One usually does not track a person’s location without their knowledge. However, several factors might necessitate this, such as when you want to know the whereabouts of your kids and when meeting someone in a new place. In this instance, you might want to find someone’s location on Google Maps.
Google Maps is the most popular navigation tool millions of people use globally. With this tool, tracking people’s location becomes easier.
This guide equips you with the knowledge and skills of locating someone using Google Maps without them knowing.
How to Find Someone’s Location On Google Maps With Location Sharing
The easiest way to find someone’s location on Google Maps is through location sharing. However, this option will work when you have physical access to the other person. Moreover, Google sends regular notifications to users with location sharing.
Location sharing is a crucial feature of Google Maps. It allows users to share GPS locations with someone else. The feature is popular among friends and family to share real-time locations.
To enable location sharing on a device, you must have physical access. The Google Maps app comes pre-installed on Android devices. The device should also have an active Google account.
Before using Google Maps for location sharing, you need to consider the following factors:
- You need to have Google Maps installed on your phone. The app comes pre-installed on Android devices. However, if you are an iOS user, you need to download the app from the App Store.
- You also need an active Google account to start using Google Maps. If you are using the app for the first time, you will get a prompt asking you to create your account.
- You also need to have location services enabled to be in a position to share your location and view the location of others on Google Maps.
Having a stable internet connection is also recommended. If you want to share your location and receive real-time updates, you need a reliable internet connection. Without the internet, you will not have a good experience with Google Maps.
Below are the steps to follow to enable location sharing:
- Open the phone’s settings option and enable location-tracking features
- Go to the Google Maps app on the target phone
- Go to the upper right corner with the user’s profile icon
- Select the “Share Location” option
- Select “Until you turn this off”
- Select the device you want to share the location with
Delete the link message sent to their phone to ensure the person you are tracking does not uncover the location-sharing setting. Deleting the message will not tamper with the location sharing.
The above process to find someone’s location on Google Maps is the same on Android and iPhone devices.
Finding Someone’s Location On Google Maps Using Spy Apps
Location sharing is the easiest way to track someone’s location in Google Maps. However, there is always a possibility that the person whose device you are tracking will notice the changes. Moreover, it also needs physical access to the device.
If you want a more secure solution, you should consider spy apps. Below are some of the most popular spy apps:
Hoverwatch
The Hoverwatch spy app offers a variety of tracking features such as messages, location, and monitoring social media activity. Hoverwatch is stealth and also comes with geofence alerts. It will send you an alert whenever the person whose phone’s location you are tracking goes beyond a designated area.
To use Hoverwatch, go to the Hoverwatch website and register. Install the app on the target device and track data using your account.
You can view the location of the target device whose location you want to see on the dashboard. This location relies on WiFi signals, cell towers, and GPS to track the location of the target device.
mSpy
mSpy tracks the real-time location, call logs and messages, social media activity, and location history.
Before using mSpy to find someone’s location on Google Maps, register an account on the mSpy website and select a subscription plan. Install the mSpy app on the target device and get to monitor various data.
The mSpy panel will give you access to all the location data you want to find about a target device on the panel. This tool is easy to use, and a friendly interface that will make the tracking experience easy.
CocoSpy
CocoSpy monitors all data from tablets and smartphones. It can also collect keystrokes on the target device, allowing you to read individual and group conversations. It also lets users view photos and videos saved on the target devices.
CocoSpy works on both Android and iPhone devices. It can track iMessage and other messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Snapchat, Viber, and WhatsApp.
Cocospy can access location data using WiFi-based tracking. The feature is of big help to parents who want to keep their kids safe by knowing their location at all times.
Read an in-depth review of the Cocospy app.
uMobix
The other spy app that is good for tracking location is uMobix. This app allows you to pinpoint your kid’s location within a few seconds. This cell phone tracker can access location data using GPS.
You can see the exact location of the target phone using the latitude and longitude coordinates. On the uMobix dashboard, you can also see all the past locations that the target device visited.
This tool is user-friendly as you can use “Map View” for a closer view of a place. Its ability to see past and current location data makes it one of the top choices when you are looking for how to find someone’s location on Google Maps.
EyeZy
The other app that also comes in highly recommended for location tracking is EyeZy. This app allows you to see where someone is in real time. The map is also quite easy to understand.
