TECH can be a great force for good, especially when it comes to safety in the real world.
Google has built a very useful tool into its Maps app which may come in especially handy if a loved one is heading home alone at night.
Though it can be used at anytime you want to be sure someone gets from A to B without a problem.
Best of all, you can do it on both Android and iPhone devices.
If it’s something you want to try out, follow the instructions below.
How to share your live location on Google Maps
To track someone’s location, they will first need to share it with you.
So they will need to open Google Maps and tap their profile photo in the top right corner.
From the menu, select Location sharing.
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Next, tap the Share location button and it will ask you to select a contact.
There’s also a drop down box to determine how long you want to allow tracking to be on for.
How to track someone’s live location on Google Maps
When you share your location with someone they should receive an email informing them.
It will contain a link, which will take them straight to Google Maps where they can see the person’s location.
How to get notifications for someone’s live location on Google Maps
If you want to add notifications for when the person you’re tracking has reached a certain point, you can.
Simply tap their image in Google Maps.
From the box that appears, select the Add button.
Here you can tap + Add location and type the address where you want to be informed they’ve reached.
The Google Maps zoom trick
While you’re on Google Maps, there are other useful tricks to know.
For example, did you know you can zoom from a mobile device with one hand?
Just open the Google Maps app and then double-tap the map screen with one finger.
Drag vertically without lifting your finger off the screen.
When you do that, a zoom slider effect comes into play.
If you move your finger up, the map zooms in, and if you move your finger down, the map zooms out.
This method not only provides a greater range than pinching but is often more precise.
It’s also important to note that the zoom effect will occur from the center of the screen and not where your finger has tapped.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk