How to Fix Share Location Unavailable Errors on iOS: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
Getting the “Share Location Unavailable” message on iPhone can get frustrating. It is when you are trying to share your location with your family and friends but your iOS device would not let you do so. If you have any issue related to to iphone guide then visit this page.
Daily, millions of iPhone users in the USA are impacted by this error. Fortunately, most iOS location problems are linked to simple solutions. You don’t need to be a tech expert to solve these problems.
Share Location Unavailable iOS: Quick Fix Summary
Try out these quick fixes before we get into the intricate solutions. These solve most iOS location errors in under 5 minutes.
- To fix your iPhone that is unable to connect to FIND MY, perform the steps below:
- Check your internet connection, ensuring you have a strong WiFi or cellular signal, or
- Toggle location services off and on again under Settings, or
- Ensure the find my app permissions are enabled, or
- Remove any screen time restriction on location sharing, or
- Reset your location & privacy settings as a last resort, or
- Force restart your iPhone as this will refresh all operating systems of your device.
The first three solutions work for most iPhone users. If these don’t work, don’t worry. We have more fixes below.
What Does “Share Location Unavailable” Mean on iOS?
When you cannot share your location, an error message pops up in your iPhone. This happens in several Apple apps.
Find My app – Unable to Share Location with Family or Friends. Messages app – Unable to Share Current Location. Third-Party Apps – Location Sharing Feature Under Working.
This error doesn’t mean your iPhone is broken. Usually means a setting needs adjustment or your connection has troubles.
Step-by-Step Solutions to Fix iOS Location Sharing Errors
Let’s solve your Share Location Unavailable issue together using these steps from the experts. Begin by using Solution 1 and continue working your way down until you find success.
Enable Location Services on iPhone
Location Services is a major switch that governs all location features on your iPhone. If this is turned off, nothing location-related will work.
Here’s how to turn on Location Services:
- Open Settings on your iPhone
- Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security
- Tap Location Services at the top
- Turn on the Location Services toggle switch
- Go back and select System Services
- Turn on Find My iPhone
Explanation: Your iPhone must have Location Services enabled to share your location with any app or person. It’s like the master switch for all the location features.
The Find My app has its own special settings that control location sharing. These can get turned off without you knowing.
Follow these steps to fix Find My settings:
- Open Settings
- Tap your name at the very top
- Select Find My
- Turn on Share My Location
- Tap Find My iPhone
- Enable all three options: Find My iPhone, Find My network, and Send Last Location
Important: The Find My network helps locate your device even when it’s offline. Send Last Location shares your location before your battery dies.
Check Internet Connection for Location Sharing
In order to share datum, internet connection is important on your iPhone. Share Location Unavailable Problems Happen Because of No Wi-Fi or Network.
Try these connection fixes.
To troubleshoot your internet connection on iPad devices, open Safari and load a webpage to ensure the internet is working. Also make sure you have a good network signal, for which you must own at least 2-3 signal bars. Also try switching from wi-fi to cellular and vice-versa.
Use the Airplane Mode trick:
- Turn on Airplane Mode for 15-20 seconds
- Turn Airplane Mode off
- Wait for your connection to return
- Try sharing your location again
Grant Location Permissions to Specific Apps
Every app on your iPhone require separate location permission. Location Services can be on and yet apps wont have access.
Fix app permissions for Find My:
- Go to Settings
- Select Privacy & Security
- Choose Location Services
- Find Find My in the app list
- Tap it and select While Using the App
- Turn on Precise Location
Fix permissions for Messages:
- Follow the same steps above
- Find Messages in the app list
- Set it to While Using the App
- Enable Precise Location
Remove and Re-add Find My Contacts
All the apps in your iPhone require location permission separately. Location Services can be on and yet apps wont have access.
How to refresh a contact:
- Open the Find My app
- Tap People at the bottom
- Choose the person you’re having trouble sharing with
- Scroll down and tap Stop Sharing My Location
- Confirm by tapping Stop Sharing Location
- Tap the + button to add them back
- Select Share My Location
- Choose the person and set sharing duration
Fix Date & Time Settings for Location Services
Wrong date and time settings can mess up location sharing. Your iPhone is unable to determine your location due to incorrect time settings.
Set automatic date and time:
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Select Date & Time
- Turn on Set Automatically
With a time stamp, location services track when and where you are when using a service. If your clock is wrong, the system gets confused.
Remove Screen Time Location Restrictions
Screen Time has secret settings restricting location-sharing across all apps. Many users don’t realize these restrictions exist.
