In early 2025, we launched People location sharing as part of the Find My Device app — bringing real-time location sharing for friends and family directly into Android's device-finding platform. The feature consolidated functionality that had previously lived in Google Maps, giving Android a unified answer to Apple's Find My: one place to see your devices, your trackers, and the people you care about.
How It Works
The People tab in Find My Device presents a live map showing the locations of contacts who've chosen to share with you, with profile photos pinned to the map and a sorted list organized by proximity. Starting a share is simple — a floating action button opens a sharing sheet where you choose recipients and set a duration: one hour, today only, until you turn it off, or a custom window. Both sides see real-time location updates, and sharing ends automatically when the timer expires. Regular reminders surface to keep users in control of who can see their location.
Location data is end-to-end encrypted using the same technology powering Google Password Manager — meaning it's only ever visible to you and the people you explicitly choose to share with.
Consolidating From Google MapsLocation sharing on Android wasn't new — it had existed inside Google Maps for years. But it was hard to find, disconnected from device tracking, and lacked the unified feel of a dedicated safety-and-location platform. Moving it into Find My Device brought people, devices, and accessories into a single coherent surface, making the app far more useful as a daily safety tool rather than a break-glass feature you only open when something is lost.
Competing With Apple Find MyApple's Find My has offered people location sharing since 2019, and it has become a central part of how iPhone users stay connected with family and coordinate meetups. The Android equivalent had been fragmented — Maps for people, Find My Device for hardware — making it harder to discover and less natural to use. Unifying the experience under one app, with a map-forward design and flexible sharing controls, brought Android's location sharing to parity and gave users a reason to make it a habit rather than an afterthought.
Find Hub Rebrand & What Came NextThe People launch was part of a broader evolution of the platform. In May 2025, Find My Device officially rebranded to Find Hub — signaling the app's expanded scope beyond just devices. Subsequent updates added location sharing directly into Google Messages (so you can share your live location without leaving a conversation), satellite connectivity for location sharing in areas without cell coverage, and UWB precision finding for supported accessories. The airline luggage tracking partnership — with carriers including British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and others — also launched under the Find Hub umbrella.
Google · Group Product Manager · Android Peace of Mind · Find Hub · People Location Sharing · 2025