How to share a live journey tracking link safely
A live journey link can answer the useful questions: Are they still travelling? Which route are they taking? When might they arrive? Temporary access keeps that coordination tied to one journey.
What a live journey tracking link does
A journey link gives its recipient a temporary view of route progress without requiring them to join the same group or create an account. It can be useful for pickups, late-night arrivals, long drives and meeting someone at an unfamiliar destination.
Treat the link like a private message. Anyone who receives or is forwarded an active link may be able to open it, so send it only through a trusted channel to the people who need it.
Before the journey starts
Set the destination while safely parked and explain who will receive the link. Check that location permission, battery level and mobile data are suitable for the trip. The recipient should understand that estimates can change with traffic, route choices and connectivity.
- Confirm the destination and intended recipient.
- Share the link privately rather than in a group or public post.
- Agree on what the recipient should do if updates stop.
- Set up navigation before moving and avoid handling the phone while driving.
During the drive
The driver should focus on the road. A journey viewer can use route progress and arrival estimates as context, but should not expect each update to be immediate. Tunnels, remote areas, battery-saving modes and background restrictions can interrupt updates.
If plans change, communicate when it is safe to do so. A tracking link is not an emergency service and should never be the only safety plan.
End access after arrival
Temporary access should end when its purpose ends. KinNearby journey links stop when Drive ends, when the link expires or when the sender revokes it. The sender remains responsible for choosing recipients and ending access when it is no longer useful.
If a link was sent to the wrong person, revoke it and create a new one rather than relying on a request not to open the old link.
Journey links versus permanent sharing
Permanent sharing may be unnecessary when the need is limited to one trip. A journey link gives route and arrival context while reducing ongoing access after the trip. For people already in a trusted KinNearby circle, a driver can instead choose whether that journey should be visible to the circle.
Common questions
Questions about this guide
Does someone need a KinNearby account to open a journey link?
No. A recipient can open the active private link without joining the sender's circle, so the link must be shared carefully.
When does a KinNearby journey link stop working?
It stops when Drive ends, the sender revokes it or its expiry is reached.
Can live journey updates be delayed?
Yes. Connectivity, battery settings, location permissions and operating-system restrictions can delay or stop updates.