Android makes family location sharing surprisingly easy — once you know which of its three different location systems to use. Between Google Maps location sharing, Family Link for kids, and each manufacturer’s own battery settings that love to interfere, plenty of parents give up halfway. This step-by-step guide untangles all of it, with an illustration for every screen, so a complete beginner can go from “no idea where anyone is” to a reliable family map in about fifteen minutes.
What You’ll Need
- An Android phone (Android 10 or newer recommended) for each family member
- A Google account signed in on each device
- Google Maps installed (pre-installed on nearly all Android phones)
- Wi-Fi or mobile data on both phones
Step 1: Update Android and Google Maps
Start with housekeeping. Open Settings → System → Software update and install anything pending, then open the Play Store, search for Google Maps, and update it too. Google ships location-sharing improvements inside Maps updates, and screens on an old version may not match the steps below.
Android phones vary by manufacturer — Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Pixel each rearrange the Settings app — so if a menu name differs slightly on your device, use the search bar at the top of Settings. Every setting in this guide can be found by searching its name.
Step 2: Turn On Location
Swipe down from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings and tap the Location tile so it lights up. Alternatively, go to Settings → Location and flip the switch on. This is Android’s master switch: with it off, no app — not Maps, not any family tracker — can determine where the phone is.
Repeat this on every phone that should appear on the family map. It sounds obvious, but “Location was off on the kid’s phone” is by far the most common support question for every family app on the market.
Step 3: Enable Precise Location and Google Location Accuracy
Inside Settings → Location → Location Services, turn on Google Location Accuracy (older phones call this “High accuracy mode”). This lets the phone combine GPS satellites with nearby Wi-Fi networks and cell towers, which matters most exactly where families need it: indoors, at school, and between tall buildings where raw GPS struggles.
While you’re there, enable Wi-Fi scanning under the same menu. The phone doesn’t have to connect to any network — it just listens to which networks are nearby, and Google’s database converts that into a precise position even when GPS can’t see the sky.
Step 4: Share Your Location in Google Maps
Open Google Maps, tap your profile picture in the top-right corner, and choose Location sharing → New share. This is Android’s native equivalent of Apple’s Find My: free, built in, and tied to your Google account rather than any single phone.
One quirk worth knowing: Maps shares the location of the Google account, reported by whichever device is actively in use. If your child signs in to their account on a spare tablet at home, the map may occasionally show the tablet’s location. Keep each family member’s account on their main phone only, if you can.
Step 5: Pick the Person and the Duration
Maps now asks two questions. How long? Choose a timed window for one-off situations, or “Until you turn this off” for standing family visibility. With whom? Pick the family member from your Google contacts and tap Share. If they aren’t in your contacts, Maps can generate a share link instead — but links can be forwarded, so for family use, always share to a specific account.
Then have the family member repeat Steps 4–5 on their phone, sharing back to you. Google Maps sharing is one-directional, so a complete family setup is simply everyone sharing with everyone — two minutes per phone.
Step 6: Set Up Google Family Link for Children
For children — particularly under 13 — plain Maps sharing has a weakness: the child can turn it off with two taps. Google’s Family Link app closes that gap. Install Family Link on your phone, create or add your child’s supervised Google account, then on your dashboard select the child and tap Location → Set up.
Supervised accounts can’t change location settings without parental approval, and Family Link adds useful extras in the same app: family places with arrival notifications, app approval, and screen-time limits. Think of it as the child-safety layer that sits underneath everything else in this guide.
Step 7: Stop Android From Killing Location in the Background
Here is the step that fixes 80% of “her location hasn’t updated in six hours” complaints. Android aggressively hibernates background apps to save power, and manufacturer skins (Samsung, Xiaomi, OPPO, Huawei) add their own even more aggressive layers. On the phone being tracked, go to Settings → Apps → Google Maps (and your family app, if you use one) → Battery → Unrestricted.
On Samsung, additionally check Settings → Battery → Background usage limits and make sure the app isn’t in the “Sleeping apps” list. On Xiaomi, enable Autostart for the app. The battery cost of an exemption is small — typically a few percent per day — and it’s the difference between a live map and a stale one.
Step 8 (Optional): Add a Cross-Platform Family App
Google Maps sharing covers the basics: a live dot, for free, forever. What it lacks is the safety layer families often want next — named safe zones with entry/exit alerts, multi-week location history, driving speed insights for teens, and an SOS button. It also gets clumsy in mixed households, since iPhone users live in Find My and Android users in Maps.
A dedicated cross-platform app such as FamilyTracking solves both problems: everyone installs the same app, joins one family circle, and gets the same features regardless of device. It runs happily alongside Maps sharing, so you lose nothing by trying it.
Troubleshooting: Android Location Not Updating?
- Stuck at an old location: 90% of the time it’s battery optimization — redo Step 7 on the phone being tracked.
- “Location unavailable”: the phone is off, offline, or Location (Step 2) got toggled off.
- Wrong building / wrong street: enable Google Location Accuracy and Wi-Fi scanning (Step 3).
- Shows a tablet’s location: the account is signed in on multiple devices — sign out of the ones that stay home.
- Sharing disappeared after an update: open Maps once on the shared phone; Android sometimes pauses background access for rarely-opened apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Google Maps location sharing free?
Yes — completely free, with no time limits, on both Android and iPhone (the Maps app works the same on iOS, which also makes it a handy cross-platform fallback).
Can my child turn sharing off?
With plain Maps sharing, yes. With a supervised Family Link account, location settings require parental approval. For teens, most families rely on an agreement — plus the fact that a suddenly-offline phone is itself a conversation starter.
How much battery does it use?
Maps sharing is designed for all-day background use and typically costs a few percent per day. If you notice more, the culprit is usually another app holding GPS open, not the sharing itself.
Does it work between Android and iPhone?
Yes. Google Maps sharing works on both platforms, and dedicated family apps are built cross-platform from the start. Only Apple’s Find My is restricted to Apple devices.
Final Thoughts
Android family location comes down to four switches: Location on, accuracy on, sharing set to “until you turn this off,” and battery optimization out of the way. Add Family Link for younger kids and, if your household mixes platforms or wants safe zones and history, a dedicated family app on top. Fifteen minutes of setup, and “where are you?” quietly disappears from your family group chat.