Google rolls out live location sharing in Messages app: Here's how it works

Google has introduced live location sharing in Messages, enabling users to send their real-time whereabouts in chats with flexible time limits and manual stop controls

Google has added real-time location sharing to Google Messages, allowing users to send their live location directly within individual and group chats. According to Google’s support documentation, the feature lets users decide how long their location remains visible, ranging from one hour to an indefinite period that continues until manually turned off.

How location sharing in Google Messages works

The rollout integrates location sharing into the existing attachment menu inside Google Messages. Users can open a conversation, tap the attachment icon, select “Real-time location,” and choose a sharing duration. According to Google, the available options include sharing for one hour, for the rest of the current day, until the user switches it off, or for a custom time period capped at 24 hours. 

Google states that first-time users will be asked to confirm updates to their Google Location Sharing settings before sending their live location. The feature requires users to be signed in to a Google Account. If they are not signed in, they will be prompted to do so before proceeding. 

The company also outlines a reciprocal option. If a contact has already shared their live location, users can tap on that message and choose to share their own location in response, again selecting the duration before sending.

  Location sharing can be stopped at any time. To end a session, users must open the relevant chat, tap on the location message, and select “Stop” followed by “Stop sharing,” according to Google’s instructions. 

On the privacy front, Google clarifies that while messages in Google Messages may be protected with end-to-end encryption, live location sharing operates differently. The company says the feature is powered by its mapping infrastructure and processes location data to deliver the service. As a result, it is governed by Google’s broader Terms of Service and Privacy Policy rather than being confined solely to encrypted message content. 

Inching closer to rivals

The addition brings Google Messages closer to competing chat platforms that already support in-app live location sharing. The feature is positioned as a coordination and safety tool — for meeting up, tracking arrivals, or sharing travel progress — but its reliance on account-level location processing may draw scrutiny from privacy-conscious users. 

Platforms like Meta-owned WhatsApp have been offering live location sharing for a long time. It appears that Google is trying to close the gap.