The new Instagram location sharing feature was launched in the U.S. on August 6, 2025, and will soon be available globally. Here's how to see and manage your location on Instagram with this new update:
- Open the Instagram app and go to your Direct Message (DM) inbox.
- At the top of your inbox, tap the new "Map" feature icon (it looks like a photo of a map), located next to the Notes section.
- If this is your first time, you'll get a prompt asking if you want to join your friends on the map. Tap "Next."
- You will then be prompted with "Who can see your location?" You can choose among friends (people you follow back), close friends, specific people, or no one.
- After selecting your preferred audience, tap the "Share now" button to enable location sharing.
- If Instagram location permissions are disabled on your device, you will be prompted to enable location services in your device settings for Instagram.
Notes on the feature:
- Your location updates when you open or return to the Instagram app, but it is not continuously tracked in real-time.
- Location sharing is off by default; you must opt-in to share.
- You can adjust or turn off location sharing anytime via Instagram settings under "Story, live and location" > "Location sharing."
- Even if you don't share your live location, you can still see location-tagged content (Stories and Reels) from friends on the map for 24 hours.
- You have granular control over who sees your location and can exclude specific places or people.
This Instagram Map feature is opt-in and designed with multiple consent steps to ensure privacy control. It allows users to connect by seeing friends' locations and exploring location-based content more easily.
