You can stop sharing your location on most devices, but the person you were sharing with will see that sharing has ended
On iPhone, Android, and most messaging apps, stopping location sharing sends a notification to the other person. There is no hidden way to turn it off without them finding out. The notification usually appears as a message like "You stopped sharing your location" or a status change in their contacts list.
If you want to stop sharing without notification, your only real option is to change your location settings so that the app no longer has permission to access your location at all. This prevents new location data from being sent, but it does not erase the fact that sharing has stopped — they will still notice you are no longer showing up on their map or location list.
The reason notifications exist is by design. Apple, Google, and app makers built them in so that people know when they are no longer being tracked. This is a privacy protection, not a limitation you can work around.
Key Takeaways
- Stopping location sharing on iPhone, Android, Google Maps, and Find My Friends all trigger notifications to the other person.
- You cannot disable the notification itself — it is a built-in feature of how these apps work.
- Removing location permission from an app in your phone's settings will stop sharing, but the other person will still see that you are no longer available.
- If you want to share your location again later, you will need to turn the permission back on and re-enable sharing in the app.
How location sharing notifications work on iPhone
On iPhone, when you stop sharing your location through Find My, the other person gets a notification that says "You stopped sharing your location with [Your Name]." This appears in their Find My app and sometimes as a system notification on their device.
If you are sharing through iMessage, stopping location sharing also sends a notification. The person will see that your location is no longer available in the conversation thread. You cannot turn off this notification — it is automatic.
The only way to prevent them from seeing the notification is to never start sharing in the first place. Once sharing is active, stopping it will always alert them.
How location sharing notifications work on Android
Android handles location sharing through Google Maps, Google Contacts, and third-party apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. When you stop sharing on Google Maps, the other person sees an immediate change in their map view — your location dot disappears and they may get a notification depending on their settings.
On WhatsApp, stopping real-time location sharing sends a message to the chat saying "You stopped sharing your live location." Telegram works similarly. These notifications are automatic and cannot be disabled.
If you remove location permission from an app in your Android settings, the app stops sending your location, but the other person will still notice you are no longer showing up on their map or in their shared contacts.
Removing location permission from apps instead of stopping sharing
One approach is to go into your phone's settings and remove location permission from the app entirely, rather than stopping sharing within the app. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and toggle off the app. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > [App Name] > Permissions > Location and select "Don't allow."
This stops the app from accessing your location going forward, which means no new location data is sent. However, the other person will still see that your location is no longer available — they will notice the same way they would if you had stopped sharing directly in the app.
The advantage of this method is that it is a permanent setting change rather than a one-time action. If you want to stop sharing for good, removing the permission ensures the app cannot access your location even if you open it by accident.
Why you cannot hide that you stopped sharing
Location sharing notifications exist because privacy advocates and regulators pushed tech companies to make tracking visible. If someone could stop sharing without the other person knowing, it would defeat the purpose of location sharing as a consensual feature.
Apple and Google built notifications into their systems so that people always know when they are no longer being tracked. This is intentional and cannot be bypassed through settings or app features. Any app that allowed silent location sharing termination would likely violate app store policies.
The notification is not something you can disable, hide, or delay. It happens automatically when you stop sharing, and there is no workaround.
What happens after you stop sharing
Once you stop sharing, the other person can no longer see your location in real time. On their end, your location dot disappears from the map, or your name moves to an "inactive" or "not sharing" section of their contacts list.
If you want to share your location again later, you will need to go back into the app and re-enable sharing. On iPhone, open Find My or iMessage and select the person, then choose "Share My Location." On Android, open Google Maps or your messaging app and start a new location share.
Restarting location sharing will also send a notification, so the other person will know you are sharing again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I stop sharing location on just one device?
If you have multiple devices signed into the same account, stopping location sharing on one device stops it everywhere. The other person will see one notification that you stopped sharing, not separate notifications for each device. If you want to keep sharing on one device but not another, you will need to use different accounts.
Does the other person get a notification if I turn off my phone?
No. Turning off your phone does not send a notification. The other person will simply see that your location is no longer updating, but they will not get an explicit "you stopped sharing" message. However, they will notice your location has not changed in several hours or days.
What if I block someone after sharing my location?
Blocking someone usually stops location sharing automatically, and they will see a notification or status change indicating they no longer have access to your location. The exact notification depends on which app you are using.
Can I share my location with a fake location instead?
Some apps and jailbreak tools claim to spoof your location, but they are unreliable and often violate app store terms of service. Using them may get your account suspended. The straightforward approach is to stop sharing and accept that the other person will be notified.
If I delete the app, does that stop location sharing?
Deleting an app stops it from sending your location, but it does not send a notification through the app itself. However, the other person will notice your location is no longer available. If the app is reinstalled later, you will need to re-enable location sharing manually.