Live Locator (PRO+) lets you share your live location while hiking with anyone you send a link to. They can follow you in the HiiKER app or in any web browser, for free and without an account. They see where you are, how far you have to go, when you’ll finish and the weather where you are, and they can chat with you as you walk.
How to share your live location
- On any map, including while you’re recording, tap Options > Live Locator.
- Under Share until, choose End of recording or a set time from 15 minutes to 72 hours. End of recording is only offered while you’re recording.
- Check the two Safety & privacy switches: Emergency sharing (on by default) and Hide planned route. See what they do.
- Tap Start live sharing.
- On You’re live, copy your link or send it by Messages, WhatsApp, Email or More.
You can also add Start live locator session as a quick action button on the map.
Your live page
While you’re sharing, Options > Live Locator opens your live page:
- LIVE: how long you’ve been sharing, and until when.
- Stop, Chat, Share (send your link again) and Edit.
- Following you: who has opened your link, and when they last looked. People watching without a HiiKER account are counted but not named.
- Signal status: Live · last sent 6s ago while your location is getting through, or No signal right now while your phone is holding updates to send later.
Change how long you share, or what you share
Tap Edit to change Share until or either switch, then tap Done. Edit is only on the phone that’s sharing.
Chat with your followers
Tap Chat to message everyone following you. Send a photo, or tap a quick note such as On track, Taking a break, Reached the top or Back at the car. Photos are pinned on your followers’ map where you took them. You’ll get a notification when a follower messages you.
Stop sharing
Tap Stop > Stop sharing. Your followers see that your hike has ended, and your recording carries on. Sharing also stops by itself at the time you chose, or when you finish recording if you picked End of recording.
Emergency sharing and Hide planned route
- Emergency sharing (on by default): if your followers are worried, they can open Get emergency help. It gives them the emergency number to call, the details rescue services will ask for, and a rescue link that shows your last location, battery and planned route. With it off they get no rescue link, but they can still see where you were last.
- Hide planned route: your followers only see where you’ve been, not the route you’re following.
If you’re recording with a hike or an earlier recording as your guide, your followers see that route, how far you have left and your ETA. If you change route partway, say for a shorter way down, they see the new route and how it compares with the old one.
What your followers see
Your followers see your track and route on a live map, with your distance, distance to go, moving time, ETA and battery. They also see the weather and daylight where you are, the climbs and summits coming up, and an elevation profile. When you bag a peak they get a celebration and can send you a cheer. See How to follow someone’s live location on HiiKER.
Following other people
When people who’ve shared with you are live, a Following card appears on the Live Locator sheet. Open it to see each of them, and turn on Show … on the map to see them on your own map.
Questions
Do my followers need the HiiKER app or an account?
No. Your link opens in the HiiKER app if they have it, and on hiiker.app in their browser if they don’t. They need to sign in to HiiKER only to chat, send cheers or get notifications.
How often does my location update?
While someone is watching, your phone sends your location every 15 seconds while you’re moving and every minute while you’re stopped. When nobody is watching, it sends every 5 minutes to save battery, and it speeds up again as soon as someone opens your link.
What happens when I lose signal?
Your phone keeps every position and sends them all when it reconnects, so the gap in your track fills itself in. Meanwhile your followers see No signal · last seen … ago, with a note that this is normal in valleys and on the hills.
Can I share without recording?
Yes. Choose a set time under Share until. End of recording needs a recording in progress (see How to record a hike on HiiKER).
Does an old link keep working?
Every share has its own link. Starting a new share ends your previous one, so send the new link to whoever should follow this hike.
My location stopped updating on Android
Battery optimisation can stop HiiKER in the background. See Battery Optimisation on Android.
Do I need PRO+?
You need PRO+ to share your location. Following someone is free for everyone.
