How to Stop Sharing Location Without Them Knowing on iPhone
Nowadays, sharing your location with family and friends has become incredibly common and even useful in some terms. But what if you need a little privacy? What if you want to stop sharing your location without alerting the person tracking you? Does it notify people when you stop sharing location?
Contents:
- Can You Stop Sharing Location Without Them Knowing IPhone?
- Method 1: Stop Sharing in Find My App
- Method 2: Disable “Share My Location” in Settings
- Method 3: Use Another iPhone
- Method 4: Enable Airplane Mode
- Method 5: Turn Off Location for Specific Apps
- Method 6: Log Out of iCloud on Another Device
- Method 7: Use a VPN as a Mask
- What About iMessage? Will They Know?
- Frequently Asked Questions:
Nowadays, sharing your location with family and friends has become incredibly common and even useful in some terms. But what if you need a little privacy? What if you want to stop sharing your location without alerting the person tracking you? Does it notify people when you stop sharing location?
Many iPhone users wonder how to stop sharing location with one person without them knowing, and whether Apple sends a notification when you disable this feature.
Today we will explore how to stop sharing location without them knowing iPhone, the different tricks that work on iOS, the best methods to stay undetected while keeping control of your privacy, and even the best app to track by number.
Can You Stop Sharing Location Without Them Knowing IPhone?
The short answer is: Yes, you can do it.
However, the effectiveness of your method depends on the approach you take. If you turn off Share My Location in Find My, or stop sharing through iMessage, there is a chance the other person might notice. iOS 17 and newer versions sometimes display “Location Expired” in iMessage, which can tip them off.
So, what is the best way how to stop sharing location on iPhone without them knowing? Let us go over all the different options you have.
What Happens When You Do It?
A common concern is: does it notify when you stop sharing location on iMessage? Or does Apple notify when you stop sharing location?
Apple does not send an actual notification, but in iOS 17 and later, a “Location Expired” message might appear in iMessage when you disable sharing. However, this only happens if you manually stop sharing through iMessage or Find My.
If you use other methods, such as Airplane Mode, disabling GPS Services, or using another device as your place, the other person will not receive any notification at all.
Now, let us explore how to stop sharing location without notifying iMessage and what you can do to avoid detection.
Method 1: Stop Sharing in Find My App
If you have shared your whereabouts through Find My, you can stop sharing without alerting the other person.
How do I stop sharing my location on iPhone? Steps to consider:
Open Find My on your iPhone.
Tap the People tab.
Select the person you want to stop sharing your place with.
Tap Stop Sharing.
If I stop sharing location does it notify? This method works silently, but if the person checks their Find My app, they might notice that they can no longer see your whereabouts.
By the way, you can even freeze your place in the Life 360 app. Check it out, too!
Method 2: Disable “Share My Location” in Settings
Another method to stop sharing location iPhone without them knowing is to disable Share My Location entirely from the settings.
Here is how:
Open Settings on your iPhone.
Tap Privacy & Security.
Go to Services > Find My.
Toggle off Share.
By disabling sharing at the system level, all apps lose access to your current place, including Find My and iMessage.
Method 3: Use Another iPhone
A more advanced trick of how to stop sharing location with someone on iPhone without them knowing is setting another iPhone or iPad as your source.
Follow these steps:
Get another Apple device that is signed into your Apple ID.
Open Settings > Find My.
Select Use This iPhone as My Location.
Now, anyone tracking you will see the place of the other device instead of your real one. This works seamlessly without sending any notifications.
Method 4: Enable Airplane Mode
Does Airplane Mode stop sharing location? Yes, and it is one of the simplest ways of how to temporarily stop sharing location.
How to do it:
Swipe down from the top-right of your screen to open Control Center.
Tap the Airplane Mode icon.
When Airplane Mode is on, your iPhone disconnects from Wi-Fi and cellular networks, preventing updates.
Method 5: Turn Off Location for Specific Apps
If you only want to hide your whereabouts from certain apps (like Messages or Find My), you can revoke their access to your current place.
Steps to do it:
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > GPS Services.
Scroll down and find the app you want to restrict.
Tap the app and select Never or While Using the App to limit its access.
This ensures that certain apps no longer have permission to track you.
Method 6: Log Out of iCloud on Another Device
If you are logged into iCloud on multiple devices, you can log out of your account on a different device to stop tracking.
Here is how:
Go to Settings > [Your Name].
Scroll down and tap Sign Out.
Enter your Apple ID password and confirm.
This is another solution of how to stop sharing location with someone without them knowing that will prevent your place from being shared across devices using your Apple ID.
Method 7: Use a VPN as a Mask
How to stop sharing your location without them knowing else? A VPN (Virtual Private Network) can help hide your real whereabouts by rerouting your connection through different servers. While this method will not affect Find My or iMessage tracking, it does work for apps like Safari, Google Maps, or third-party tracking apps.
How to use a VPN:
Download and install a trusted VPN app from the App Store.
