---
title: "Share Location Between iPhone and Android Family Phones"
description: "How to share location across iPhone and Android in one family: built-in options, a cross-platform map, invitations and consent, and what each platform needs."
url: https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android
lang: en
dateModified: "2026-10-29"
---

Cross-platform guide

# How to share location between iPhone and Android in one family

How to share location across iPhone and Android in one family: built-in options, a cross-platform map, invitations and consent, and what each platform needs.

By the [AI Family Locator team](https://ailocator.app/about) · Updated October 29, 2026 · 5 min read · [Editorial policy](https://ailocator.app/editorial-policy)

Published by the makers of AI Family Locator. See our [product facts and limitations](https://ailocator.app/product-facts) when choosing a location-sharing tool.

## In this guide

-   [The mixed-family problem](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android#the-mixed-family-problem)
-   [Option 1: Google Maps location sharing](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android#option-1-google-maps-location-sharing)
-   [Option 2: Apple Find My for the all-Apple part](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android#option-2-apple-find-my-for-the-all-apple-part)
-   [Option 3: A family locator with a browser map](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android#option-3-a-family-locator-with-a-browser-map)
-   [Setting up a cross-platform circle: a checklist](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android#setting-up-a-cross-platform-circle-a-checklist)
-   [Platform differences to expect](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android#platform-differences-to-expect)
-   [Consent and legality](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android#consent-and-legality)
-   [Cost summary](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android#cost-summary)

**Short answer:** yes, a mixed iPhone and Android family can share location using Google Maps for free. AI Family Locator offers a different arrangement: a browser viewer on any device can see a location shared by a member using the supported iPhone app, after a one-time web pass ($4.99 for one number or $19.99 for unlimited numbers) and an accepted invitation. That does not establish Android **sharing-app** availability. For Android family members who need to send their location, verify app support first or use Google Maps.

**Quick facts**

-   **Google Maps sharing:** free, iPhone and Android, each person turns sharing on and chooses who sees them.
-   **Apple Find My:** Apple devices only.
-   **AI Family Locator:** the viewer uses any browser at [/app](https://ailocator.app/app); the public sharing app linked here is for iPhone. Check invitation compatibility for other platforms before buying.
-   **Web pass price:** $4.99 once (1 number) or $19.99 once (unlimited), no subscription.
-   **Consent:** always required; a phone number alone never reveals a location.

## The mixed-family problem

Families rarely standardise on one phone. A parent has an iPhone, a teenager has an Android, a grandparent has a hand-me-down of either. The built-in tools from each platform do not talk to each other. Apple’s Find My is designed around Apple devices, and Android’s own tools are designed around Google accounts. That leaves two realistic routes: use a cross-platform service that both sides already trust, or pick a family app and have everyone install it.

## Option 1: Google Maps location sharing

Google Maps lets a person share their location with chosen contacts for a set time or until they turn it off, and it runs on both iPhone and Android. Because it is free and many people already have Maps installed, it is a sensible first step for a mixed household. The limits are mostly about focus: it is a general sharing tool, so features such as dedicated family circles, battery overviews or place alerts are not its centre. See our [Google Maps comparison](https://ailocator.app/compare/google-maps-location-sharing-alternative) for a side-by-side explanation.

## Option 2: Apple Find My for the all-Apple part

If some of your family are all on iPhone, Find My is excellent and free for that group. It does not cover an Android phone, so you would still need another route for those members. Read the [Find My comparison](https://ailocator.app/compare/apple-find-my-alternative) and our guide on [tracking an iPhone from Android](https://ailocator.app/guides/track-iphone-from-android).

## Option 3: A family locator with a browser map

AI Family Locator separates two roles that other apps combine:

-   **The viewer** (usually a parent) opens the live map in any browser, on a laptop, tablet or any phone. Nothing needs to be installed to look at it.
-   **The sharer** (each family member) installs the app on their own phone, accepts the invitation and allows location sharing.

