Share Location Unavailable on iPhone? Try These 10 Fixes!

Have you ever attempted to notify your friends or family of your whereabouts using your iPhone, only to encounter a message saying share location unavailable? This can be a frustrating issue that many iPhone users experience. 

This guide provides insights into why you might receive the “share location unavailable” message and offers effective solutions. We will outline the top remedies and offer additional tips to ensure your location-sharing feature operates smoothly.

What is “Share My Location” on iPhone?

“Share My Location” is a feature on your iPhone that enables you to share your location with friends, family, and trusted individuals. It’s available in apps such as Find My, Messages, and Maps, allowing you to share your location in multiple ways.

• Share once: Instantly inform someone of your current location with a single time share through Messages or Maps.

• Share on the way: While traveling, share your estimated time of arrival (ETA) in Maps, or notify others of your location in Messages if running late.

• Share ongoing: Use Find My or Messages to continuously share your location for a specified duration—such as an hour, until the end of the day, or indefinitely.

This feature is excellent for staying connected, arranging meet-ups, or ensuring the safety of family members. If both you and your contact possess iPhones with iOS 15 or later, you can share your “Live Location” to display your real-time movements, directions, and speed.

While sharing your current location generally functions without issues, many users experience difficulties with live location sharing. Instead of displaying your location, recipients receive a message stating “Share my location unavailable” when attempting to share your live location.

Why is share my location unavailable?

At times, the “Share my location” feature may not operate as intended due to several reasons related to your phone’s settings, software issues, or service restrictions. Below are common causes that might prevent location sharing:

• Location Services disabled: A frequent cause is that Location Services are turned off. To enable location sharing, please activate Location Services in your device’s settings.
• Privacy settings: You might have restricted apps from accessing your location. Confirm that the app you intend to use for location sharing has permission to access location data.
• No internet connection: Generally, an internet connection is necessary to share your location. Consequently, if you’re not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data, you cannot share your location.
• Device restrictions: If your device is administered by your employer or parental controls are in place, you may encounter restrictions that prevent you from sharing your location.
• iOS system faults: Occasionally, an iOS update or a system glitch may cause location services to malfunction on your iPhone, often due to a system bug.

How to fix the share location unavailable issue?

To address the issue of your location being unshareable, consider trying these solutions:

1. Turn on location services

To resolve any location-sharing difficulties, start by verifying that location services are active on your iPhone. It’s simple to overlook or accidentally disable this setting. Here’s how you can turn it on:

1. Open the “Settings” app and scroll to locate the “Privacy & Security” tab.
   

   

2. Tap “Location Services.”
   

   

3. Toggle the switch next to “Location Services” to enable it.
   

   

2. Disable and re-enable location sharing in Find My App or Messages

To resolve location-sharing issues, check the settings in your Find My App or Messages. Often, toggling the location-sharing option off and on can help. Here’s a straightforward method:

↪ For the Find My app

To toggle location sharing in Find My:

1. Launch the “Find My” app.
   

   

2. Tap “Me” at the bottom.
   

   

3. Turn off and then back on “Share My Location.”
   

   

↪  For the Messages app

To manage location-sharing settings in Messages:

1. Open the “Messages” app.
   

   

2. Enter the conversation with the person you share your location with and tap their picture at the top.
   

   

3. Select “Stop Sharing My Location” to disable it. To enable once again, tap “Share My Location.”
   

   

3. Turn Airplane mode on and off

Activating and deactivating Airplane Mode can rectify temporary network issues affecting location sharing. Here’s a simple guide:

1. Swipe down from the upper-right corner of the screen.
   

   

2. Tap the airplane icon to activate “Airplane Mode,” disconnecting your phone from all wireless networks.
   

   

3. After approximately 15-30 seconds, tap the airplane icon again to deactivate Airplane Mode, reestablishing network connectivity and potentially resolving the issue.
   

