Facing Google Maps Location sharing offline issue? You aren't alone

Navigation service Google Maps is popular for functionalities like real-time GPS navigation, detailed geographical information, traffic and transit info, and more. Another useful feature of Google Maps is Location sharing, that lets users selectively share their current location on Maps with their contacts.

That means, no more where have you reached or how long are you going to take kind of questions. Instead of giving someone your ETA, you can let them see or track you real-time movement on Google Maps (both on Android and iOS).

But as is the case with most of the services, bugs and issues leave none. And Google Maps is no exception to that. For past few months, Google Maps users are facing a weird issue, where on sharing their location with significant others, they are displayed as offline for the other person.

Why weird? Well because users reportedly began to face this issue after switching to a new Android device. Take a look at how some of the complainants word the issue at Google Maps Help:

Same problem here. the location sharing stopped working Since I have changed my device. very frustrating. other people can see only the notice “XXX is offline” but GPS is working I see my own location, only others cannot see me any longer. this is very frustrating.

After switching my son to a different phone, it just shows him as “offline” on the map. I have made sure that location and location history are turned on, and set to his current phone on his account. Have tried logging off of maps and back on. Nothing works. It’s very frustrating as I need to be able to track him while he is walking home from school.

Husband’s location showing up as offline and he’s tried logging out of Google and everything. Nothing is working.

In addition, some users say after changing their phone, when they try to share their location they get a notification stating “the device is not sending location updates” (as can be seen in the following user shared image).

As per reports, even factory resetting the device doesn’t help, as the problem continues to persist.

While reports continue to proliferate, what’s good is that recently, a Google Maps Help forum product expert pitched in saying they’ve notified the concerned team about the problem in question.

I have brought this issue to the attention of the Maps Team.

Here’s hoping the Maps team diagnoses what could be causing this Location sharing offline glitch, and do the needful to fix things up if required. Rest assured, we are keeping an active tab on the matter and will update the story as and when any new development comes to our sight.

In the meantime, if you were facing the same issue and have figured a way out of this, do share the workaround with other affected users by dropping a comment below.

P.S. Form more Google Maps related news and stories, you may head here.

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