Where Am I?
Tap Tell me where I am and allow access to see the city, region and country you're in, plus the nearest address and a map. Coordinates are sent only to look up the place and are not stored by us.
Your browser will ask for permission. Coordinates are sent only to look up the place name and are not stored by us.
Also about your spot
How we work out where you are
Your device reports its position as latitude and longitude. We turn those numbers into names, a step called reverse geocoding, by matching them against map data for cities, counties, states and countries. The result is a sentence such as "You're in Austin, Texas, United States", followed by the closest street address.
If map data also names a neighborhood or smaller locality at your spot, it appears below as "Near …". Between towns, the answer names the nearest locality in the map data, and the address line tells you which road you're on.
The first answer appears as soon as your device has a fix. If a better fix in the next few seconds puts you somewhere else, the name updates.
What affects the answer
- Accuracy of the position. A phone under open sky is usually within about 16 ft (5 m), a laptop on Wi-Fi within roughly 65–330 ft (20–100 m). A desktop without Wi-Fi may use its internet connection, which is often a few miles (several km) off.
- Buildings and trees. Tall buildings, tunnels and dense trees block or reflect satellite signals, so the circle grows. Downtown, that can be enough to name the next neighborhood.
- Borders. Near a city limit or state line, a small error can put you on the wrong side. The map shows the accuracy circle; zoom in to see how close you are to the next town.
- VPN on a computer. Without Wi-Fi location, the browser may use the VPN's location, so you can appear in another city or country. A VPN doesn't move a phone, which uses GPS.
- Place names. Map data uses official names. A neighborhood may appear as its city, and an unincorporated area as the nearest town.
- Postal city vs. real city. Mailing addresses often use a nearby city's name even outside its limits, so your address and the place we show can differ.
If the place is wrong
- Look at the accuracy circle on the map. If it's large, move outdoors and tap Update location.
- Turn on precise location for your browser in your phone's settings.
- On a computer, turn Wi-Fi on and pause any VPN, then tap Update location.
- Tap the spot on the map where you really are to see its name.
- For one specific answer, use What city am I in?, What county am I in? or What is my ZIP Code?
Frequently asked questions
Where am I right now?
Tap Tell me where I am and allow location access. Within a few seconds you'll see the city, region and country you're in, the nearest address and your position on a map.
Where am I located on the map?
You're the blue dot. The shaded circle is the accuracy radius: you're almost certainly inside it, though not always at its center.
Where am I if I'm on a highway or trail?
The answer names the nearest locality in map data, and the address line shows the road you're on. On a highway or trail, tap Copy next to the coordinates to give someone your spot.
Can I find where I am without GPS?
Yes. Laptops and desktops estimate position from Wi-Fi networks or the internet connection. It's less precise, from a few blocks to a few miles (several km). That's often enough for the city, though network location can name a nearby one.
Do you keep a record of where I am?
No. Your coordinates are sent only to look up the place name and are not stored by us.