When your iPhone shows “Location Not Available” for friends in Find My or Messages, it can be frustrating, especially when you’re trying to keep track of family members or meet up with friends. The most common causes are turned-off location services, low battery, no internet connection, or outdated iOS software on either your device or your friend’s phone.
Fixing this issue is usually straightforward. First, check if your friend has intentionally paused sharing their location or if their phone is simply powered off. Many times, the solution is as simple as asking them to turn on their location services again or checking their internet connection.
Sometimes the problem isn’t with your friend’s phone but with yours. If you see “No Location Found” instead of “Location Not Available,” there’s a difference – the former might mean they’ve stopped sharing their location with you, while the latter usually indicates a technical issue that can be fixed.
How to Fix “Location Not Available” on iPhone
If you’re stuck seeing “Location Not Available” when trying to check a friend’s location in the Find My app, you’re not alone. It’s a common iOS issue, but thankfully, it’s usually easy to fix. Below is a complete breakdown of every known cause and fix—from the obvious to the obscure—that can get Find My Friends working again.
1. Double-Check That Location Services Are Enabled
Start with the basics. If Location Services is off—even by accident—your iPhone can’t track or share your location.
How to Check:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Make sure Location Services is toggled on.
- Scroll down to Find My and make sure it’s set to “While Using the App.”
2. Make Sure “Share My Location” Is Turned On
Even if Location Services is active, your location won’t be shared with others unless you specifically enable this setting.
How to Enable:
- Go to Settings > Tap your name > Find My.
- Turn on Share My Location.
3. Verify Your Internet Connection
Location sharing requires an active internet connection. If you’re on cellular and the signal is weak or data is turned off, your location might not update. The same goes for your friend—if they’re offline or in airplane mode, their location won’t appear.
Quick Tip:
- Toggle Airplane Mode on and off to reset your connection.
- Try switching between Wi-Fi and cellular to see if the issue resolves.
4. Restart Your iPhone
This sounds cliché, but it works. A quick restart can clear up temporary glitches with location syncing, background services, or Find My itself.
- Hold the Side button and either Volume button.
- Slide to power off. Wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
5. Update iOS
Bugs in older iOS versions can cause location-sharing problems. Apple regularly patches Find My bugs with system updates, so staying current is essential.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- If an update is available, download and install it.
6. Check the Date & Time Settings
This one flies under the radar but can seriously impact Find My. If your date and time are off—even slightly—location services may fail to work properly.
- Go to Settings > General > Date & Time.
- Enable Set Automatically.
7. Reset Location & Privacy Settings
If you’ve tried everything else, it might be time for a fresh start. Resetting location and privacy settings will wipe all app-specific permissions, forcing apps like Find My to re-request access the next time they’re used.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Select Reset > Reset Location & Privacy.
8. Confirm Your Friend’s End Is Working Properly
The problem might not be on your side at all. If the other person hasn’t shared their location with you—or has revoked access—you’ll see “Location Not Available.” Similarly, if their phone is off, not connected to the internet, or has a dead battery, you’ll get the same message.
Have Them Check:
- Settings > [Their Name] > Find My > Share My Location is on.
- Their phone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data.
- You’re listed in their Find My sharing list.
9. Are You Using the Right Apple ID?
If you’re logged into a different Apple ID than the one you normally use with Find My Friends, you won’t see the correct data. Double-check your iCloud account:
- Go to Settings and tap your name at the top.
- Ensure you’re signed in with the correct Apple ID that has location-sharing enabled with your contacts.
10. Try Removing and Re-Adding Your Friend
Occasionally, the link between users breaks. Removing your friend and re-adding them in Find My can reestablish location-sharing permissions and get things back on track.
To Remove and Re-Add:
- Open Find My, tap the People tab, and select the person.
- Swipe up and tap Stop Sharing Location.
- Then, re-invite them to share their location with you.
Still Not Working? Use an Alternative App Temporarily
If Find My continues to act up and you need location sharing urgently, you can use apps like Google Maps’ real-time location sharing as a temporary workaround. Just remember both parties need to have the app installed and location-sharing permissions granted.
