Top 7 Ways to Fix Live Location Not Updating on Android and iPhone

You may face situations in your day-to-day life where you have to share your live location with someone. Be it for your safety so that someone can keep track of you or if you’re meeting someone and they don’t know your address. In both situations, it’s crucial for your location services and live location to update frequently to be accurate.

Without timely updates, your location won’t really be ‘live’ anymore. However, there are situations where your live location might just stay static and not update with your movement. If you are facing this issue on your smartphone, here are a few ways to fix live location not updating on Android and iPhone.

Note that these steps are applicable regardless of which app you’re using to share your live location.

1. Ensure Location Services Are Enabled

You’ll need to check and enable the most basic setting to share your live location is location services. The Android phone or iPhone won’t share your live location unless you enable your phone’s location services. Here’s how to do it.

Enable Location Services on iPhone

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to the Privacy & Security section.

Step 2: Tap on the first option right at the top that says Location Services.

Step 3: Enable the toggle right at the top to turn on location services on your iPhone.

If the location services on your iPhone still aren’t working despite enabling the toggle, you can check out how to fix location services not working on your iPhone.

Enable Location Services on Android

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your Android smartphone and scroll down to the Location section.

Step 2: Turn the toggle on at the top to enable location services.

If this doesn’t fix the issue, you can refer how to fix location services not working on Android.

2. Enable Permission to Access Your Location at All Times

There’s more than one way to share your location, and one of them includes using third-party apps. It’s important that the third-party app has necessary permission to access your location at all times. Otherwise, you won’t be able to share an accurate live location. Here’s how to do it.

Change Permission on iPhone

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone and scroll down to the Privacy & Security section.

Step 2: Tap on the first option right at the top that says Location Services.

Step 3: Search for the app that you’re using to share your live location and tap on it.

Step 4: Change the setting under Allow Location Access to Always.

Step 5: Also enable the toggle next to Precise Location.

Change Permission on Android

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your Android smartphone and scroll down to the Location section.

Step 2: Select the App permissions option.

Step 3: Scroll down to the app you’re using to share your live location and tap on it.

Step 4: Tap on ‘Allow only while using the app.’

Step 5: Also, enable the toggle next to Use precise location.

3. Ensure the Mobile Data Connection Works

Apps like WhatsApp that allow you to share your live location require an active data connection to function. So, if you’re outdoors, ensure you have a working mobile data connection without which your live location will not be updated.

4. Keep the App in Memory at All Times

Your phone won’t update your live location if the app you’re use to share your location stops working in the background. The best way to prevent the app from closing is to not end the app from the recent apps tray.

If you’re using WhatsApp to share your location, keep the app open in the background at all times, and don’t clear it from your phone’s memory. This will help the app stay active and update your live location.

5. Restart the App You’re Using to Share Your Live Location

At times, it’s possible that the app you’re using to share your live location malfunctions or doesn’t work as intended. An easy fix for this problem is restarting the app. Close the app and remove it from your phone’s memory by killing it from the recent apps section.

Then, open the app once again and share your live location.

6. Try an Alternative App to Share Live Location

Is the app you generally use to share your live location not working anymore? If you think there’s a problem with the specific app or method you’re using, you can try using an alternative app for the same purpose.

There are various ways in which you can share your live location on both Android and iPhone. In the off situation that one of the methods isn’t working for you, try using a different app to share your live location.

Share Your Accurate Location

Following the solutions mentioned above to share your live location with proper accuracy at all times. Also, your phones will update your live location in real-time as and when you move around after following the solutions mentioned above.