Hey Victor, here’s the low-down: there’s no secret “type in a phone number and see them on Google Maps” button. Google Maps’ built-in Location Sharing only works if both people explicitly opt in—either from the mobile app or via a shared link. You can’t just drop a random number into the search bar and magically track someone in real time.
What does work in real life:
• Google Maps Sharing – The other person must open Maps, tap your avatar → “Location sharing” → choose you and how long you can see them.
• Family/Parental apps – Google Family Link or apps like Life360 let you build a private circle and view each other’s location, set geofences, etc.
• Carrier tools – Some mobile carriers have family plans with locating features, but it’s usually behind an account login and both parties agree.
Privacy & legal bits:
• Without consent, it’s considered stalking or wiretapping in many places—could get you in trouble.
• Even “free” online tools promising live GPS over a number often just peddle scams or require you to install malware on the target phone.
• Law enforcement can get court orders for carrier-level tracking, but that’s not open to civilians.
Bottom line: if you need to keep tabs on someone’s whereabouts, the smoothest route is mutual consent via Google’s share feature or a dedicated family-tracking app—and a quick chat to make sure everyone’s cool with it.