Live Location Sharing

Live Location Sharing lets companions see one another in a temporary group. No account is required. Members join with a four-character group ID and an optional password. A group can last 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, 3 days, or 7 days.

Important privacy notice

When “Share My Location” is on, the app sends your nickname, precise location, altitude, accuracy, speed, course, and sample time to the GPS Toolbox location-sharing server and displays this information to members of the same group. Share the group ID and password only with people you trust.

Create a group

1. Select Live Sharing → Create Sharing Group on Home.
2. Enter the nickname shown to group members.
3. Optionally enable and set a password.
4. Select an expiration period and tap Create Group.
5. After creation, the group ID appears as the page title.
6. Open Invite Members from the upper-right menu to copy the ID or share an invitation link through the system share sheet.

The invitation link contains the group ID, password, and the app language used by the sender. Tapping it opens the app with the group ID and password filled in. Anyone with the link can obtain the password, so share it only through a trusted channel.

Join a group

1. Select Join Sharing Group.
2. Enter the four-character group ID, password if required, and your nickname.
3. Tap Join Group.

Sharing screen

• The page title shows the group ID.
• The bottom switch controls “Share My Location.” Turning it off stops new uploads, but a previously uploaded location may remain visible as aging or stale.
• Member annotations display Live, Location Aging, or Location Stale based on freshness.
• Tap a member to view online and sharing status, WGS84 coordinates, accuracy, altitude, recorded time, and server receipt time.
• Group Details shows creation and expiration times, password status, and the member list.

View on the Web

• Choose View on Web from the sharing screen menu. The app creates a read-only link lasting up to one hour and never beyond the group expiration, then opens it in the browser.
• You can also visit https://gpstools.xujinyu.com/live and enter the group ID and password if required.
• A Web viewer does not become a group member, upload browser location, or modify anyone's sharing state.
• The Web page can switch between Mapbox and AMap and refreshes member locations every five seconds. Polling pauses while the page is in the background.
• The login and map pages use a language menu designed to accept additional locales.
• Selecting a member with a location opens details in a map popup anchored to that marker. The popup and map continue following subsequent location updates.
• Member and group details match the app. AMap converts coordinates only for marker placement; detail values remain the original WGS84 coordinates.

Background sharing and stopping

While sharing is enabled, the app requests Always location access and updates in the background. To stop:

• Turn off Share My Location.
• Choose Leave Location Sharing Group from the menu.
• Wait for the group to expire.
• Disable GPS Toolbox location access in iOS Settings.

Expiration stops continued session access and updates. Server retention and deletion are described in the Privacy Policy.

Current limitations

• “Export Location Records” is currently disabled.
• Development builds may connect to a LAN test server. Production builds must use HTTPS/WSS only.
• Live sharing does not provide emergency, law-enforcement, or rescue-grade location guarantees.