EyeZy also lets you see where someone is. After opening the app, you can easily view the information from the dashboard. It also saves the location data so that whenever you are not on your phone, you can see whenever the target visited a particular location.
Finding Someone’s Location With Google Find My Device
Google Find My Device is also another tool worth exploring when you want to find someone’s location on Google Maps. This feature will be activated on a phone after syncing it with a Google account.
If you have access to someone’s Google account and they have already enabled this feature, you can track their location by doing the following:
- Go to the Google Find My Device app
- Log into the Google account
- If the Google Account is synced to a device, you will see it at the top of the sidebar. Select the device that you want to track
- Enable the relevant permissions. You will get a prompt to share the device number to continue using the feature.
- You will view the current or past location data of the device on the map
Finding Someone’s Location On iPhone
If the person whose location you want to find is using an iPhone, you can use Apple ID to track their location. However, this functionality mostly works if you are sharing the same Apple ID as the target person.
To find the location of an iPhone using Apple ID, follow the below steps:
- Go to “Find My iPhone” on the iOS mobile device
- Select “People” Tab at the bottom of the screen
- Select the device whose location you want to track
- You will view the location of the device on the map.
This process works when the iPhone is switched on. If it is tuned off, you can enable the “Notify When Found” option that sends a notification when you find the iPhone.
If you are not sharing an Apple ID, you will need iCloud to find the location. In this case, you will need to know their iCloud credentials to sign into their account.
Read further on the Best Spy App For iPhone Without Access to Target Phone
Finding Someone’s Location With WhatsApp
It is also possible to track someone’s location with WhatsApp. However, to use this feature, the person whose location you want to find has to share their location with you. The WhatsApp user also need to be online and has to enable their location settings.
Sharing your live location with friends and family is a recommended safety feature if you are visiting a place that you have never been to before or meeting a stranger.
Finding Someone’s Location With Their Mobile Number
If all our answers on how to find someone’s location on Google Maps are not helpful, you might resort to using the cell phone number of a person to track their location.
Some tools are available that help you track location data using the cell phone number alone. In most cases, finding someone’s location with a cell phone number is a reserve for law enforcement.
How to Keep Your Location Safe When Using Google Maps
Now that you know how easy it is to find someone’s location on Google Maps, you must take steps to protect your data.
- Turn off location tracking
One of the ways to protect yourself is by turning off the location tracking feature on your phone. You can turn off the feature on your device’s settings and disable location services. You should note that by turning off this feature, you might not use some features on the app.
- Clear location search history
You can also add some privacy to your phone when using Google Maps. You can do this by clearing your search history on the app and changing your privacy settings to restrict the amount of data collected and stored by Google.
- Use a VPN
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) will also safeguard your location data when using Google Maps. A VPN will encrypt your internet traffic and route it using an external server. The process makes it challenging for someone to track your online activity.
- Use a privacy-focused navigation app
If you are no longer comfortable using Google Maps, you can choose a privacy-focused navigation app. Several apps available in the market provide private and secure mapping features. Privacy-focused navigation apps do not track location or collect your data. At the same time, they offer similar services to Google Maps.
In Summary
Real-time location tracking is very beneficial to parents and people who are meeting others in a new location. Google Maps allows location sharing but informs the target of someone monitoring their device.
It is possible to find someone’s location on Google Maps without them knowing. However, there is always a risk of Google sending notifications to alert the user. Using spy apps is more secure and will allow you to track location and other mobile activity.
Moreover, knowing that you can find someone’s location on Google Maps without them knowing means that your location can also be accessed without your knowledge. In this case, you need to take measures to protect your data including turning off location tracking and clearing your location data periodically.
FAQs
Can I find someone’s location on Google Maps without them knowing?
It is possible to find someone’s location on Google Maps without them knowing using the location tracking feature. Besides Google Maps, you can also use other features such as WhatsApp tracking, iPhone’s Find My Phone, and a cell phone number to track location data.
Is Google location data private?
It is easy for someone to access your Google location data if you have enabled location services. To protect your location data, disable location services. You can also use other measures such as having a VPN tool or using a privacy-focused tool.
How can I protect my location data?
You can protect your location data by disabling location services on your phone. However, doing so might affect other features on your phone. You can also use a VPN to hide your online activities. A navigation tool with privacy features is also recommended.