How to Use Find My Friends Between iPhone and Android: A Find My Friends Android iPhone Guide

James Davis
James Davis Originally published Sep 15, 2026, updated Sep 29, 2026
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robot TL;DR:

You can reliably share your live location between iPhone and Android devices using Google Maps, social chat applications, or cross-platform tracking apps depending on how long you need the link to remain active.
    ● Social applications enforce different maximum sharing windows, with WhatsApp restricting live tracking to 8 hours and Messenger to 1 hour, while Telegram and Snapchat allow continuous sharing until manually disabled.
    ● Glympse is best suited for temporary meetups because it caps tracking at four hours via a web link without requiring an account, whereas Life360 is ideal for ongoing family tracking with a 30-day route history and a Bubble feature for less precise sharing.
    ● If you use the 2025 Google Find Hub to send an Android location to an iPhone, note that the web version is limited to displaying an already shared position and cannot initiate a new location share itself.


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A simple "Where are you?" should not turn into repeated calls, stale updates, or confusion over who can still see your location. That's exactly where many mixed-device groups end up when one person uses an iPhone and the other uses Android. That gap gives Find My Friends Android iPhone real everyday value. People do not want to see terminology. They desire location sharing that feels reliable, straightforward, and reasonable in terms of privacy.

This guide gets straight to that need by explaining the real cross-platform issue, the limits readers should know, and the options that make sharing feel far less frustrating.

find my friends android iphone

In this article
  1. Part 1. How to Use Find My Friends on Android and iPhone Across Different Devices
    1. 1.1. Share Your Location Between iPhone and Android With Google Maps
    2. 1.2. Use Google Find Hub to Share an Android Location With iPhone
    3. 1.3. Share Live Location Between iPhone and Android Through Social Apps
  2. Part 2. Track Friends Across iPhone and Android With a Location Tracker
    1. 1. Life360
    2. 2. Dr.Fone App: More Than a Location Tool
  3. Part 3. Tips for Sharing Your Location Safely
  4. Part 4. 3 Best Find My Friends Android/iPhone Apps
    1. 4.1. Find My Friends: Best for Simple Friend Tracking
    2. 4.2. Familo: Best for Private Group Sharing
    3. 4.3. Glympse: Best for Temporary Location Sharing

Part 1. How to Use Find My Friends on Android and iPhone Across Different Devices

It's possible to share a location between iPhone and Android, but it's best for you to check how long you want to share and what you want to see.

Some options are better for a quick meetup. Others can keep sharing active until you switch it off. A few can even show past movement. For Find My Friends on Android and iPhone, these are the main options to consider.

Method Sharing Time Best For
Google Maps 15 minutes to ongoing Flexible live sharing
Google Find Hub 1 minute to ongoing Android-based sharing with Google integration
Social apps Depends on the app Quick sharing inside chats
Location tracking apps Ongoing Live tracking and route history

1.1. Share Your Location Between iPhone and Android With Google Maps

Google Maps is mainly a navigation app, but it can also share a live location between Android and iPhone.

One useful part is the time control. You can share for a short period or keep the location visible until you decide to stop. This gives you more control over how long another person can follow your location.

How to Share Your Location in Google Maps

  1. Step 1 Open Google Maps on your iPhone or Android phone.
  2. Step 2 Tap the blue dot that shows your current position.
  3. Step 3 Choose Share location.
    share location in google maps
  4. Step 4 Select how long you want the location to stay visible.
  5. Step 5 Pick the person you want to share it with.
  6. Step 6 Send the location.

The other person can then check your live position in Google Maps. They may also be able to view it through the Google Find Hub web dashboard.

What if the Shared Location Stops Updating?

A shared location may sometimes stop refreshing.

Ensure you have a stable internet connection. Verify that Location Services remains activated.

If the problem continues, clear app cache. You can also stop and start location sharing again. Restarting the phone may help as well.

1.2. Use Google Find Hub to Share an Android Location With iPhone

Android users have another option through Google Find Hub.

Google updated its former Find My Device service in 2025 and renamed it Find Hub. The newer version is not limited to finding devices. You can share your location with family or friends using it.

As Find Hub works with Google's location-sharing network, locations already shared in Google Maps will appear in Find Hub.

How to Share a Location With Google Find Hub

  1. Step 1 Open the Find Hub app on your Android phone.
  2. Step 2 Go to the People section.
  3. Step 3 Tap New Share or the + icon.
  4. Step 4 Choose how long you want to share your position.
  5. Step 5 Select a Google account, or send your live location through a link.

The recipient can then view your position through Google Maps or the Find Hub web version.

One limitation is worth knowing. The web version can display a location that has already been shared, but it cannot start a new location share itself.

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Dr.Fone App Tip: Take More Control of Your GPS Location. Location-based apps are useful for navigation, social apps, and everyday phone use. However, you may not always want every supported app to use your real position. If you want more privacy, want to reduce location tracking, or need your phone to report a different GPS position, Wondershare Dr.Fone App - Change Location (Android) provides another option. It lets you change your Android GPS location without connecting the phone to a computer. You can adjust the location in the app and also manage saved locations when needed. Dr.Fone works with different social and location-based apps, giving you more control over how your GPS position appears.

