Fix Location Sharing Not Working on iPhone

Struggling with location sharing on your iPhone? This quick guide will walk you through the steps to troubleshoot and resolve any issues preventing your iPhone from sharing its location. Whether it’s a settings tweak or a deeper fix, I have got you covered.

Let’s get your location sharing back on track!

First, I will show you some quick solutions that you can implement to resolve the issue. With these, you will likely be able to fix the problem on your own as mostly user have fix it using these quick fixes.

If not, I will proceed to advanced solutions and will guide you step by step through various settings adjustments. It’s important to follow the tutorial in the sequence provided.

By the end of this article, no matter the cause, you should be able to fix the issue on your iPhone.

Important Note: To share your location successfully, it’s important to be signed in to your iCloud account. Don’t forget to check and ensure that you’re logged in to iCloud before attempting to share your location.

Quick Fix 1) Complete Your iPhone Setup Process

If you encounter the error message “Share Location unavailable, Please try again later,” it indicates that your iPhone setup is incomplete.

To resolve this, navigate to your iPhone Settings. At the top, you will see a prompt Tap on it and provide the necessary information requested by your iPhone to complete the setup process.

Afterward, try sharing your location again, and it should function correctly.

Quick Fix 2) Toggle Cellular Line ON and OFF

To address the location service issue, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on Cellular.
3. Toggle your cellular line off and then on again.
4. Now, check the location service.

For many users, this simple process proves effective.

Quick Fix 3) Enable Data Roaming

1. Go to Settings > Cellular.
2. Select SIMs or eSIM Primary.
3. Enable Data Roaming.
4. Afterwards, verify if the location service is functioning.

Quick Fix 4) Sign Out From iCloud

To sign out of iCloud on your Apple device, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap on your Apple ID at the top.
3. Scroll to the bottom and select Sign Out.

You’ll be prompted with the option to save a copy of your data on the device. Once you’ve signed out:

1. Restart your phone.
2. Sign back in with your Apple ID.
3. Attempt to share your location again.

This process ensures that you’re signed out of iCloud and can troubleshoot any issues with location sharing.

If the quick fixes haven’t resolved your issue, there’s no need to worry. The problem could arise from several factors, such as your privacy settings, a network issue, or perhaps certain settings that have been disabled.

In the advanced solution, as previously mentioned, it’s important to follow the steps sequentially.

By doing so, you will systematically troubleshoot the issue and increase your chances of resolving it.

1) Turn On and OFF Airplane Mode

Turning ON and OFF Airplane mode is the first thing you have to do if you are unable to solve the location sharing issue with the quick fixes, as doing so will quickly refresh your network, whether cellular or Wi-Fi.

Additionally, Airplane mode is important for resolving any connectivity issue, as sharing location requires internet connectivity.

Therefore, if there is any problem with connectivity, it will be fixed, and you will be able to resolve the issue.

 If this doesn’t resolve the problem, proceed to the next solution.

2) Check For Updates

Check for any recent updates on your iPhone by navigating to Settings > General > Software Update. Sometimes, the issue may not be on our end but could be due to software glitches.

In the update, Apple may have provided a fix for the issue, so it’s worth checking for any available updates.

3) Find My iPhone is Turned ON

For this step, ensure you’re signed in to your iPhone:

1. Navigate to Settings.
2. At the top, check if your username is displayed. If not, sign in, especially if it’s a new iPhone, and follow all the setup steps.

After signing in:

Go back to Settings. Use the search bar to find Find My iPhone.Click on it and verify that Find My Location is enabled.

Then, tap on Find My iPhone again and ensure that both Find My Network and Send Last Location are turned on.

If your Find My Network was not turned on, and you’ve just enabled it, the next step is to power off your phone and then turn it back on.

Afterward, send an invitation for location sharing and accept the invite. Following these steps should ensure that your location sharing functionality is restored smoothly.

4) Turn ON Share My Location in System Settings

For this Go to Settings > Privacy & Security and make sure Location Services is Enable.

After that scroll down and Tap on System Services and there also make sure Share My Location is enable as shown in the Image below:

5) Turn OFF Content and Privacy Restriction

If your Content & Privacy Restrictions are enabled, you should either turn them off completely or, if you prefer to keep them enabled, ensure they allow for location sharing services.

To do this:

1. Navigate to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.
2. Confirm that it’s turned off. If you choose to keep it on, then ensure the Share My Location setting is set to Allow.

This will ensure that location sharing services are not restricted on your device.

6) Check Date and Time Settings is Correct

If you are travelling and moved to new location sometime the Time zone will not automatically changed so you have to make sure your Date and Time setting is correct.

For this go to Settings > General > Date & Time and there make sure your have the correct time zone and Date.

7) Reset Location & Privacy

Reset Location and Privacy will reset your all the setting you have configured for Location and Privacy setting on your iPhone and will not delete your iPhone data.

For this navigate to Setting > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy.

8) Force Restart iPhone

Sometime a Software glitch can cause the issue so force restarting your iPhone will be able to resolve it.

To perform a force restart on your iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Press and release the volume up button.
2. Quickly press and release the volume down button.
3. Next, press and hold the side button until the screen goes completely black.
4. Once the Apple logo appears, release the side button.
5. Your phone will shut down completely and then reload the software.
6. This method can resolve software-related issues that may be affecting features like location sharing.

After your iPhone restarts, check if the issue with location sharing has been resolved.

9) Reset iPhone

To reset your iPhone, follow these steps:

Go to Settings > General and then Scroll down and tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone >Reset > Reset All Settings.

This action will reset various settings on your device, including network-related settings, saved Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, custom keyboard dictionaries, home screen layouts, and location privacy settings.

It’s important to note that resetting settings will not delete your personal data such as photos, videos, apps, or documents.

Performing a reset can help resolve issues with location services, allowing you to share your location.

Final Words

The location-sharing feature can sometimes encounter issues, which is normal given its reliance on internet connectivity and the robust privacy features of iOS.

Additionally, updates or accidental changes to certain settings may also cause disruptions. However, this guide covers all possible solutions to location-sharing problems.

By following the article from start to finish, you should be able to resolve the issue. Feel free to leave a comment letting me know which method fixed the issue for you, or if you’re still experiencing problems. Your feedback is valuable!