Can I track someone without them knowing?
No — not with any tool covered on this site, and we would not publish a guide for it if we could. Find My, Life360, and Google Maps location sharing all notify the person being located and let them stop sharing at any time. If you are worried about someone's safety, contact the police rather than trying to track them yourself.
Does Find My work if the phone is switched off?
On iPhone 11 and later, yes, for a limited time — the phone can still broadcast its location via the Find My network for a short period after power off. Older models and Android devices generally cannot be located once switched off.
Is Life360 free?
Yes, the core Circle and location-sharing features are free. Paid tiers add driving reports, crash detection, and roadside assistance. See our full breakdown in Life360 vs Google Family Link vs Find My.
Why does Find My show a location from hours ago?
That is the last known location the device reported before it went offline, ran out of battery, or lost signal — see our guide on fixing "Location Not Available" for the full checklist.
What is the difference between Find My and Find Hub?
Find My is Apple's app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Find Hub (called Find My Device until 2025) is Google's equivalent for Android. They work the same way but are not compatible with each other's devices.
Can an AirTag be used to track a person without consent?
Apple and Android both run background scans that alert a phone if an unknown tracker appears to be travelling with it, specifically to catch this. If you receive that alert, the app you're using will walk you through locating and disabling the tracker.