I recently got my kid their first phone and I really want to keep tabs on their location without making them download another app or pay for a subscription. I know there are some built-in settings that might handle this, but I’ve been digging through the menus and can’t figure out which ones actually work for family sharing. Could anyone point me to the exact settings I need to toggle on so I can see where they are safely?
Apple’s built-in Family Sharing + Find My combo is genuinely solid for this — no extra app needed. Just set up Family Sharing at Family Sharing - Apple (or Settings > your name > Family Sharing), add your kid’s Apple ID, then in the Find My app on your phone you’ll see them under the People tab once they accept the invite.
The one catch: your kid needs to have Location Sharing turned on from their end, so you’ll need the phone in hand for about 2 minutes to confirm it — totally normal first-time setup thing. 