How to share you location and directions in Maps for iPhone and iPad

Sometimes it's not enough for you to know where you are or where you're going. Sometimes you need to let other people know. Maybe you want to share a great new coffee shop you've found, maybe you got separated at the park, or maybe you need to be picked up where your car broke down. Sure, there's Find my Friends for sharing location all the time but, when you need to share location any time, there's Maps.

How to share your location with Maps for iPhone and iPad

You can share your location using Apple's built-in Mail or Messages extensions, as well as through any apps you've installed that offer Share extensions, including Facebook, Twitter, Slack, and more.

  1. Launch the Maps app from your Home screen.
  2. Tap the current location arrow. This will take you to your location on the map, marked by a pulsating blue dot.

  3. Tap the blue dot.

    Launch the Maps app, tap the current location arrow, and then tap the blue dot.

  4. Tap Share My Location.

  5. Tap the extension you'd like to use to share your location.

    Tap Share My Locatio and then tap the extension you'd like to use.

How to add your location to Notes with Maps for iPhone and iPad

You can send locations to the Notes app in order to collect them into travel, project, or other plans.

  1. Launch the Maps app from your Home screen.
  2. Tap the current location arrow. This will take you to your location on the map, marked by a pulsating blue dot.

  3. Tap the blue dot.

    Launch the Maps app, tap the current location arrow, and then tap the blue dot.

  4. Tap Share My Location.

  5. Tap the add to notes extension.

    Tap Share My Location and then tap Add to Notes.

How to share your location via AirDrop with Maps for iPhone and iPad

  1. Launch the Maps app from your Home screen.
  2. Tap the current location arrow. This will take you to your location on the map, marked by a pulsating blue dot.

  3. Tap the blue dot.

    Launch the Maps app, tap the current location arrow, and then tap the blue dot.

  4. Tap Share My Location.

  5. Tap on the Contact to whom you want to AirDrop your location.

    Tap Share my Location and then tap on the contact you want to AirDrop your location.

How to share directions with Maps for iPhone and iPad

In addition to locations, you can also share full-on directions with Maps

  1. Launch the Maps app from your Home screen.
  2. Tap the search bar.
  3. Enter a address or location.

  4. Tap search.

    Launch Maps, tap the search bar, enter an location or address, and then tap search.

  5. Tap directions.
  6. Tap on the route you want.

  7. Tap Share

    Tap Directions, tap on the route you want to share, and then tap share.

How to open directions in third-party apps with Maps for iPhone and iPad

You can open directions via a third party app, like Google Maps, which is handy if you want something like biking directions, which Maps doesn't provide.

  1. Launch the Maps app from your Home screen.
  2. Tap the search bar.
  3. Enter a address or location.

  4. Tap search.

    Launch Maps, tap the search bar, enter an location or address, and then tap search.

  5. Tap directions.

  6. Tap on the route you want.

    Tap directions and then tap on the route you want.

  7. Tap Share

  8. Tap Routing Apps.

    Tap share and the tap routing apps.

From here you can select the app you wish to use. The app will launch and directions and routes will appear. You can also use the above steps if you have another favorite third party routing app.

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below.

Updated September 2017: Made sure everything's updated for iOS 11!

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Maps for iPhone and iPad

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