1.3. Share Live Location Between iPhone and Android Through Social Apps

You may not need a separate tracking app at all.

Many people already use messaging and social apps every day. Some of these apps include live location sharing, and they can work between Android and iPhone.

WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, and Snapchat are examples.

The main difference is how long each app keeps the location active.

  • WhatsApp: up to 8 hours.
  • Telegram: can stay active until you stop it.
  • Messenger: up to 1 hour.
  • Snapchat: can remain active until you disable it.

When you need to share your location with someone you chat with, social apps can be beneficial.

For instance, within the chat, select location sharing and send your live location. The other person can then follow your updates from the same chat.

When you no longer need it, return to that conversation and stop the live location.

Snapchat works a little differently. You can use Ghost Mode when you want to stop sharing your position.

Part 2. Track Friends Across iPhone and Android With a Location Tracker

Google Maps and social apps work well when the main goal is to see where someone is right now.

But some users want more.

You may want to check where a family member has been during the day or review earlier routes. In that case, a dedicated location tracker can be more useful.

1. Life360

Life360 is designed for ongoing location sharing between Android and iPhone.

It can show live positions and send alerts when someone reaches or leaves a chosen place. It can also keep up to 30 days of route history for family members or friends.

For people who want more privacy, its Bubble feature can share a less exact location instead of a precise point.

To get started:

  1. Step 1 Install Life360 and sign in.
  2. Step 2 Select Add a person.
  3. Step 3 Get the invitation code.
    how to use life360
  4. Step 4 Forward the code to the individual you wish to include.
  5. Step 5 After joining, group members can see each other's live location.

People that want continuous awareness of their location, rather than a short-term share, these apps are ideal.

2. Dr.Fone App: More Than a Location Tool

Location control may be only one part of what you need from your phone.

Dr.Fone App combines several phone-management functions in one place. It can help you change your location, unlock supported device locks, clean unwanted files, recover lost data, and organize phone content.

Dr.Fone App for Android includes tools for:

  • Changing GPS location on supported Android devices.
  • Unlocking different types of device locks.
  • Cleaning unwanted files to free storage.
  • Recovering supported lost phone data.
  • Managing private or cluttered device content.
get started button

This makes it useful for users who want more than basic location sharing.

google play button app store button

Part 3. Tips for Sharing Your Location Safely

While sharing your live location is convenient, one may forget that it continues long after you no longer need it.

Imagine sending your location for a quick meetup and then leaving the sharing active. If the app allows for continuous access, that person may still be able to see where you are.

Adopt these simple habits to help secure your privacy.

  • Only share your live location with trusted individuals.
  • Check your sharing list from time to time.
  • Turn location sharing off when the reason for sharing is over.
  • Be extra careful with apps that allow indefinite sharing.
  • Never share a live location link on a public page or group.
  • Steer clear of location apps without a privacy policy and that serve ads.

The best Find My Friends Android/iPhone setup is not only the one that shows a location correctly. It should also make it easy to control who can see that location and when the sharing ends.

Part 4. 3 Best Find My Friends Android/iPhone Apps

When your friend group has both iPhones and Android phones, one built-in app may not cut it. A cross-platform app can help you track each other's locations without worrying about the device.

4.1. Find My Friends: Best for Simple Friend Tracking

Using Find My Friends is simple. You can open the map to see the locations of friends who share it with you. They can also view your location. The app supports chat while the user is on the way. In case of emergency, you can alert your group. The alert displays your location, time, and battery level. It functions on Android, iOS and BlackBerry.

find my friends

Most Suitable for: Easy location sharing, chatting, and alerting with your loved ones.

4.2. Familo: Best for Private Group Sharing

Familo lets you create a private group where you can invite friends or family. You can register with a phone number, so you don't need Facebook or a different username. As soon as someone joins your group and approves location sharing, you'll be able to see their location.

familio app

Ideal for: sharing your location continuously with family and friends, with permission.

4.3. Glympse: Best for Temporary Location Sharing

Glympse is a useful app that lets you share your location temporarily with others. Creating an account is not necessary. Create a non-permanent group and allow select people to see your location. You can send a web link, so the other person may see your location without installing the app.

A major limitation is that continuous tracking is not permitted. Shared location links remain active for up to four hours.

glympse app

Best for: Meetups, short trips, and temporary location sharing.

Conclusion

Users no longer mind supported platforms. Depending on your situation – a quick meet-up, tracking family, recording routes or sharing temporarily – you will have different Find My Friends Android/iPhone setups. The most important considerations are reliability, clear permission indicators, and when location access ends.

Once those basics are covered, Dr.Fone App adds another useful layer by combining location changing with tools for screen unlock, data recovery, storage cleanup, and phone management. That makes it more than a single-purpose utility. For users who switch between everyday tracking, privacy needs, and device maintenance, Dr.Fone fits naturally into the same mobile toolkit.

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James Davis

James Davis

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James is a tech writer and editor with expertise in both Android and iOS, known for translating technical concepts into practical guidance for everyday users.

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