How to Set Up Location Sharing for a Child's Device
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Tested on
- iOS 18.4 - iPhone 15 Pro
- You will need
- Parental Apple ID, Child's Apple ID, Active Family Sharing group, Two compatible Apple devices
Step by step
Enable Family Sharing location settings
On your device, open Settings and tap your name at the top. Select Family Sharing, tap Location Sharing, and ensure the switch for Share My Location is toggled on. Confirm that the child's account is listed under Family Members.
Note: Ensure your device is set as the location provider in this menu.Open location services on the child's device
On the child's device, navigate to Settings and tap Privacy & Security. Select Location Services at the top of the list and ensure the master toggle is set to On.
Confirm the Find My setting
Within the child's Settings, tap their name at the top. Select Find My, then tap Find My [Device]. Confirm that Find My [Device], Find My network, and Send Last Location are all enabled.
Note: The Find My network allows you to locate the device even when it is offline.Initiate location sharing with the parent
On the child's device, open the Find My app. Select the People tab at the bottom and tap the plus (+) icon, then select Share My Location. Type your contact name or phone number and select Send.
Note: Choose Share Indefinitely to ensure the connection remains active without manual renewal.View the child's location
Open the Find My app on your device. Navigate to the People tab to see the child's real-time location on the map. You can tap on their name to view current status or receive notifications for movement alerts.
Note: Notifications can be customized to alert you when the child arrives at or leaves specific locations.