“No location found” usually means the system tried to get someone’s real‑time location but couldn’t, most often because of a temporary technical issue rather than a deliberate block.

What “No location found” actually means

On iPhone (especially in the Find My app or in iMessage), “No location found” shows when your phone can’t fetch the other person’s current location at that moment.

In plain terms, the location request went out, but the device you’re tracking didn’t send back usable data.

Common everyday example:

You open Find My to see where your friend is, but instead of their moving dot on the map, it says “No location found.” That usually points to a connection, battery, or settings issue on their side, not automatically that they’re hiding from you.

Most common reasons you see it

You’ll usually get “No location found” for one or more of these reasons:

  • Device is turned off or battery is dead.
  • No internet on their phone (no Wi‑Fi and no mobile data, or very weak signal).
  • Airplane mode is on, cutting off network and sometimes GPS access.
  • Location Services are turned off on their device.
  • “Find My” or location sharing permission is disabled or restricted.
  • Temporary glitch with Apple’s location services or a buggy/outdated iOS version.

In most cases, once the phone reconnects to the internet, powers back on, or fixes its settings, the “No location found” message disappears and the live location returns.

“No location found” vs. “Location not available”

These two messages sound similar but hint at different things:

  • No location found
    • Usually means a technical/connection problem right now.
    • The system is trying to get the location but can’t reach the device properly.
    • Common causes: no signal, phone off, dead battery, Airplane mode, or broken GPS.
  • Location not available
    • Often means the person has turned off or restricted sharing with you, or there’s a permissions issue.
    • It can show when someone stopped sharing their location or disabled location permissions for Find My or Messages.

So, “No location found” leans more toward “can’t reach the device,” while “Location not available” leans more toward “you don’t have access to their location.”

Quick ways to fix or check (for you and them)

If you’re the one seeing the error on your iPhone, here are practical checks (either on your phone or ask the other person to check theirs):

  1. Make sure the device is on and online
    • Check that the phone isn’t out of battery.
    • Confirm mobile data or Wi‑Fi is working (open a web page or app that needs internet).
  2. Turn Location Services on
    • Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services and turn it on.
    • Make sure Find My (and Messages, if using iMessage location) is allowed to use location, ideally “While Using the App” and with Precise Location on.
  1. Check Find My & sharing settings
    • Settings → [your name] → Find My → ensure Find My iPhone is enabled and “Share My Location” is turned on.
 * In the Find My app, confirm that the person is actually sharing their location with you.
  1. Disable Airplane Mode and VPN (temporarily)
    • Turn off Airplane Mode if it’s enabled.
    • If using a VPN or security app that might interfere with location or network, briefly turn it off and re‑test.
  1. Restart and update
    • Restart the iPhone.
    • Check for iOS updates in Settings → General → Software Update, since some versions have location‑related bugs.

Often, just restoring internet access or turning Location Services and sharing back on is enough to clear the message.

Forum & “trending topic” angle

Over the last couple of years, “what does no location found mean” has become a frequent question on forums, Q&A sites, and tech blogs, especially as more people rely on Find My to check on friends, partners, and family.

Many posts mix technical worries (“Is their phone off?”) with emotional worries (“Did they stop sharing with me?”), which is why guides now tend to highlight the difference between a temporary technical error and intentionally stopped sharing.

A common pattern in recent discussions:

“It suddenly says ‘No location found’ for my partner. Does this mean they turned off location?”
Often, replies explain it’s more likely signal, battery, or Airplane mode, and that “Location not available” or the absence of any sharing icon is usually more closely tied to someone choosing not to share.

SEO-style mini FAQ

Does “No location found” mean someone blocked me?
Not by itself. It usually points to a connection/device problem, not a block. A block or stopped sharing is more likely to show as “Location not available” or no sharing at all.

Can it show if their phone is off or dead?
Yes. A powered‑off or dead device can’t update its location, so Find My may show “No location found” until it turns back on and reconnects.

Is “No location found” permanent?
Usually no. Once the device regains power, internet, and proper settings, the live location normally returns and the message disappears.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.