Sharing your current location with someone in Google Maps has always taken a few more taps than it should. Now, it looks like Google is working on a fix. According to Android Authority, Google is testing a new floating action button in Google Maps that makes Google Maps location sharing much more straightforward.
The button sits right on the main map screen, above the existing compass icon. Tapping it lets you pick an app to share your location through, without having to dig through menus first. The button also disappears automatically when you start browsing other spots on the map. So it’s not in the way when you don’t need it.
How sharing currently works
Right now, sharing your location in Google Maps means tapping the blue dot that marks your position. Then you wait for a panel to appear and find the “Share your location” option inside it. It works, but it’s a few steps more than most people want to deal with, especially if they’re just trying to let someone know they’re on their way. The new button cuts all of that out.
The update was spotted in version 26.12.03.884026066 of the app and required some tinkering to enable, according to Android Police. Google is also reportedly testing a redesign of the navigation menu, which would swap the current list-based layout for larger, easier-to-tap buttons. That change is still a work in progress. Google hasn’t said when any of this will roll out more broadly, but Maps has been getting steady updates lately, including new Gemini-powered features for pedestrians and cyclists added earlier this year. No word yet on whether the location sharing button will also land on iOS.
