Mikkel Christensen
Android users have long been able to share their location through Google Maps and other third-party apps.
Android users have long been able to share their location through Google Maps and other third-party apps. Now, the feature appears to be moving directly into one of the platform’s most widely used apps.
According to the technology outlet BGR, Google is working on introducing real-time location sharing directly within Google Messages.
The feature was discovered through an APK teardown conducted by Android Authority. This means the outlet examined the code in a test version of the app and found traces of a feature that has not yet been officially launched.
Directly in the conversation
Until now, Android users have had to leave the messaging app to share their live location, for example via Google Maps or Find Hub. Messages has only allowed users to send a static address.
The new feature appears to make it possible to share real-time location directly from the attachment menu within a chat.
According to Android Authority, it was possible to activate the feature in the beta version messages.android_20260220_01_RC00.phone.openbeta_dynamic. In this version, users could select live location as part of the standard sharing options in a conversation.
Time-limited and automatic
Screenshots from the test show that users can choose how long their location is shared — for example one hour, the rest of the day, or a custom time period.
Sharing stops automatically once the selected time frame expires, which may make the feature more manageable and privacy-friendly.
The recipient receives a link to Google Maps, but the process itself is handled directly within Google Messages, meaning users do not need to switch between multiple apps.
No launch date yet
Google has not yet announced when the feature will be rolled out more broadly.
If officially launched, it would mark another step in Google’s ongoing upgrade of Messages, which in recent years has gained additional security features and improvements.
Sources: BGR