Open the app and connect to a server in a different location.
Your IP address will change, making it appear as though you are in a different place.
What About iMessage? Will They Know?
If you are wondering does it notify someone when you stop sharing location? or do people get notified when you stop sharing location?—here is the deal:
In iOS 17 and later, stopping location sharing in iMessage will show a “Location Expired” message in the conversation.
In older versions (iOS 16 and earlier), the other person will not be notified at all.
If you use Airplane Mode, another iPhone, or disable Share My Location, there is no notification whatsoever.
Why Use a Tracker App?
If you want full control over your place sharing, an app like Number Tracker can help.
With Number Tracker, you can:
Monitor your own and others’ location history.
Decide when and how to share your whereabouts.
This is a great solution for those who want even more privacy and control over their iPhone’s settings.
So, How to Stop Sharing Location without Notification on iPhone?
If you need to do it there are several ways to do it one more time.
Turning off Share My Location in Find My is a direct approach but can be noticed.
Disabling GPS Services will prevent tracking across all apps.
Airplane Mode offers a quick way to temporarily stop sharing.
Using another Apple device allows you to replace your whereabouts seamlessly.
Using Number Tracker provides the most control over how your current place is shared.
Ultimately, the best method depends on how discreet you need to be. If you are worried about if you stop sharing location on iPhone does it notify, use a method that does not trigger notifications—like Airplane Mode or setting another device as your current place.
Privacy is important, and having control over your data is a must. Whether it is for personal reasons, safety or just peace of mind, knowing how do you stop sharing location without them knowing empowers you to manage your digital footprint effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions:
If I stop sharing my location with someone will they know iPhone? Will someone be notified if I stop sharing my location?
It depends on the method you use. If you manually stop sharing location in Find My or iMessage, the person may see a "Location Expired" message in iMessage (if they are using iOS 17 or later).
However, if you use Airplane Mode, disable GPS Services, or set another device as your current place, the person will not be notified and may not realize immediately that they are no longer able to see your whereabouts.
The best way to stop sharing location without them knowing is to use a method that does not trigger notifications, such as logging out of iCloud on another device or switching to Airplane Mode when needed.
Can someone still see my last known place after I stop sharing?
Yes, if you previously shared it with someone, they might still be able to see your last known one until their Find My app updates. If you turn off Share My Location, it will not delete your previous data instantly.
However, if you use Airplane Mode or revoke app permissions, your last known place will still appear for a while. To fully hide your last known whereabouts, it is best to switch your location to another device before stopping sharing.
How can I temporarily stop sharing my location without turning it off permanently?
If you just need a break from tracking but do not want to permanently disable it, there are several temporary solutions:
Use Airplane Mode – This disconnects all GPS services but restores once you turn it off.
Turn off Location Services for a specific app – Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, select the app, and set it to Never or While Using the App.
Use Another Device – If you have a second Apple device, you can set that as your active spot so your real device remains hidden.
Does iPhone notify when you stop sharing location? These methods allow you to temporarily stop sharing location without notifying iMessage or Find My.
How do I check if someone stopped sharing their whereabouts with me?
If someone does it, there are a few ways you can tell:
In Find My, their name will disappear from the People tab.
In iMessage (iOS 17+), you may see “Location Expired” instead of their real-time spot.
If they turned off their Location Services or switched to Airplane Mode, their place might show as “No Location Found” or “Location Not Available”.
When you stop sharing location does it notify the other person imessage? Not necessarily. If you suspect someone stopped sharing their place but want to confirm, you can check the Find My app to see if they are still listed as a shared contact.
Can I stop sharing my location with someone on iPhone without removing them from Find My?
Yes, you can do it. To do this:
Open Find My.
Go to the People tab.
Select the person you want to stop sharing with.
Tap Stop Sharing My Location.
They will not receive a notification, but they may notice if they try to check your spot and it is no longer visible.
Alternatively, if you only want to pause sharing temporarily, using Airplane Mode or changing your place to another device are great solutions.
If I stop sharing my location, can I still see someone else’s whereabouts?
Yes! This is a one-way action. If you stop sharing with someone, you can still see their places as long as they have not stopped sharing with you.
However, if they also disable sharing, their name will disappear from your Find My list, or you will see “No Location Found” instead of their real-time position.
If you suspect that someone has stopped sharing with you, check their name in Find My—if they no longer appear under People, they have removed you from their shared whereabouts list.
Does turning off my iPhone stop sharing my location?
Yes, but only temporarily. If you power off your iPhone, your last known spot may still be visible for a while in Find My before updating to “No Location Found” or “Location Not Available.”
However, as soon as you turn your phone back on and connect to the internet, sharing resumes unless you have manually disabled it in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services or Find My.
Moreover, there are some tips to track a phone that is turned off.
If you want a more permanent way to hide your whereabouts without raising suspicion, consider using Airplane Mode or setting another device as your active spot instead.
Sources:
Real-time GPS tracker