To see friends' locations on Instagram, the platform introduced a new feature called the Instagram map or Friend Map, launched in the U.S. in August 2025 with a global rollout to follow soon. Here's how you can use it:
- Open the Instagram app and go to your Direct Messages (DM) box.
- Look for the map feature (depicted as a photo of a map) located next to Notes at the top of your inbox.
- Tap the map to join the location-sharing feature; you will be prompted with "Join your friends on the map."
- Choose who can see your location: friends (followers you follow back), close friends, specific friends, or no one.
- Once you select your sharing audience, tap "Share now."
- Your location will be shared in real time and updated when you use or return to the Instagram app.
You can view your friends' locations on this map if they have opted to share them. The map also shows location-based content like stories and reels from people you follow, tagged with locations, available for 24 hours after posting. It's important to note that location sharing is opt-in, and Instagram users have control over who sees their location, ensuring privacy. The Friend Map is typically limited to friends you mutually follow or those on your Close Friends list. Besides the real-time map feature, you can also see a friend’s location in other ways on Instagram:
- By checking location tags in their posts or stories if they have tagged a location.
- By visiting their profile, tapping the three dots, and selecting "About this account" where you might find the general location where the account is based.
For finding friends near a specific location, you can use the search feature:
- Tap the search icon and enter a location name.
- Switch to the Places tab to find posts tagged in that location.
- Browse recent posts to see who has posted from that area, which might help you identify friends nearby.
These tools help you connect with friends and people nearby via location data shared by them on Instagram, while providing control over privacy and visibility.