When to Contact Apple Support
If none of these steps solve the issue, and you’ve verified everything on both devices, the problem may be more complex—possibly a software bug or iCloud account glitch. Reach out to Apple Support or schedule a Genius Bar appointment if the issue persists across devices and iOS versions.
Key Takeaways
- Check that both phones have location services and internet connections active to restore location sharing
- Low battery, airplane mode, and outdated iOS versions often trigger the “Location Not Available” message
- Asking your friend to reshare their location through Find My app typically solves most location sharing problems
Understanding Location Services on iPhone
Location Services is a key iPhone feature that powers map applications, location sharing, and device tracking capabilities. This system works behind the scenes to help users stay connected with friends and family through precise location tracking.
The Role of Location Services in Find My App
The Find My app on iPhone relies heavily on Location Services to track devices and share locations with others. This app combines GPS, Bluetooth, and crowd-sourced location data to provide accurate positioning information.
To use Find My properly, users must first enable Location Services in their iPhone settings. Without this permission, the “Location Not Available” error often appears when trying to locate friends or family members.
Find My works by sending your device’s location to Apple’s iCloud servers, which then makes this information available to your approved contacts. The system updates locations periodically rather than continuously to preserve battery life.
For iPhone users on iOS 12 or newer, the Find My app combines what used to be separate “Find My iPhone” and “Find My Friends” features into a single, more powerful application.
Privacy and Sharing with Find My Friends
Privacy controls are central to the Find My Friends feature. Users can choose to share their location temporarily or indefinitely with specific contacts. This sharing capability provides peace of mind when coordinating meetups or tracking family members.
To manage privacy, iPhone users can:
- Control who sees their location by manually approving each request
- Set time limits for temporary location sharing
- Stop sharing instantly through the Find My app or Control Center
If you need more privacy, you can pause location sharing without notification to others. Your status will simply show as “Location Not Available” to your contacts.
Apple designed this system with strong encryption and privacy protections. Your precise location data is only visible to people you specifically choose to share with, not to Apple or third parties.
Troubleshooting ‘Friends Location Not Available’ Issue
When your iPhone displays “Location Not Available” for friends in Find My or Messages, several factors could be causing this problem. The issue might stem from connectivity problems, incorrect settings, or software glitches that prevent location sharing from working properly.
Checking Internet and GPS Signal
Poor internet connectivity is often the main culprit behind location sharing problems. Make sure both your device and your friend’s iPhone have a stable internet connection through Wi-Fi or cellular data.
If either device is in Airplane Mode, location sharing won’t work. Check the Control Center to confirm Airplane Mode is off.
GPS signal strength matters too. Location accuracy depends on good GPS reception, which can be affected by:
- Being indoors or underground
- Tall buildings blocking satellite signals
- Remote areas with poor coverage
Try moving to an open area to improve GPS reception. Sometimes simply toggling Location Services off and on helps refresh the connection. Go to:
- Settings
- Privacy & Security
- Location Services
- Toggle off, wait 10 seconds, then toggle on
Ensuring Proper Settings on Friend’s Device
Most location issues occur because of settings on your friend’s device, not yours. For location sharing to work, your friend must have:
- Location Services enabled in Settings
- Find My app properly configured
- The specific permission to share location with you
Your friend should check their Location Services settings by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Both the main toggle and the app-specific permissions must be enabled.
Sometimes friends may have accidentally selected “Stop Sharing My Location” or have enabled the Hide My Location feature. Ask them to verify they’re actively sharing with you in the Find My app.
The friend’s Apple ID must also be properly signed in, as location sharing requires an active Apple account connection.
Fixes and Solutions for Common Problems
Restarting both devices often resolves temporary glitches with location services. A simple power cycle clears memory and reestablishes connections.
Force quitting the Find My app can also help. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or double-click the home button on older models), then swipe the app away.
If location issues persist, try these additional fixes:
- Update iOS: Outdated software can cause compatibility issues
- Reset Location & Privacy settings: Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy
- Check Date & Time settings: Make sure both devices use “Set Automatically”
Battery optimization features might restrict location access. If your friend’s iPhone is in Low Power Mode, it may limit location updates to save battery.
For persistent problems, both users should try removing and re-adding each other in the Find My app to establish a fresh location sharing connection.