Here is how it flows. The buyer checks that the family member has a supported sharing app, pays once, opens the family map at [/app/map](https://ailocator.app/app/map) and enters the member’s phone number. The site creates an invitation link. The person installs the supported AI Family Locator app, approves the invitation and grants location permission. Only then do the last reported location, battery level and speed appear on the viewer’s map.

Because the viewer is just a browser, the viewer’s own phone type stops mattering. A parent on Android can see an iPhone-using child, and the reverse, from the same screen.

## Setting up a cross-platform circle: a checklist

1.  **Decide the viewer.** Who needs to see the map: one parent, or both?
2.  **Pick the route.** Free Maps sharing for light needs, or a web pass for a dedicated family map.
3.  **Have the conversation.** Explain what is shared (live location, battery and speed), who can see it and how to stop. Our [family sharing guide](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-share-location-with-family) has a script.
4.  **Invite and accept.** Send the invitation link; each person accepts on their own phone.
5.  **Check permissions.** Location access should be allowed and the phone needs a connection. If a pin stops updating, work through the [not-updating checklist](https://ailocator.app/guides/location-not-updating-iphone).
6.  **Review occasionally.** Families change; remove people who no longer need to share.

## Platform differences to expect

| Topic | iPhone | Android |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Built-in tool | Find My | Google tools |
| Maps sharing | Yes | Yes |
| AI Family Locator sharing app | Public iPhone app, iOS 16 or later | No public Android app link on this website; check the invitation before buying |
| Viewing the web map | Any browser | Any browser |

Phone makers and system versions change how background location behaves. Battery saver modes, permissions and connectivity can delay updates, so a stale pin is not proof of the person’s current location.

## Consent and legality

Cross-platform does not change the rule: share location with people who know and agree. The invited person can decline, and they control the permission on their device. Hidden monitoring can be illegal and damages trust. If you are setting this up for a teenager, [talk it through first](https://ailocator.app/guides/location-sharing-with-teens).

## Cost summary

Free options cost nothing per month. The web pass is a single payment of $4.99 (one phone number) or $19.99 (unlimited numbers) with no renewal; see [pricing](https://ailocator.app/pricing). App Store in-app subscriptions are separate and billed by Apple. For feature details and limits see [product facts](https://ailocator.app/product-facts).

AI Family Locator

## Find out where your loved ones are — in 1 minute

Enter a phone number, send a location request and see the real-time location on the map as soon as it’s approved. Arrival alerts, history, SOS and battery alerts included.

[Locate the number](https://ailocator.app/start)

   

## Frequently asked questions

### Can an iPhone and an Android phone share location with each other?

Yes. Google Maps location sharing works on iPhone and Android. With AI Family Locator, an Android owner can view an approved iPhone sharer's location in a browser, but a public Android sharing-app download is not linked here. Check each sharer's platform support before paying.

### Does Apple Find My work with Android?

Find My is built for Apple devices and does not work on Android phones. Mixed families usually need a cross-platform option such as Google Maps sharing or a family locator app.

### Do I need an iPhone to view the AI Family Locator map?

No. The buyer opens the web map in any browser. Family members you invite need the app on their own phone.

### What does an Android family member need to do?

Check the invitation's official app link for your device before paying. The public AI Family Locator download linked from this site is for iPhone; using an Android browser to view the map does not mean an Android sharing app is currently available. Google Maps is a free option for mixed-phone households.

## Keep reading

-   [**How to track a phone’s location — and can you do it by number?** 4 min read](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-track-a-phone-number-location)
-   [**How to share your location with family** 3 min read](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-share-location-with-family)
-   [**How to see your child’s location — and keep their trust** 3 min read](https://ailocator.app/guides/how-to-find-my-childs-location)

Source: [Original page](https://ailocator.app/guides/share-location-iphone-and-android) · Last updated: 2026-10-29