   

4. Check date and time settings

Ensuring your date and time settings are accurate is crucial. Incorrect settings can interfere with features like GPS and location sharing. Here’s how to verify and correct them:

1. Access your phone’s Settings, then choose “General.”
   

   

2. Select “Date & Time.”
   

   

3. Enable “Set Automatically,” allowing your iPhone to use network-provided time, enhancing the functionality of location services.
   

   

5. Check for software updates

If location-sharing problems persist, outdated iPhone software may be responsible. Updating to the latest software version can remedy this. Here’s how to check and install updates:

1. Navigate to your iPhone’s “Settings” and select “General.”
   

   

2. Then, tap on “Software Update.”
   

   

3. You’ll see whether your iPhone is updated or if a new iOS version is available. If an update is present, tap the “Download and Install” button and follow the instructions.
   

   

6. Adjust Screen Time settings

Screen Time settings may prevent your phone from sharing your location due to privacy and content limitations. Check and adjust these settings using this straightforward method:

1. Open your iPhone’s Settings and tap “Screen Time.”
   

   

2. Scroll down and select “Content & Privacy Restrictions” under the “Restrictions” tab. Provide your Screen Time passcode if prompted.
   

   

3. Navigate to “Location Services” within “Privacy & Security” and ensure it is set to “Allow.” Verify that “Share My Location” is not restricted.
   

   

7. Restart your iPhone

If previous solutions fail, restarting your iPhone may prove beneficial. This will end all background apps and provide a clean system restart, potentially addressing location service issues. Follow this simple method:

1. Press and hold any Volume button along with the Power button until the slider appears on the screen.
   

   

2. Slide the slider to turn off your phone, waiting for it to completely shut down.
   

   

Once the phone is off, press the Power/Side button again to restart it.

8. Force restart your iPhone

If other measures do not suffice, a force restart can help address severe software issues obstructing location sharing. Follow these steps based on your iPhone model:

↪ For iPhone 15/14/13/12/11/X, and iPhone 8 series:

• Quickly press and release the “Volume Up” button, then the “Volume Down” button in sequence.
• Press and hold the “Side Sleep/Wake” button until the Apple logo appears, then release.

↪ For iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus:

• Simultaneously press and hold the “Volume Down” and “Sleep/Wake” buttons.
• Continue holding them until the Apple logo is visible, then release.

↪ For iPhone 6, iPhone SE (1st generation), and older models:

• Press and hold both the “Sleep/Wake” button and the “Home” button.
• Release the buttons once the Apple logo appears on the screen.

9. Reset Location and Privacy Settings

Occasionally, even if location services appear active, settings glitches may cause malfunctions. Resetting the location and privacy settings can resolve this without affecting personal data.

This process restores settings to their original factory state. Here’s a straightforward approach to resetting these settings:

1. Open “Settings” and select “General.”
   

   

2. Tap “Transfer & Reset iPhone.”
   

   

3. Select “Reset.”
   

   

4. Choose “Reset Location & Privacy.”
   

   

5. Enter your passcode, then follow the on-screen instructions.
   

   

10. Reset all settings

As a last resort, resetting all settings on your iPhone can help rectify persistent issues, restoring system settings like network, privacy, and Screen Time to their default states.

Rest assured, this will not erase personal data like photos or apps. Here’s a guide on how to proceed:

1. Access the “Settings” app and tap “General.”
   

   

2. Scroll to “Transfer or Reset iPhone” and select it.
   

   

3. Tap on “Reset.”
   

   

4. Choose “Reset All Settings,” reverting all settings to their initial state.
   

   

5. Confirm your decision by entering your passcode.
   

   

Additional tips and considerations

To ensure your iPhone’s Location Services function optimally and location sharing occurs without issue, follow these straightforward tips:

• Optimize battery settings: Avoid using Low Power Mode when location sharing is necessary; this mode conserves battery but reduces GPS accuracy.
• Update carrier settings: Ensure your phone’s carrier settings are current to enhance connectivity. 
• Ensure a strong signal: A weak signal compromises location accuracy. Aim for a robust Wi-Fi or mobile data connection.
• Disable VPN temporarily: VPNs can obscure your true location, hindering location sharing. If issues arise, try temporarily disabling your VPN.