How can I keep an iPhone location-sharing surprise visit a secret?
Asked by
MellowPine47
My girlfriend lives about four and a half hours away and has had a difficult week. She has hinted that she would enjoy one of us unexpectedly showing up, so I'm considering driving to see her when she gets home from work. We both use iPhones and share our locations, though she doesn't actively track me. Is there a way to keep my location from updating during the drive without making it obvious that I stopped sharing?
Answers
You can disable Location Services entirely or turn it off for specific apps, but your location may then appear unavailable or stop updating, which could make her curious. Turning off the phone or using airplane mode has a similar drawback, and you won’t be able to use it normally for navigation or calls.
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If you have an iPad, old iPhone, or another Apple device, you may be able to set that device as the one sharing your location and leave it at home. That way your phone can travel while the shared location remains at home. Test the setup beforehand, since the exact options depend on your Apple account and software version.
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You might not need to change anything. Sharing a location doesn’t automatically alert someone when you’re nearby, and she may never open Messages or Find My during the drive. If you do go, make sure the surprise would genuinely be welcome and that someone nearby knows your plans.
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