A personal account can be a useful comparison only when it is appropriate to use one; it should not be used to bypass a guardian’s controls or an administrator’s policy.
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Android-specific location checks
Android has two related but different controls: the device-wide location switch and the permission granted to Google Maps. Both matter to the sending device.
Review Maps’ location permission
- Open Android Settings and search for App permissions or Location.
- Open Google Maps’ permission page.
- Ensure Maps is allowed to access location. If Android offers a choice between approximate and precise location, choose the level appropriate for the accuracy you need.
- Return to Maps, leave it connected to the internet, and test the share again.
Menu names differ across Android versions and manufacturers, so use the Settings search function when these labels are not in the same place.
Consider Location Accuracy without treating it as a universal fix
Android’s Location Accuracy setting can combine available signals to improve how the device determines its position. It may help when the position itself is poor, but it will not resolve a missing Google Account, an expired share, a Workspace restriction, or a recipient who has not refreshed the profile.
Use Location Accuracy as a location-quality check, not as the first response to every sharing complaint. If the recipient sees no share at all, focus first on the account, recipient, share status, and internet connection. If the share is active but the position itself is imprecise, the device’s location controls and accuracy may be relevant. This distinction helps avoid changing unrelated settings while the actual issue is a stopped share or account restriction.
iPhone and iPad checks
On iPhone or iPad, confirm that Google Maps is allowed to use location in iOS Settings and review any related option that controls when the app may access location. Keep the app installed, signed in to the intended Google Account, and connected to the internet while testing. iOS menu names and permission choices vary by release; if you cannot find Maps’ permission page, search for “Location Services” or “Google Maps” in Settings.
The Google Maps sharing steps remain profile picture or initial > Location sharing > New share, followed by a duration, recipient, and Share. iOS permission changes affect whether Maps can obtain the device position; they do not remove account, age, region, or recipient restrictions.
If the issue is on an iPhone or iPad, keep the checks in two groups: the iOS permission and connection on the sending device, then the Google Maps share and account. A change to iOS location access is relevant if Maps cannot get the device’s position. It will not change whether the recipient has a Gmail account for direct sharing, whether a link has expired, or whether the account is allowed to share for longer than 24 hours. Menu wording changes across iOS versions, so avoid relying on a specific older Settings path.
When the recipient sees an old or missing location
A stale map does not necessarily mean the sender’s GPS has failed. First verify on the sender’s phone that the person is still listed under Location sharing and that the chosen duration has not ended. Confirm that the sender is online. A phone that is powered off, offline, or no longer sharing cannot publish a newer position.
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On the recipient’s device, open the shared person’s profile in Google Maps, tap More, and choose Refresh. This requests the current sharing state instead of relying on an old screen.
Use the sender-side and recipient-side checks in that order. On the sender’s phone, confirm the correct person appears in Location sharing and that the duration remains active. If those checks pass and the sender is online, ask the recipient to open that person’s profile and refresh. Refreshing is useful for an old recipient view, but it cannot renew a share that ended or make an offline sender publish a new position.
If only notifications are missing
Notifications are a related but distinct feature. Google lists an offline sender, an old version of the Maps app, age restrictions, and viewing a shared link without signing in as reasons notifications may be unavailable. Update Maps, sign in when opening a link, and check the sender’s online status before changing the sharing setup.
For example, a recipient may be able to view a shared location but not receive the expected notification. Treat the missing alert as its own symptom: check whether the sender is online, whether the app is old, whether age restrictions apply, and whether the recipient opened a link while signed out. Rebuilding a working share is not the first fix for a notification-only problem.
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Separate “GPS Signal Lost” from Location Sharing
“GPS Signal Lost” during navigation describes difficulty receiving navigation positioning. It does not prove that every Location Sharing failure is a GPS fault. Location Sharing can fail because of an account, duration, recipient, or policy issue even when navigation GPS works.
Common reception conditions
- Inside buildings, tunnels, underground garages, or other places with little view of the sky, GPS reception can be unavailable.
- Restricted location permissions can prevent Maps from obtaining the position it needs.
- Low battery or an active battery-saver mode can interfere with location behavior.
- Some metallic-base, glare-reducing films applied to car windows can block GPS signals.
Test in an open outdoor location
- Fully charge the phone and temporarily turn off battery saver while testing.