Check Screen Time restrictions:
- Open Settings
- Tap Screen Time
- Scroll to Content & Privacy Restrictions
- If it’s on, tap it (you might need your Screen Time passcode)
- Scroll to Share My Location
- Make sure it’s set to Allow
- Go back and check Location Services
- Ensure Allow Changes is selected
Force Restart iPhone to Fix Location Errors
Sometimes your iPhone just needs a fresh start. A force restart eliminates temporary glitches that interrupt location functionality.
How to force restart different iPhone models:
iPhone 8 and newer:
- Quickly press and release Volume Up
- Quickly press and release Volume Down
- Hold the Side Button until you see the Apple logo
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus:
- Hold Volume Down and Side Button together
- Keep holding until you see the Apple logo
If you have any issue related to Fix Closed Eyes then dont worry we also provide solution of this issue here on this website.
Update iOS Software for Location Bug Fixes
Older versions of iOS sometimes get bugged with location sharing. Apple regularly fixes these problems with updates.
Check for iOS updates:
- Plug in your iPhone and connect to Wi-Fi
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Select Software Update
- If an update is available, tap Install Now
- Enter your passcode when prompted
Why updates are helpful: Every new iOS installment contains bug fixes for the location services, security updates, and app compatibility fixes.
Reset Location & Privacy Settings (Advanced Fix)
When all else fails try resetting your Location & Privacy settings. This returns everything to factory defaults.
How to reset:
- Open Settings
- Tap General
- Select Transfer or Reset iPhone
- Tap Reset
- Choose Reset Location & Privacy
- Enter your passcode to confirm
Warning: This erases all your location permissions. You’ll need to set them up again for every app.
Why Does iOS Say Share Location Unavailable? Common Causes
If you understand what causes Share Location Unavailable errors, you can prevent them.
Disabled Location Settings
Location settings sometimes get disabled without the user’s knowledge during iOS updates or while conserving battery. After being updated, the apps sometimes lose their location permissions.
Poor Network Connection Issues
Location sharing requires a stable internet connection. Errors can happen due to a weak cellular signal, an unstable Wi-Fi, or a geographical dead zone.
Outdated iOS Version Problems
If you run iOS versions that are no longer supported, you can run into location issues that are due to known bugs, no longer receiving patches that fix security issues, and similar app compatibility issues.
Incorrect Date and Time Configuration
When the device’s time setting is incorrect, you may face the disabling of location service because GPS along with iCloud also requires an accurate timestamp.
FAQs
Why is someone’s shared location not available on my iPhone?
When you can’t see someone’s location, it’s usually because their internet connection is poor, they disabled Location Services, or they stopped sharing with you.
Does the other person get notified when I share my location?
Yes, they always get notified. They get an alert saying you are now sharing, and can choose to share back with you.
How do I know if someone stopped sharing their location with me?
Find My will not send notifications if someone stops sharing. You will see that their name will be missing from your People tab or “No Location Found.”.
Can I share location between iPhone and Android?
Apple’s Find My only works between Apple devices. Use Google Maps, WhatsApp or Life360 to share from iPhone to Android.
Alternative Ways to Share Location When iOS Fails
If you can’t solve the Share Location Unavailable error, these alternatives work.
Google Maps Location Sharing
Google Maps is excellent for sending location from iPhone to Android and vice versa. Add the person’s Gmail to your contacts. Open maps, tap on your profile, select share location, select how long.
WhatsApp Live Location Feature
WhatsApp has built-in live location sharing. To share your location on WhatsApp, open a chat and tap on the attachment icon. Now, select Location, then Share Live Location, and finally, select the duration.
Life360 Family Location App
The family location sharing designed for families, with driving monitoring and emergency alerts features It works on both iPhone and Android.
Expert Tips for iOS Location Sharing Troubleshooting
Gonzalo Martinez of CleverTech proposes these preventive measures.
You need to perform the following maintenance regularly: • Check your Location Services every month. • Set the latest iOS version for your iPhone. • Restart your iPhone once every week.
When to seek professional help: When software solutions don’t work, when location issues on your device started after drop, and when multiple Apple services don’t work.
Visit an Apple Store if you suspect hardware issues. Apple techs can run diagnostics to see if the GPS chip is damaged.
Conclusion
It can be frustrating when you get errors like share location unavailability on your iPhone. Most issues arise from basic settings that have been modified.
First things first: Make sure that your internet connection works, Location Services is on, and Find My access has been granted. These three steps solve most iOS location errors.
