Snapchat is a social media app that has become popular with younger demographics thanks to its photo-sharing capabilities. Snapchat also features a service called the Snap Map, which lets you see people's Snapchat locations.

The Snap Map is an interactive tool where you can see your location, the location of your friends, and the location of events on a worldwide grid. At launch, it caused safety concerns. However, there are many great uses and purposes for this feature. Here's how to find someone's location on Snapchat.

Step 1: How to "See My Location" on Snapchat

As mentioned, there might be a good reason why you want to find someone on Snapchat. Maybe you were supposed to meet up with your friend and they got lost. Or perhaps you're curious about publicly-snapped events.

The first thing you'll want to do is pinpoint your own location on the Snap Map. This is so you can find out how far away your friends are in relation to yourself.

To do this, Snapchat's ability to find your location needs to be turned on in your phone settings. This will allow you to access the functionality of the Snap Map. You can browse Snapchat in Ghost Mode once this function is active.

If you've never configured your Snapchat location before:

  1. Go to your profile page on the Snapchat app.
  2. Click on the Settings gear at the top of your profile.
  3. Click on Settings > See My Location.

Under See My Location, you might discover that Ghost Mode is already active. If and when you turn off Ghost Mode, Snapchat will ask you what privacy settings you want:

  • My Friends: Your friends can see you.
  • My Friends, Except...: Most of your friends can see you, except the ones you exclude.
  • Only These Friends: Only a few friends can see you, and those friends are hand-picked.

Make Sure Snapchat Can Access Your Location Data

If this is your first time going through this process, you might be prompted by a screen that says: "Snapchat wants to use your location." Alternatively, you might be prompted by a screen saying: "Using the Map requires location access" when you enter the Snap Map.

To find people's location on Snapchat---even if you're in Ghost Mode---you need to click Allow.

If you've been using Snapchat for some time now but haven't enabled location services, you can do so easily using the iPhone Settings App:

  1. Launch Settings.
  2. Select Snapchat from the list of apps.
  3. Select Location.
  4. Choose While Using the App.

Not only will enabling location services provide you with access to the Snap Map, but it will also offer you new curated stories and filters based on your locations. This is a great way to find and use some of the best Snapchat filters and lenses.

How to See Someone's Location on Snapchat Updated Settings

Once you're done, you'll see your updated status on who can view your location.

If you change your mind about sharing your location on Snapchat, here's how to turn off your location on Snapchat.

Step 2: How to See Someone Else's Location on Snapchat

Now that you've set up your location on Snapchat, go to your camera screen and swipe down with your finger from the top of your page. The Snap Map will show you your current location in Bitmoji form if you've created a character. If not, it will simply pinpoint your general area.

If you have friends living nearby---and their location is turned on---you'll see them on the map. To search for your friend's location, click on the search bar at the top of the Snap Map. Type in their username. Snapchat will then pull up a list of people with that name.

Snapchat also has a cool feature called the Heat Map.

If you zoom out, you'll see brightly-colored "warm" areas. These warm areas are where people have created public stories. The hotter the color, the more stories that have been created in that location.

To create your own story for you and your friends that is tied to a location:

  1. Go to your Profile page.
  2. Under Stories, click on + New Story.
  3. Select New Custom Story.
  4. Name your story.

Looking for more information on Geo Stories? Here's how to make a Snapchat geofilter on a budget.

Step 3: How to Request Someone's Snapchat Location

How to See Someone's Location on Snapchat Request Location

Let's say you want to find a friend on the Snapchat map, but they're not there. Maybe they're not there because they don't have their location listed. Alternatively, they might have their location access turned off.

How do you see your friend on the Snapchat map when they're not listed? Well, you can request their location!

To request someone's location on Snapchat:

  1. Go to your friend's profile page.
  2. Under the settings for Snap Map, click on Request Location.

Snapchat will send a location request to your friend. After they receive the request, they can either accept or deny it. Remember, though, that location sharing requests will only be sent to users who have enabled location requests.

To enable location requests:

  1. Select your profile.
  2. Open the Settings gear located in the top-right corner.
  3. Enable Allow friends to request location.

What Happens If You Can't Request Your Friend's Location?

If you're looking for ways how to see someone's Snap location when it's off, you're out of luck. You shouldn't go looking for a workaround, either.

It's important to respect people's boundaries when using this app, and never use the Snap Map for something that breaks their privacy. With such an informative system, it's important that everyone feels safe and protected while using their Snapchat services.

Trying to work around Snapchat's security protocols may leave you with a suspended or deleted account. And if you're ever personally feeling unsafe, here's how to report someone on Snapchat.

Now You Know How to See Someone’s Snapchat Location

Now that you know how to find someone's Snapchat location, you can use this feature to your heart's content. It's a big decision to constantly display your whereabouts to the public, so consider seriously whether you want to use this service.

Perhaps you don't want to display your whereabouts and have turned off your location data. If you find someone harassing you despite this, there are ways to block someone on Snapchat.