What is it? Find My Friends is an iOS app that will find a person (that is, a friend) for you using GPS, if you both have an Apple device (such as an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch) and have agreed to let the app track you. It was released in October 2011 and since the release of iOS 9 comes preinstalled.
What it assumes: You wish to be found and you have friends.
What it does: It locates people whom you have invited and with whom you can share your location. You can also toggle off location sharing when you wish.
Is it useful? Yes, according to a relative of one of my brothers-in-law who wishes to remain anonymous, who has been using it for about six years with her family of three grown daughters and their spouses and mates, her husband, and a couple of grandkids.
Who uses it? Mainly families, to watch over traveling family members or to keep an eye out for older folks. But it's also good for friends who want to meet up.
Should you get it? Can’t answer that for you, but it is easy to use and it works. Also, if you have an Apple device with iOS 9 or beyond, you already have it.
What problems might you have? You can be obsessed with it and see everyone all the time. Or your 80-year-old mom might check on you and see that you have gone shopping without her. You’ll never hear the end of that one.
Occasional errors that can occur: Sometimes it switches who it’s tracking; it might tell you that a friend is “not a friend” (just re-add them). And you may get messages from family that call for some defensive maneuvering: “Oh I see you and Grammy are getting ice cream cones now!”
It can be hard to locate the Find My Friends icon at first. Some Apple devices seem to create an icon on a landing page, but my phone tucked it away in the Extras icon. Try looking there, if you don’t see an icon for it. If you run into any more trouble, this Apple support page will tell you how to troubleshoot any issue that has come up.
But be sure to use your newfound omniscient powers wisely. As my colleague Maude Campbell notes: “You can’t just be a freebie stalker.” You must invite someone and they accept in order to locate/be located.
Note: This app will only find friends that you already have, not necessarily make new ones for you. That’s on you.
Robin Tribble is the copy chief at Popular Mechanics. She likes to cook, play video games, read, and think.
