Facebook isn’t only for sending memes, looking at your friends’ babies, and trying to avoid (or not avoid) arguments. It has practical uses that we don’t think about very often. One of those is sending your location to people using Facebook Messenger.

Whether you want to show your bestie that you arrived at the location for your night out or want to keep your friends up-to-date on your location, there are plenty of reasons why Facebook Messenger can be a handy way to let people know where you are or where you’re going to be.

What is Facebook Messenger?

Facebook Messenger has been a separate app from Facebook for almost a decade. It can be downloaded from either the Google Play Store or the App Store. Sign in with your Facebook account, and then it’s ready to go. The app can be opened separately on your phone or tablet or from the Messenger icon in the upper-right corner of the Facebook app. You can do the same on your desktop or go to the Messenger website.

On the surface, Messenger is Facebook’s app for sending direct messages. Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find several other uses. You can send money, call a friend through video or audio, play games, and communicate with Facebook groups.

You can also use Messenger’s direct messages to send your location. The app gives you several ways to do that. But first, you’ll need to choose whether to send a live location (so that your movements can be tracked) or a fixed location.

How to grant Messenger location access

Before sharing your location, make sure Facebook Messenger has location access or none of this will work. Do the following to make that happen on an Android or iOS phone.

1. Go to Settings on your phone.
2. Select Apps.

3. Scroll down to Messenger and select it.

4. Tap Permissions.
5. Tap Location and select either While using the app or Only this time.

6. You can also turn off location in Messenger by doing the same steps as above except selecting Don’t allow.

How to send your live location on Messenger

It can be helpful to let someone know approximately where you are as you move around. You can do that by sharing your live location via Facebook Messenger on either an Android or iOS phone.

Here’s how:

1. Open the Facebook Messenger app on your phone.
2. From the Chats screen, tap the conversation you want to share your location with.
3. Tap the plus symbol in the lower-left corner of the screen.
4. Tap Location.

5. Tap Allow Location Access.
6. If you receive the screen that asks, “Allow Messenger to use your location,” tap Allow.

7. You’ll see a screen with a two-part question: “Allow Messenger to access this device’s location?”
8. Choose Precise or Approximate.
9. Choose between While using the app, Only this time, or Don’t allow. Choosing Don’t allow makes it impossible to share your location.

10. Tap the button that says Start sharing live location for 60 min.

If you change your mind, tap the Stop sharing live location button. Live location only stays turned on for a specific chat for no more than an hour at a time, so choosing this option doesn’t mean you’ll broadcast your location to every friend, casual acquaintance, and random stranger that you’re “friends” with on Facebook.

Like location snafus that need to be undone, mishaps occur with technology, including Messenger. There’s no telling when problems will arise, which can be annoying when you’re attempting to share your location, but it’s nothing a few swipes can’t fix to get you up and running.

How to send a fixed location on Facebook Messenger

Maybe you don’t want someone to follow your movements, but you do want them to know exactly where to meet you. For example, you can share a fixed location with Messenger, which can be helpful when meeting a person at a restaurant. Like with live location, you can only do this on your Android or iOS phone, not on a tablet or computer.

1. Open the Messenger app on your phone.
2. From the Chats screen, tap the conversation you want to share your location with.
3. Tap the arrow in the lower-left corner of the screen.
4. Tap Location.

5. Tap Allow Location Access.

6. If you receive the screen that asks, “Allow Messenger to use your location,” tap Allow.
7. When Messenger asks you to choose Precise or Approximate location, select whichever you prefer.
8. Wait for the map to pop up, then either move the map to the location you want it to send and tap the location or use the search feature to find the location and then tap it to send.

How to send a Google Maps location on Messenger

You may prefer using Google Maps to find locations, and whether you use Android or iOS, you can share a location from Google Maps by following the steps below:

1. Open Google Maps on your phone.
2. Search for the location you’d like to share.
3. Tap Share.
4. A list of contacts appears, and below that is a list of apps. If Messenger doesn’t show up in that list (it might be labeled “Chats”), tap the More button and then scroll until you find Messenger and tap it.

5. A list of your current chats shows up. Tap Send next to the chat you want to share the location with.

How to send a Google Maps location from your tablet or computer

Neither the PC nor tablet versions of Messenger have the same functionality as the mobile app. To share a fixed location on Messenger from your Android tablet or iPad or your computer, start with Google Maps, copy the link to the location you want to share, and then direct your computer browser to Messenger to paste the link.

1. Find the location you’re looking for in Google Maps.
2. Select Share.
3. Select Copy Link.

4. Paste the link you copied into Messenger.

You’re ready to take advantage of Messenger’s location-sharing features

Now you know how to share a location – your live location or another location – on Facebook Messenger, so tell someone to meet you somewhere interesting and have some fun.