One of the questions we get when it comes to sharing location is does sharing location drain battery.
This applies to both iPhone and Android.
On both mobile platforms, you can simply share your location with your family, friends, and loved ones.
So the question is does it drain battery fast or should you turn off location services when not in use?
So in this post, I will explain everything on sharing location on both Android and ios, answering the question of does sharing location drain battery.
Remember, this applies to iPads and Android tablets.
Let’s proceed.
Does sharing location drain battery?
Sharing location does drain battery a bit as it uses location services to function.
For a better understanding, I will explain this article in two ways based on my experience with ios and Android.
The way location sharing works on Android and its battery draining are quite different from ios. Let me say this, I noticed that location services drain the battery a little compared to ios which from my observation doesn’t seem to drain the battery at all.
So I can’t just say location sharing doesn’t battery because someone using an Android phone will say otherwise.
So I will go ahead and explain them differently.
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Does sharing location drain battery on iPhone?
The answer is no. On iPhone, location does not drain the battery at all even when location services is been used.
However, what will consume battery is the constant use of tracking apps like Map, find my, etc.
Also, many apps tend to use location services in the background. So you can choose to select the apps you will prefer to use your location services.
Now listen, since ios 15, you have the option to select an app to only use your location when you’re using the app. If you made the mistake of selecting to use location services ALWAYS, please go ahead and change that.
Once you set your location services to Only When You’re Using The App, that very app will not be using location services in the background.
This is very essential if you’re using an iPhone or iPad, Mac, or Apple watch.
Let me show you how to make the changes in case you set it to Use Your Location to Always.
Changing allow location access
All you have to do is to open the Settings App on your iPhone or iPad and scroll down to Privacy & Security.
Tap on Privacy & Security, and in the next window, tap on Location Services.
By default, you will see Location Services is enabled.
Scroll down and you will see all the apps installed on your phone or device, and which Location Access is allowed for these apps.
So all you have to do is to scroll through the list and check the ones you set to Always. You set the settings to While Using The App.
Once you set the location access to While Using The App, it won’t use location services until you opened the app.
Doing this also helps to preserve your phone battery from draining.
But from my observation, when asking does sharing location drain battery on iPhone, the answer is no because it doesn’t drain the battery at all, especially when location access is set to While Using The App.
Remember that if you turn off location services on your iPhone, iPad, or any other Apple device, find my won’t work properly and maps as well.
So please don’t turn off location services on your Apple device.
Does sharing location drain battery on android?
Location sharing drains the battery a bit on Android as it requires location or GPS to be active.
On Android, you can share locations using Google Maps. For Google Maps to work on any Android phone or even on an Apple device, location services or Location must be enabled.
So when this option is enabled on any Android device, it tends to consume some amount of battery es if you’re running on an older Android version.
Again, if you happen to check someone’s location on Google Maps while this option is turned on, it consumes a lot of battery.
I’m saying this based on my experience using google maps on Samsung phones.
So what I normally do is turn off Location (services) on any Android phone if I’m not using Google Maps or any other app that requires the feature to be turned on.
So asking does turning on location drain battery Android? The answer is yes but not so much especially if you’re running on Android 13.
How can I share my location without draining my battery?
Kindly note that sharing location alone doesn’t drain the battery, what drains the battery is using maps to track someone’s location.
You can easily share your location with anyone and doing so will not drain your battery. But what drains your battery is when you start to check the locations of people sharing their location with you.
If you’re using an iPhone or iPad, then you should know that the on-screen time matters here especially if you continue to use Find My, iMessage location, or Map only.
On Android, after sharing your location, you can turn off Location(GPS) on your Android device to save battery. Though it will prevent people or your family and friends from seeing your current location.
However, if you happen to have an Android device that has a good battery life, you shouldn’t bother at all.
Mostly I use Maps on my Samsung tab s8 and iPad Pro as they have a good battery life compared to smartphones.
Is it OK to turn off location on iPhone?
It is quite OK to turn off location on your iPhone especially if you’re not going to use find my or maps on your iPhone.
When you turn off location on your iPhone, it will prevent people from seeing your current location.
Also, it will prevent apps that use location services from functioning properly. An example is Apple Maps or Google Maps.
How much does location services drain battery?
The impact of location services on battery life can vary depending on several factors, including the device you’re using, the specific app or service utilizing location services, and how frequently location updates are requested.
In general, using location services does consume additional battery power because it requires your device to use various sensors, such as GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular data, to determine your location accurately.
These sensors consume energy, which can contribute to battery drain.
However, advancements in technology and optimization techniques have helped reduce the impact on battery life over the years.
Modern smartphones often have power management features and optimizations in place to minimize the battery drain caused by location services.
For instance, devices may utilize low-power location estimation techniques, such as Wi-Fi or cellular network-based location, instead of solely relying on GPS, which tends to be more power-intensive.
Additionally, some apps or services may be more efficient in their use of location services than others.
For example, an app that continuously tracks your location in the background will consume more battery compared to an app that only accesses your location when it’s actively in use.
And this where I conclude today’s questions of the day, does sharing location drain battery.