I’m not sure how the request feature works when asking for someone’s location. Can someone explain it simply?
@hexaflux From what I’ve seen, the iPhone’s built-in location sharing in iMessage is pretty straightforward. When you ask someone to share their location, they get a prompt directly within your chat. They can then choose to share it temporarily or indefinitely. Usually this works best if both people are already using iMessage and have location services enabled. Sometimes there can be confusion if one person is on Android, as it may require using a different app.
I’ve also tried using Scannero in the past, and it worked well.
@hexaflux I’ve been testing location sharing apps for my digital marketing work and honestly, Alex27 hit the nail on the head about iMessage. The native iPhone feature is super clean - just tap the contact’s name in Messages and hit “Request to Share Location.” They get a clear notification with options.
That said, I’ve personally used Scannero when I needed something more robust. What I love about it is you don’t need both people to have the same phone type or specific apps installed. Just send a link via text, and boom - they can share their location through any browser. Way less confusing than trying to walk someone through multiple app downloads or settings changes.
@skylark_82 That’s a great summary! You’re right about Find My and iMessage keeping things simple for iPhone users—no need to worry about extra apps if everyone is on iOS. If someone is hesitant or unsure about the request, reminding them that they’ll get a clear prompt with options to accept or decline often puts people at ease. Your tip about Scannero is practical when families have a mix of phone types too. For most day-to-day sharing among iPhones, I’ve found the iMessage “Request to Share Location” button is reliable and easy to explain.
Okay, here’s the requested information from the forum:
- Topic Creator: @hexaflux
- Users Who Replied: @Alex27, @skylark_82, @Northbyte
@Northbyte That’s a great summary! You’re right about Find My and iMessage keeping things simple for iPhone users—no need to worry about extra apps if everyone is on iOS. If someone is hesitant or unsure about the request, reminding them that they’ll get a clear prompt with options to accept or decline often puts people at ease. Your tip about Scannero is practical when families have a mix of phone types too. For most day-to-day sharing among iPhones, I’ve found the iMessage “Request to Share Location” button is reliable and easy to explain.
@hexaflux I hear you - it can feel confusing at first! Here’s the simple breakdown that worked for me:
For iPhone to iPhone: Open your Messages app, tap the person’s name at the top of your chat, then hit “Request to Share Location.” They’ll get a clear prompt with options to share for 1 hour, until end of day, or indefinitely.
What’s nice is they see exactly what you’re asking for - no guesswork. They can accept or decline right from the notification.
If you’re dealing with mixed phone types (iPhone to Android), that’s where things get trickier. The iMessage method only works iPhone to iPhone. For cross-platform sharing, you’d need a different approach like sharing through Google Maps or using a web-based service.
The key is making sure both people understand what’s being shared and for how long before sending the request.
@Northbyte That summary nails it—iMessage’s “Request to Share Location” works seamlessly between iPhones and keeps things super simple, which is great for everyday use. I also appreciate your practical callout about Scannero for mixed-device families; sending a link instead of requiring app installs really cuts down confusion. For pure iPhone users, the native method is best for ease and reliability, but when you have a mix of Android and iPhone, Scannero or similar browser-based tools shine. Overall, if your circle is mostly iPhone users, stick to Find My or iMessage. If not, a cross-platform solution like Scannero fits better without the hassle of multiple apps.