Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Are you frustrated because Google Maps location sharing on your Android phone suddenly stopped updating in real time? You are not alone. Many Android users encounter this problem, and most of the common solutions you find online, such as restarting your phone or resetting network settings, do not fix it.
In this video, I walk through the exact issue I experienced with family location sharing on Android. One of our phones stopped sending live updates, even though calls and texts worked fine and Google Maps could see the location instantly when opened. The surprising fix had nothing to do with network or GPS problems. The real culprit was Android power management settings, which silently put Google Maps into sleep mode.
I will show you step by step how to fix this by adjusting the battery optimization settings so that Google Maps (and its location services) are never put to sleep. Once configured, location sharing updates correctly and continuously, giving you peace of mind when tracking family members in real time.
If you’ve struggled with Android location sharing not working, this solution may save you a lot of frustration.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the location sharing problem
00:20 Common advice online that did not help
00:50 Why location sharing is useful in families
01:06 Phone stops updating location in real time
01:39 Checking if poor signal was the cause
01:53 Testing GPS accuracy in Google Maps
02:04 Strange behavior when opening Maps manually
02:16 Realizing location services were shutting down
02:31 How Android power saving interferes with Google Maps
02:38 The actual fix: settings and power management
02:52 Adding Google Maps to the "never sleep" list
03:03 Ensuring background location services stay active
03:10 Location sharing works again after the fix
03:14 Other possible causes to consider
03:40 Why power management is often the hidden culprit
03:50 Final thoughts and encouragement to try this solution
03:54 Wrap up, thumbs up, and subscribe reminder
Are you frustrated because Google Maps location sharing on your Android phone suddenly stopped updating in real time? You are not alone. Many Android users encounter this problem, and most of the common solutions you find online, such as restarting your phone or resetting network settings, do not fix it.
In this video, I walk through the exact issue I experienced with family location sharing on Android. One of our phones stopped sending live updates, even though calls and texts worked fine and Google Maps could see the location instantly when opened. The surprising fix had nothing to do with network or GPS problems. The real culprit was Android power management settings, which silently put Google Maps into sleep mode.
I will show you step by step how to fix this by adjusting the battery optimization settings so that Google Maps (and its location services) are never put to sleep. Once configured, location sharing updates correctly and continuously, giving you peace of mind when tracking family members in real time.
If you’ve struggled with Android location sharing not working, this solution may save you a lot of frustration.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the location sharing problem
00:20 Common advice online that did not help
00:50 Why location sharing is useful in families
01:06 Phone stops updating location in real time
01:39 Checking if poor signal was the cause
01:53 Testing GPS accuracy in Google Maps
02:04 Strange behavior when opening Maps manually
02:16 Realizing location services were shutting down
02:31 How Android power saving interferes with Google Maps
02:38 The actual fix: settings and power management
02:52 Adding Google Maps to the "never sleep" list
03:03 Ensuring background location services stay active
03:10 Location sharing works again after the fix
03:14 Other possible causes to consider
03:40 Why power management is often the hidden culprit
03:50 Final thoughts and encouragement to try this solution
03:54 Wrap up, thumbs up, and subscribe reminder
