How-to
How to track an iPhone from an Android phone
Track an iPhone from an Android phone: iCloud.com/find for your own iPhone, Google Maps location sharing for family, and what works best for mixed families.
Published by the makers of AI Family Locator. See our product facts and limitations when choosing a location-sharing tool.
iPhones and Android phones don’t share the same location tools, but tracking an iPhone from Android is easy once you know which tool fits your situation.
The short answer: to find your own iPhone from an Android phone, open iCloud.com/find in Chrome and sign in with your Apple ID. To see a family member’s iPhone, ask them to share their location with you in Google Maps.
1. Your own lost iPhone: iCloud.com/find
- On the Android phone, open Chrome and go to iCloud.com/find.
- Sign in with the Apple ID on the lost iPhone. If two-factor authentication asks for a code, use the Find Devices option, which doesn’t need one.
- Pick the iPhone: see it on the map, Play Sound, Mark as Lost or Erase.
2. A family member’s iPhone: Google Maps location sharing
- On the iPhone, open Google Maps → profile picture → Location sharing → New share.
- Choose the Android user’s Google account and Until you turn this off.
- On Android, open Google Maps → Location sharing to see the iPhone on the map.
Use location sharing to see the position the person chooses to share. Check its update time: a displayed pin is not a guarantee of a current position. Sharing and availability depend on account, device and permission settings.
Before choosing a family locator
Check that the service supports both people’s current devices. A family app available only on iPhone cannot solve the Android side of this task. Our product facts describe the currently linked AI Family Locator app and its requirements; do not purchase on the assumption that a future platform will be available.
You do not need to buy a family app to try the two methods above. For an all-iPhone household looking for a different set of features, see our family sharing guide.
Which method should you use?
| Goal | Best method | Free? |
|---|---|---|
| Find my lost iPhone from Android | iCloud.com/find | Yes |
| Check where my partner’s iPhone is | Google Maps sharing | Yes |
| Choose a service for a mixed-device family | Confirm both devices are supported before buying | Depends on service |
What doesn’t work
Apps promising to track any iPhone from Android “by number” or “without iCloud” can’t do it: iOS only shares an iPhone’s location with apps and people the owner approves. Read can you track a phone by number? for the details.
Protect account access and sharing choices
If you borrow an Android phone to find your own iPhone, use the official Apple address and sign out when finished. Do not save your password on the borrowed device. A family member can share location from their own account without giving you their account password.
For ongoing sharing, agree when it should end and review who has access. If the map stops updating, contact the person directly before assuming they disabled sharing. A phone can lose connectivity or power. See our location troubleshooting guide for the difference between a stale map pin and a missing notification.
Official help
Menu labels and account options can differ across software versions. Check the provider’s current instructions if your screen differs from this guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Find My iPhone on Android?
There’s no Find My app for Android, but you can open iCloud.com/find in the Android browser and sign in with the Apple ID to locate, ring or lock your own iPhone.
How can an Android user see a family member’s iPhone?
The easiest free option is Google Maps location sharing: the iPhone user shares their location with the Android user’s Google account.
Can I track an iPhone from Android without the owner knowing?
The methods described here require the owner to share their location or use their own account to find their device. A phone number alone does not provide access to someone’s GPS location.
Does AI Family Locator work on Android?
This website currently links to the iPhone app. Check our product facts for current platform availability before choosing a service for a mixed iPhone and Android family.