How to Pause Your Location on Find My iPhone Without Them Knowing (iOS 27)

The easiest way to pause your location on Find My iPhone is the new Hide Location option in iOS 27. Open Find My, tap People, choose the person, then tap Hide Location under My Location. They will see “No Location Found” instead of your location, they will not receive any notification, and sharing resumes automatically the next day.

Not on iOS 27 yet, or need a different approach? Below are six working methods, from the new built-in pause button to using a second Apple device, plus exactly what the other person sees with each one. All steps were checked against Apple’s official support guides for iOS 27, released in September 2026.

Quick Comparison: 6 Ways to Pause Your Location

Method 1: Use Hide Location in iOS 27 (Recommended)

Apple added Hide Location to Find My in iOS 27 specifically for moments like surprise parties and gift shopping. It pauses sharing with one person without removing them from your sharing list.

1. Open the Find My app.
2. Tap People at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap the name of the person you want to pause sharing with.
4. Under My Location, tap Hide Location.

According to Apple Support, sharing automatically resumes the next day. To turn it back on earlier, return to the same screen and tap Unhide Location. The other person’s Find My app shows “No Location Found” while your location is hidden, and no alert is sent when you pause or resume.

Hide Location requires iOS 27. If you haven’t updated yet, follow our guide on how to download and install iOS 27.

Method 2: Share Your Location From Another Apple Device

Find My shares your location from only one device at a time. If you own an iPad or a second iPhone signed in to the same Apple Account, you can make that device your location source and leave it wherever you want your location to appear.

1. On the second device, open Find My.
2. Tap Me at the bottom.
3. Tap Use This iPad as My Location (or Use This iPhone as My Location).

People will now see that device’s location instead of your main iPhone, and no notification is sent. Switch back the same way on your main iPhone. One iOS 27 detail to know: Find My can now automatically use a paired Apple Watch’s location when it’s away from your iPhone, so keep your watch in mind if you use this method.

Method 3: Stop Sharing Your Location With One Person

1. Open Find My and tap People.
2. Tap the person’s name.
3. Tap Stop Sharing My Location, then confirm.

Apple says the person won’t be notified. However, your location will simply disappear from their app, and if you originally shared through Messages, the conversation may show that you stopped sharing. Unlike Hide Location, this does not turn back on by itself; you will need to share again manually.

Method 4: Turn Off Share My Location for Everyone

1. Open Find My.
2. Tap Me.
3. Turn off Share My Location.

This pauses sharing with every person at once while keeping Find My iPhone active, so you can still locate your lost device. When you turn it back on, everyone you previously shared with can see your location again.

Method 5: Turn On Airplane Mode

Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center and tap the airplane icon. Your iPhone stops sending location updates, so others see your last known location. The downside: you also lose calls, messages and mobile data, so this only suits short breaks. If you turn Wi-Fi back on while in Airplane Mode, your iPhone may start updating its location again.

Method 6: Turn Off Location Services for Find My

1. Open Settings.
2. Go to Privacy & Security > Location Services.
3. Tap Find My and select Never.

Apple notes that no one is notified when you change Location Services. Your location stops updating in Find My while every other app keeps working normally. Avoid turning off Location Services completely, since Maps, weather and ride-hailing apps rely on it.

What the Other Person Sees

• Hide Location, Stop Sharing, or Share My Location off: “No Location Found” or no location at all for you.
• Another device: the other device’s location, updating normally.
• Airplane Mode or Location Services off: your last known location, with a timestamp that stops updating.

Find My never labels your location as “paused”, but an observant person may notice a missing or outdated location if they check closely.

If You Feel Unsafe

If you are worried that someone is tracking you, use Safety Check in Settings > Privacy & Security. It lets you review and instantly stop sharing your location and other information with people and apps, and it includes a Quick Exit button. Apple’s Personal Safety User Guide explains every option. In an emergency in the UAE, call 999; in the USA, call 911.

Want to tighten your iPhone privacy further? Learn how to set up passkeys, turn off ChatGPT ad tracking, and see what’s new in our iPhone 18 Pro review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you pause your location on Find My without them knowing?

Yes. On iOS 27, the Hide Location option pauses sharing with one person without sending any notification. They will see “No Location Found” until sharing resumes the next day or you tap Unhide Location.

How long does Hide Location last on iPhone?

Apple says sharing automatically resumes the next day. You can end the pause earlier by tapping Unhide Location on that person’s card in Find My.

Does Find My notify someone when you stop sharing your location?

Apple says the person is not notified when you stop sharing, but your location will disappear from their Find My app, and a Messages conversation may show that sharing stopped.

Does Airplane Mode stop Find My location sharing?

Yes, temporarily. With Airplane Mode on and Wi-Fi off, your iPhone stops sending location updates, and others see your last known location.

How do I pause my location on Find My without iOS 27?

Use another Apple device as your location source, turn off Share My Location, or set Location Services for Find My to Never. The dedicated Hide Location button is only available on iOS 27 and later.