What is my current location?
The box above answers the question in two ways. As soon as the page opens, it estimates your approximate location from your internet connection: the city is usually right, but on mobile data a nearby town can show up instead. When you tap “Show my exact location” and allow access, your device combines GPS, nearby Wi-Fi networks and cell towers and pins the spot where you are standing, usually to within a few meters.
With your exact location you get:
- Your address: street, house number, neighborhood, city and state. There is a page just for that: what is my address.
- The postal code of the spot where you are (ZIP code in the US, PIN code in India, postcode in the UK), handy for deliveries and forms. See what is my ZIP or PIN code.
- City, county, state and country. See what city am I in.
- Your GPS coordinates in decimal degrees, degrees-minutes-seconds, UTM and Plus Code, ready to copy. See my GPS coordinates.
- Your elevation above sea level. See what is my elevation.
- A map with your position and a circle that shows the margin of error.
Need the details of another place? Type an address into “Or look up another place” or tap any point on the map: you get the address, postal code, coordinates and elevation, just as for your own location.
How to find your location, step by step
- Open this page on the phone, tablet or computer you want to locate.
- Tap “Show my exact location”.
- Your browser asks whether the site may know your location. Choose “Allow”.
- After a few seconds the map, address and coordinates appear. If you move, tap “Update my location”.
If the prompt doesn't appear, or you blocked it by mistake, follow the guide how to turn on location in your browser.
Exact or approximate location: where each one comes from
Your device doesn't rely on a single method to work out where it is. It uses the best one available at that moment, which is why a phone outdoors is so much more accurate than a desktop computer.
| Method | Typical error | When it is used |
|---|---|---|
| GPS (satellites) | 3 to 10 m outdoors | Phones and tablets with location turned on, especially outside |
| Nearby Wi-Fi networks | 15 to 50 m | Indoors and on laptops; you don't need to be connected to those networks |
| Cell towers | 100 m to several kilometers | When neither GPS nor Wi-Fi is available |
| IP address | City level, sometimes tens of kilometers off | Without location permission; this is the page's first estimate |
The “Accuracy” value is the radius in meters within which your device is very likely to be. An accuracy of 10 m means you are somewhere inside a 10 m circle around the marker.
Why your location may be wrong, and how to fix it
- A different city shows up. You are seeing the estimate based on your IP address. Tap the button for your exact location. With a VPN, the approximate area is that of the VPN server.
- The dot is a few streets off. GPS signals are weak indoors. Move to a window, turn on Wi-Fi (even without connecting to a network) and update.
- On a computer the error is hundreds of meters. Desktop computers have no GPS. For an exact address, open the page on your phone.
- Your phone only shows a large area. Check that your browser is allowed to use your “precise location” and that battery saver isn't limiting GPS.
- The address has no house number or shows the house next door. Addresses come from OpenStreetMap, a map maintained by volunteers. Where house numbers are missing you see the nearest street; the coordinates are still correct.
Why it helps to know your exact location
- Emergencies. If you call 911, 112 or 999 and don't know the address, read out your latitude and longitude. With those two numbers responders can find you even on a highway or a hiking trail.
- Getting picked up. Send a link to your location to the person picking you up or to a delivery rider. The steps are on share my location.
- Forms and orders. Copy the postal code, city or county exactly as the map shows them.
- Traveling. Find out which town, county or state you have just entered.
- Checking your connection. The approximate area shows which location your IP address reveals to the websites you visit.
See your location on Google Maps
In the Google Maps app, tap the target icon: the blue dot shows where you are. Touch and hold any spot on the map to drop a pin and see its address and coordinates. From this page, “Open in Google Maps” takes you to the same spot so you can start directions or save the place. Step-by-step help for iPhone, Android and computers: my location on Google Maps.
Your privacy
Your exact location is worked out on your own device, and only after you allow it. We don't store it or link it to any profile. Cookies are used for visitor statistics and ads: in the EU, the UK and Switzerland we ask for your consent first; elsewhere they are on by default and you can switch them off. To turn coordinates into an address, your browser sends them to OpenStreetMap's map service. The details are in our privacy policy.
Questions about your location
How do I find my current location?
Tap “Show my exact location” and accept your browser's prompt. In a few seconds your position appears on the map with the address, postal code and coordinates. Without permission you only see an approximate area, worked out from your internet connection.
Why is my location wrong?
Most often because you are still seeing the approximate location calculated from your IP address. On mobile data or with a VPN, the IP is often registered in another city. Tap “Show my exact location” so your device uses GPS and Wi-Fi. If the dot is only a few streets off, move to a window or step outside and update.
How accurate is this?
It depends on your device. A phone outdoors is usually accurate to 3 to 10 meters. Indoors, or on a computer without GPS, the error can be tens or hundreds of meters. The “Accuracy” value and the circle on the map show the uncertainty of each reading.
How do I share my current location on WhatsApp?
Once your exact location is found, tap “Send on WhatsApp”. WhatsApp opens with a message that contains your address and a link to the map. Pick the contact and send it. You can also copy the link and paste it into any other app. For a location that updates as you move, use WhatsApp's own live location.
Does this site store my location?
No. Your position is calculated on your device and shown on your screen. We don't store it or link it to any profile. Cookies are only used for visitor statistics and ads: in the EU, the UK and Switzerland only with your consent, elsewhere by default, and you can switch them off. To find the address, your browser sends the coordinates to OpenStreetMap's map service.
Can I see the address or postal code of another place?
Yes. Type the address, area or city into the search box, or tap a point on the map. The page shows the same details as for your own location: address, postal code, coordinates and elevation.
Does it work on a computer or without GPS?
Yes. Computers work out their position from nearby Wi-Fi networks or from the internet connection, so the result is less accurate than on a phone. For an exact address, open the page on your smartphone.
Do I need to install an app or sign up?
No. The tool runs in the browser of any phone, tablet or computer, and there is no account to create.