Ever wondered the difference between no location found and location not available notification? Here’s everything you need to know
Several social media apps let you track the location of your friends and families. This is a useful feature to see and keep updated about their whereabouts. But it just so happens sometimes that this feature does not work. The two most common messages when this feature is not working are No location found and Location not available. But what is the difference? Is there even any difference between these two?
Simply put, yes, there is a difference. No location found is shown when the social media app could not locate the device of the person you are tracking. The location of either the phone is out of range or switched off. On the other side, the Location not available is shown when the device is located, but it refuses to provide the location data to the app. In this case, the user may have turned off location sharing or have not permitted it.
In either case, you will not be able to get the needed location information. There are various reasons for the ‘No location found and Location not available’ message to be displayed. And also their solutions for it. So, read ahead to understand difference between no location found and location not available and the causes and solutions for these issues.
Difference Between No Location Found and Location Not Available
There are several social media apps, such as Find My Friend, iMessage, Snapchat, and others which you can use to see the location of your friends and family. While some apps use the last known Location, others use real-time location data.
So, to locate the other user, the social media app has to first make a connection with the device of the second person through the same app installed on their device. For example. iMessage will try to connect to the other user’s device through the iMessage app.
Suppose the user has given permission for their iMessage app to track their location and has not turned off location sharing. In that case, the iMessage app will be able to successfully retrieve the location information from the device and show it on your app.
But there can be two scenarios in this process, i.e., the device cannot be located, and even if it is located, there is no permission for the app to share the location information. Here, each of the scenarios is shown as a separate issue. So, for example, you will see No Location Found if the device cannot be located. And if the device is located but could not retrieve the location data, then you will see Location Not Available.
So, the next time you get these errors, you will know exactly know what is wrong with the process and can try to solve it yourself.
So, what are the common causes for both of these issues?
While both issues can be different, it cannot be said in particular what is causing these issues. For example, the issue can be in your or a friend’s device. Since the causes can not be certain, we have a list of reasons and difference between no location found and location not available.
Why Does It Say No Location Found And Location Not Available?
Whenever any of the social media apps says either No location found or Location Not available, the main issue is either the app cannot find the device to connect to or cannot retrieve the location data from the device. This can also be caused by your device, which is not properly set up. Below, we have compiled a list of common causes for these issues and explained it in detail.
1. Not Signed Into The App
Apps such as Find My or iMessage face these issues as they rely on real-time Location. So, when you try to find your friends using these apps, your friend may not have even signed into the app, or worst, he/she hasn’t even installed the app on their phone.
2. No Internet Connection
Are you connected to the internet? Or maybe your friend is not connected to the internet. Internet connection is how social media apps retrieve information from one device to another. And if both your and your friend’s device is not connected to the internet, it is impossible to retrieve the location information.
3. No Signal
Not everyone uses WiFi. Your friend may be using a data connection. And if he/she is in a place with no signal for the data connection, the app cannot retrieve the location data from them. So, it is vital for the device to also have a network signal in case they are using mobile data to connect to the internet.
4. Phone Off
Their phone may be off. A switched-off phone due to battery exhaustion or other causes cannot connect to the internet even if the internet connection is available in the area he/she is in. As the location data needs to be transferred in real-time, your friend’s device needs to be turned on and well functioning.
5. Airplane Mode
It is also possible that your friend has turned on the Airplane mode. When a device is in Airplane mode, all the connections are turned off, and the device cannot retrieve its location data.
6. Stopped Sharing Location
Every device has an option to turn off its location sharing. And if your friend has turned it off knowingly or unknowingly, you cannot retrieve the location data. It is also a privacy issue when it comes to location tracking. So, the user needs to give location sharing permission by turning on the Location sharing for you to locate them.
7. The App Does Not Have Permission
Every app, whether social media or any other, needs access to the device’s location to use it. Whenever you install an app, you will be asked to permit various functions for the app to use, namely storage, camera, mic, Location, etc. And in some cases, users do not permit certain data to use. It is also possible that your friend has not given location access to the app.
The above points may be causing both ‘No Location Found vs. Location Not Available’ issues. So, what can you do to resolve it?
No Location Found And Location Not Available [Fix]
While it is not much you can do yourself to fix these problems as most of the time, the other person’s device causes the issue. But still, if you want to resolve it, we have listed and described some measures you can take the resolution the problem.
1. Make Sure Both Devices Are Signed Into The App You Are Using
First, you need to ensure that the app you are using is also used by the person and is signed into on their phone. Apps like iMessage and Find My Friends rely on real-time location, so both of your phones need to be logged in to the app when tracking Location.
2. Make Sure Both Devices Are Turned On And Working
It should also ensure that both your and your friend’s phones must be turned on and working properly. If the battery is exhausted, charge it up and turn it on before using it. Also, make sure you log into the app after you turn the phone on.
3. Make Sure The Location Sharing Is On
Location sharing is a function on iOS that permits different apps to use the Location of the device. It also permits the apps to share their location data with friends on the internet. So it is vital that Location sharing is turned on for the app to send the location data.
Follow the steps below to turn on the Location sharing function.
Step 1: Open the Settings App On Your iPhone.
Step 2: Scroll down to the privacy option and click on it.
Step 3: Tap on the location services on the screen.
Step 4: Here, you can turn on the location services to give access to your Location to apps on the phone. You will also see the option ‘Share My Location.’ Click it.
Step 5: Toggle the switch on the top to turn on the Location sharing. Now you can share your location on the app with other friends.
6. Make Sure The Devices Are Connected To The Internet
Also, the important part is ensuring the internet connection is enabled on both phones. It does not matter if it’s WiFi or mobile data connection. Turn on the internet access, and you are good to go.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some frequently asked questions about the difference between no location found and location not available are taken from the internet.
1. Can Someone See When You Check Their Location On iPhone?
No. No one will know or see when you check their Location. Android and iOS do not notify the user when anyone is tracking their Location.
2. Should I Have Location Services On Or Off?
From the standpoint of Privacy, it is not good when you turn on the location services. But turning it off also won’t let you enjoy many functions that come with it. So, you need to choose whether you value Privacy or more features. Also, you can turn it off when =ever you want and also turn it on again.
3. How Do I Prevent My iPhone From Being Tracked?
You can prevent your iPhone from being tracked by simply turning off the location services from the settings>privacy>location services.
Conclusion
Therefore, the difference between no location found and location not available are almost the same but with a simple difference. The article briefly explains the difference between the most common causes of the issue and some solutions you can apply to solve it.
Hope we answered your query regarding the difference between no location found and location not available and also helped you understand and solve the issue.
