Can Someone Track Your Location from Text? Get Answers Here (2024)

Communicating with friends, family, and colleagues via text messages is still a mainstream way in this smartphone world, and we also share media files through it. However, have you ever thought the location information could be shared via text message?

So, you may ask, can someone track your location from text messages? In this article, we'll discuss it and explore various ways text messages can reveal your location, how to be aware of it, and the precautions you can take to protect yourself.

Can Someone Track Your Location from Text Messages

To answer this straightforwardly, yes, it is technically possible. But it doesn't mean anyone who sends you a message can immediately locate you.

This could occur under certain circ*mstances, such as when a text contains a hidden link that reveals your location when clicked. Still, these are not typical conditions related to everyday SMS or MMS you receive from friends, family, or colleagues.

Before we continue, let's define what SMS and MMS stand for. SMS, short for Short Message Service, is the most widespread and commonly used service for sending text messages. MMS, on the other hand, stands for Multimedia Messaging Service, which allows users to send and receive multimedia content such as pictures, videos, and audio files over mobile networks.

These services are a convenient way to communicate. While they don't inherently expose your precise location, it's the content of the messages that can potentially reveal where you are.

How Text Messages Reveal Your Location

Various methods exist for text messages to carry information about your location. Text messages could permit the recipient to track your location in certain cases such as:

Location inference based on message content. This means the recipient deduces your location from the information or context provided within your text messages.

Sharing links that contain your location information. If you share a link to a website or app that includes your location information via text message, the recipient could view your location details by clicking on the link.

MMS containing your location information. For example, if you send a photo of the area around your home to someone else via MMS, your address may be exposed. Because the recipient can roughly locate you by recognizing the environment of the image.

Location-Based Apps. Some apps can automatically share your location data once you enable their location-sharing features. Furthermore, the location-sharing messages you share on social media apps can also pinpoint you.

Emergency Services. When you text emergency services, your location may be provided to them for assistance.

How Your Location Be Tracked from Text Messages

You Clicked a Link Requesting Location Sharing

A requesting location sharing link is a kind of link that can be sent via text message to enable the recipient to see your location on a map.

This type of link is produced by different services, including Google Maps or Apple Maps. Once you click on the link, someone can track your location because it unveils a map displaying your precise location.

You Sent a Location-Sharing Message

A location-sharing message is a type of text that can be sent via certain apps that provide the recipient with information about your current location.

Apps like Snapchat or Facebook Messenger let you send a location-sharing message. With location services turned on, you can choose to share your spot with contacts. When they open your message, they'll see your current or last shared location right on a map.

Triangulation

Triangulation is a technique for determining a person's location by combining signals from multiple cell phone antennas.

When a person transmits a text message, it travels through the aforementioned towers before arriving at its intended recipient. Using the signals transmitted and analyzed by these towers, one can make an educated estimate as to the location of the sender.

Although this technique is used by law enforcement agencies and other authorized parties to locate an individual, its accuracy is not guaranteed, and it provides only a broad estimate of the individual's location.

How to Know If Your Location Is Tracked

If you're concerned about your location being exposed and wonder how to know if your location is being tracked via text messages, there are several signs that you may be aware of.

• Suspicious Text Messages. If you click on unknown links from the texts asking you to share your location, your location may be exposed.
• Location Requests. If you agree to a message from an app asking for permission to access your location, your location is being tracked by the other side.
• Unexpected Notifications. Some phones send notifications when an app accesses your location. If you notice such notifications after sending a text, it's worth noting.

Note: Rapid battery drain, unusual overheating, excessive data usage, or other phone physical indicators could hint at potential tracking. However, these signs could also potentially be caused by third-party app trackers.

Prevention Methods against Location Tracking

While we cannot avoid leaking our location through text messages of any kind in our daily activities, we can subjectively curb the possibility of such location exposure risks. There are many ways you can protect yourself.

• Be cautious with links in text messages.
• Regularly audit the apps that have permission to access your location.
• When not in use, disable location services to deter unwarranted location tracking from background apps.
• Consider secure messaging apps with end-to-end encryption, like WhatsApp.
• Use anti-spyware software to scan your phone to eliminate potential threats and malicious apps.

Extra Care: Protecting Vulnerable Groups from Location Tracking

When it comes to location tracking, certain groups, like children and the elderly, can be more susceptible. Why is this the case? These groups may not fully understand online privacy implications, or they might not be as tech-savvy to navigate privacy settings effectively.

A child might click on a receiving text with a location link out of curiosity. Meanwhile, seniors, who didn't grow up with such technology, may unintentionally accept location requests without realizing what they're consenting to.

To protect these vulnerable groups, we should offer guidance tailored to their understanding. This might include explaining to a child in simple terms why they shouldn't click on unknown links or helping a senior navigate their phone's privacy settings.

Bonus: Locating Your Loved Ones in a Safe Way

It's reasonable that parents want to locate their family members, especially their kids or seniors. In addition to sending location-requesting messages to them, you can also use AirDroid Parental Control to locate them at any time instead of awaiting their confirmation.

AirDroid Family Locator helps you:

• Locate your family members in real-time and display their location on a map.
• Check the location history to see where they've been.
• Set up geofencing around specific areas like their school or home, and receive instant notifications when they enter or leave that place.

Part 7. FAQs about Location Problems via Texts or Others