- Move outside with a clear view of the sky, away from underground or enclosed spaces.
- Confirm that location permission is enabled for Maps.
- Wait for the device to acquire GPS and retry navigation.
If a fully charged phone still cannot acquire GPS in a clear-sky outdoor setting, Google’s troubleshooting guidance indicates that the device may need repair. That conditional advice applies to persistent GPS reception failure, not to ordinary sharing-duration or account problems.
Do not use the navigation test as a blanket diagnosis for sharing. If navigation works but another person cannot see your location, return to the share, account, recipient, and internet checks. If both navigation and sharing show position trouble, test GPS reception outdoors and consider the listed reception and power conditions. A repair is relevant only if the device continues to fail the open-sky GPS test while fully charged.
A complete troubleshooting order
Use this order when you are unsure which branch applies. It avoids deleting a working share before checking the simpler causes.
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- On the sending device, verify the Google Account, device location switch, Maps permission, and active internet connection.
- Open Location sharing and confirm that the intended person is listed and the duration is still active.
- For a direct share, use a Gmail recipient. For a non-Google recipient, use a link and expect its 24-hour limit.
- If the failure has continued for more than 24 hours, complete age verification and create a new Until you turn this off share through More and recipient search.
- Check Workspace, country or region, and supervised-account restrictions if all device settings are correct.
- Ask the recipient to open the profile and use More > Refresh.
- Only if the symptom is specifically navigation’s “GPS Signal Lost,” perform the outdoor GPS test and investigate reception, power-saving, window film, or possible hardware failure.
On Android, pay particular attention to the system location switch and the separate Maps permission; Location Accuracy is an additional check only when the position itself seems poor. On iPhone and iPad, check Maps’ iOS location permission and internet access, then follow the same Google Account and share checks. On either platform, if the share is active and the sender is online but the recipient’s screen looks old, refresh the profile before rebuilding the share.
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What not to change first
- Do not buy a separate GPS receiver, charger, or repair tool to solve an account, recipient, duration, or permission problem.
- Do not treat Android Location Accuracy as a cure for an account restriction or an expired share.
- Do not recreate a share repeatedly when an under-18 account is limited to 24 hours.
- Do not infer that a recipient’s unchanged screen means the sender is offline until the recipient has refreshed the profile.
There is no single hardware fix for these symptoms. Most of the checks are about confirming the correct account, permissions, connection, recipient, duration, and eligibility. Hardware repair becomes a consideration only for a persistent GPS reception failure after the outdoor, fully charged test—not simply because a Google Maps share is missing or stale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t Google Maps share my location?
On the sending device, confirm the intended Google Account is signed in, device location is enabled, Google Maps has location permission, and the phone is online. Then check that the recipient and share duration are correct and that account, age, Workspace, or regional restrictions do not apply.
Why is Google Maps location sharing not updating?
Check that the sender is online and the share is still active. On the recipient’s device, open the person’s profile in Maps and choose More > Refresh. If the sender is offline or the share expired, refreshing cannot create a new position.
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Yes. Use the link-sharing option in Location sharing. A link can be opened without a Google Account but lasts up to 24 hours. Direct sharing requires a Gmail account.
Why did my location share stop after 24 hours?
A link share is limited to 24 hours, and users under 18 may be unable to share for longer. For a failure lasting more than 24 hours, Google’s documented steps begin with age verification; if needed, create a new share set to Until you turn this off and find the recipient through More and search.
Does “GPS Signal Lost” mean Location Sharing is broken?
Not necessarily. “GPS Signal Lost” during navigation points to a reception problem, such as being indoors or underground, restricted location permissions, battery saver, certain metallic car-window films, or a possible device fault. Sharing can fail for separate account, duration, recipient, or connectivity reasons.
Why am I not getting Google Maps location-sharing notifications?
Google lists an offline sender, an old Maps app version, age restrictions, and opening a shared link while signed out among possible reasons. Check those conditions separately from whether the underlying share is active.
The Bottom Line
Start with the sending phone: verify the right Google Account, device location, Maps permission, and internet connection. Confirm the recipient and duration, then have the recipient refresh the profile if the location looks stale. Use a link only when appropriate for a recipient without a Google Account, remembering its 24-hour limit; for a problem lasting more than a day, follow Google’s age-verification and new-share steps. Treat “GPS Signal Lost” as a separate navigation reception problem.
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