Find My Friends can be used to track your kids, meet up with friends, or check on family. However, sometimes you might experience the issue of "Location Not Available." It can be quite a headache, especially when you're relying on the feature for coordination.
In this article, we'll find out the common reasons behind the “Find My Friends location not available” error and provide effective solutions to fix it. Additionally, we'll explore some useful tips for managing your location in Find My.
In this article:
Part 1. Causes of Why Find My Friends Location Not Available
The message "Location Not Available" in the Find My Friends app means that the app cannot determine the real-time location of the person you are trying to track. When you see this message, it doesn't necessarily mean the person has blocked you, but it indicates something is stopping the location-sharing feature from functioning correctly.
If your Find My Friends app shows the “Location Not Available” message, some common causes might be the following.
- Device is Turned Off: If the person you're trying to locate has their device turned off, the app won’t be able to share the location.
- No Internet Connection: Both parties need a stable internet connection, whether via Wi-Fi or cellular data, for location sharing to work.
- Location Services Turned Off: If the target user has disabled location services on their iPhone, Find My Friends won’t be able to display their location.
- Date and Time Settings Incorrect: If either user has incorrect date and time settings, the location might not update correctly.
- App Permissions: Sometimes, the app lacks the necessary permissions to access location services, causing it to display the error.
- iOS System Glitches: Occasionally, software bugs or glitches in iOS may prevent Find My Friends from functioning as expected.
Part 2: Fixes for Location Not Available in Find My Friends
If you're frequently encountering the “Find My Friends location not available” error, here are some practical fixes you can try.
1
Ensure Both Devices Have Internet Access
One of the most common causes of the location not updating or showing in Find My Friends is the lack of internet connectivity. So it is necessary to make sure both you and the person you're trying to locate are connected to the internet, either via Wi-Fi or mobile data. This ensures real-time location updates.
2
Check the "Share My Location" Settings
The most important for Find My Location sharing is to make sure both you and your friend have enabled the “Share My Location” option in the Find My app. To verify this issue, you can check:
- Open the Find My app, go to Me, and ensure “Share My Location” is turned on.
3
Enable Location Services on iPhone
As we all know, Find My Friends relies on accurate location data to function. If the location services on either device are turned off, you’ll need to enable them. Here’s how to check:
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and make sure it's turned on.
- Scroll down to Find My Friends and set it to "While Using the App" or "Always."
4
Check Device Settings for Date & Time
Accurate date and time settings might also impact location sharing. Incorrect settings can cause the location data to be out of sync. When “Location Not Available” appears in Find My, It's necessary to check the setting as follows.
- Go to Settings > General > Date & Time and ensure "Set Automatically" is enabled.
5
Restart Both Devices
Restart both your iPhone and the other person’s device to refresh the app and its permissions. It might be a simple fix, but sometimes, it works.
6
Update to the Latest Version of iOS
Outdated software can cause compatibility issues with Find My Friends. Make sure both devices are running the latest version of iOS by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
Part 3: Bonus Tips for Find My Friends Location
Hope the solutions above might help you fix the Location Not Available in Find My Friends. Furthermore, here we conclude some other tips for managing your Find My’s Location.
Tip 1. How to Stop Sharing Location on Find My Friends
Temporarily stopping location sharing in the Find My app is a useful feature for maintaining privacy without permanently disabling your location settings. This flexibility allows you to manage who can see your location, providing peace of mind when needed.
If you want to temporarily stop sharing your location in Find My, there are two ways to do it.
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Share My Location and turn it off.
- Open Find My, tap Me, and toggle Share My Location off.
Tip 2. How to Fake Location in Find My Friends
With privacy concerns growing every day, more and more people are looking for ways to control who can see their location on iOS devices or even fake a GPS location in Find My. To do, the easiest way to do this is to use the WooTechy iMoveGo Location Changer, which lets you hide or show your iPhone's location wherever you'd like.
Here’s how you can use WooTechy iMoveGo to fake your location in Find My Friends.
- Download and Install WooTechy iMoveGo on your computer.
- Run the program, and plug your iPhone/iPad into your computer with USB. Or, use the WiFi to complete the connection wirelessly.
- Select any location in the world you want to display in WooTechy iMoveGo’s interface. Click "Move" to instantly change your GPS location on your device and it will work on Find My App.
Tips 3: How to Find Your Location History on iPhone or iPad
iOS devices allow you to easily view and manage your location history, providing insights into your travel patterns and visited places. If you want to check your location history, follow these steps.
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services.
- Look for Significant Locations.
Conclusion
If you’ve ever encountered the issue of Find My Location Not Available, we hope this guide helps you resolve it quickly and efficiently. If privacy is a top concern for you, some tools like iOS location changer are excellent solutions for managing and controlling how your location is shared.