How To Tell If Someone Switched Off Their Location On iPhone?

An iPhone has multiple ways to track and locate someone. It could be your child, spouse, relatives, or friends. An example of such a feature is the Location Sharing feature. But at the same time, your family and friends can decide to switch off their locations for privacy reasons without you knowing. So, how to tell If someone switched off their location on iPhone?

Fortunately, you can tell when someone switches off their location with a couple of indirect methods on your iPhone. In this guide, we’ll discuss these methods in a step-by-step process. You can check how to make iPhone say no location found.

Why Can’t I See Someone’s Location On iPhone?

When you can’t see someone’s location, there are some possibilities you should bear in mind. 

1. Location Services are Switched Off.

To access someone else’s location, you must switch on the location services. 

2. Their iPhone is Switched Off.

He or she must have switched off the phone intentionally or ran out of battery.

3. The Person is in No Network Area.

There is a possibility that the person is in a place with a low cellular data connection.

4. Incorrect Date and Time: 

Location-sharing services are dysfunctional if the wrong time and date. 

5. The Other Person Has Not Signed into the Find My app.

If the other person hasn’t signed into the Find my app, then you won’t see their location on your phone.

6. Share My Location is Turned Off on the Find My App.

Once the Share My Location lotion is turned off, you won’t be able to see his or her location. 

7. The Other Person’s Phone May be in Airplane Mode: 

The Airplane mode feature turns off location-sharing services. Therefore, you won’t be able to see their location. 

Methods To Tell If Someone Switched Off Their Location on iPhone

When someone’s location is turned off, a message is displayed in the Find My app. This message is “Location not available”. Also, the person’s popup icon won’t be seen on the map. 

Now that you know the possible scenarios and causes of the turned-off locations, here is how to know if someone turns off their locations on iPhone. 

Method 1: Check Your Phone’s Notification To Tell If Someone Switched Off Their Location On iPhone.

Normally, you won’t receive a notification if your friend or spouse turns off their location. You would have to check the Find My app for location changes. 

But in the settings panel of the Find My app, you can allow certain notifications when there is a change in their location. 

Examples of notifications received on the Find My app are:

  1. GPS off.
  2. The location turned off with a red exclamation mark (!) placed next to their username or profile picture.
  3. No Location Found.
  4. Location Not Available.

Method 2: Check the Location On The Map To Tell If Someone Switched Off Their Location On iPhone.

This is another way of knowing if a person switches off their location. You can check if they are on the map by opening the Find My feature and then searching through the people’s section. 

Anyone who shared their locations with you would have their popup icons with their profile picture placed on the maps. Here, you can search for their profile pictures on the maps.

To open the People’s list, follow the steps listed below. 

1. Open the Find My app.

Open the Find My app.

2. Tap on the People’s tab at the bottom of the screen.

3. Once you’ve opened the tab, you can scroll through and select the person’s name. If the person’s name isn’t there, that means the person has turned off the location.

Method 3: Check Family Sharing Or iMessage.

The Family Sharing services require the current locations of each member of the family. The family members can choose to share their location if they want to. If they accept to share their locations, then you can locate them via iMessage or the Find My app.

Family Sharing/ iMessage.

Method 4: Double Check From Another Device.

On rare occasions, your phone may prevent you from knowing if someone’s location is turned off. So, you can use someone else’s phone or Apple account to check the location.

FAQs

What Can I Do When Location Sharing is Not Working?

There are multiple ways to resolve this issue. 

The first solution is to sign into iCloud. If your location sharing isn’t working, it is because you have to sign in to iCloud. To do this, follow the steps below.
1. Open the Settings app on your home screen.


2. Sign in to the iCloud.


3. Enter your Apple ID, your email address and password.


Another way to resolve this issue is to enable the iPhone’s location services. If it is disabled, locating sharing services would be impossible.
1. Tap on the Settings to launch the app.


2. Tap on Privacy.


3. Tap on Location Services.


4. Turn on the toggle switch to enable the location services. 


The third solution to this problem is to turn on the Find my iPhone and Share my Location options.
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.


2. Tap on the Apple ID.


3. Tap on the Find My option.


4. Select Find My iPhone.
5. Turn on the Find My iPhone option.


6. Then go back to the Find My menu and tap on the toggle switch on Share My Location. 


You can also grant location access to the Find My app to locate your iPhone. 
1. Launch the Settings app by tapping it.


2. Scroll down and tap on Privacy.


3. Next, tap on Location Services. 


4. Scroll down and select Find My.


5. You can choose between “Ask Next Time” Or “When I Share or While Using the App” according to your preference.


If any of the solutions above don’t work, you can remove content and privacy restrictions placed on the Find My app. 
1. Launch the Settings app on the home screen. 


2. Tap on Screen Time.




3. Tap on Content and Privacy Restrictions. You may be asked to enter your screen time pin.


4. Tap on the toggle switch next to Content and Privacy Restrictions to turn it on.


5. Tap on Location Services under Privacy.


6. Tap on Allow Changes.
7. Turn on the toggle switch on the Location Services option.


8. Tap on Share My Location.


9. The Find My menu is opened. Here, tap on the Find My iPhone and Share My Location options to turn it on.

Can Someone Temporarily Disable Their Location?

Of course, you can temporarily disable your location in a few ways. 

By Turning off Location Services
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.


2. Tap on Privacy. 


3. Tap on Location Services.


4. Tap on the toggle switch to turn off the Location Services option. 


By Restricting Permission for Certain Apps to Use Location.
You can grant location access to some apps on your iPhone.
1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.


2. Tap on Privacy. 


3. Select Location Services.


4. Tap on the toggle switch to turn on the Location Services option.


5. Scroll down and choose an app. I selected Camera.


Then, click on Never to restrict location access. 


By Switching Off the Share My Location in Find My App.
This will temporarily disable your location. 
1. Open the Find My app.


2. Tap the Me tab.
3. Turn off the Share My Location option by tapping on the toggle switch. 

Can My Husband Know If I Check His Location?

As long as you have permission from the people you want to track, you can view their locations without their knowledg

Final Thoughts


The features and methods stated in this guide are also helpful to track missing persons, stolen or misplaced iPhones, and keeping tabs on your family’s movements and whereabouts. You would also be aware when anyone in your family turns off their locations. 

We hope that you found this guide informative. Thanks for reading!

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