How to Enable or Disable Instagram Location Settings

Instagram’s new Map feature allows you to share your location with friends in real-time, sparking concerns about privacy and safety.

The tool, similar to Snap Maps, displays friends’ tagged locations on a Map within the Messages tab. However, location sharing is off by default, requiring users to opt in.

While location sharing can be useful for keeping track of loved ones or planning events, it also raises issues of privacy and potential misuse.

Understanding Instagram’s Location Sharing

Instagram introduced location sharing for DMs in Nov. 2024, with the option turned off by default unless manually activated.

Users can customize who they share their location with, including friends, followers, Close Friends, selected individuals, or no one. The shared location updates each time the app is opened and disappears after 24 hours of inactivity.

How Instagram Maps and Live Location Work

The introduction of Maps caused confusion about whether users were sharing their live location. Instagram clarified that tagging a location on a post does not reveal real-time location. Users can view tagged posts on Maps and share live locations within chats.

The Map also displays the locations of others who have shared their location, with icons indicating settings: blue arrow for sharing, red dot for no sharing, and orange triangle for permission settings.

Step-by-step Guide to Location Sharing on Instagram

Step 3:
Tap the Map feature at the top of your inbox.

Step 4:
Tap the cog icon in the top right to open Settings.

Step 5:
Choose your location sharing preferences.

Customizing Location Sharing on Instagram

Here, you can customise who you want to share your location with, whether friends or followers you follow back, Close Friends, selected friends, or no one. You can only share your location with accounts that you follow, and you can also single out specific people not to share your location with.

Step 6:
Tap “Update.”

As for teens on Instagram, Meta says parents can decide whether their child has access to location sharing and can see who they’re sharing it with. Parents will also get a notification if their teen starts sharing their location. “If you’re a parent with supervision set up for your teen, you have control over their location sharing experience on the map,” the company wrote.

UPDATE: Aug. 8, 2025, 3:16 p.m. UTC Added statement from Instagram head Adam Mossieri.

Topics
Apps & Software
Instagram