How to Use a Smartphone App to Find Your Car
If you can never remember where you parked your car, check out these apps to keep track.
Having trouble remembering where you parked your car? With the right smartphone app, you can mark where you parked your car and quickly locate it again.
Google Maps allows you to record the location of your car; iPhone users with CarPlay or Bluetooth in their vehicles can also use Apple Maps. Or find a variety of apps across app stores by searching “find my car.” Let’s check them out.
Google Maps (iOS and Android)
You can call on Google Maps to help find your car, whether you have an iPhone or Android phone, though some of the steps differ slightly between iOS and Android. After you’ve parked your car, open Google Maps on your phone.
Android
On an Android phone, tap the blue pin that represents your current location and parking spot. Select the Save your parking option, then tap the option at the bottom for More Info. You can now enter notes with more details about your location.
Tap the Add Photos button to snap a photo of your surroundings. In the Time left area, select a specific number of hours and/or minutes, which can be helpful if you’re parked at a meter. You can also tap Share if you want to share your location with someone else.
iPhone
On an iPhone, tap the blue pin for your current location and select Set as parking location. Press down on the blue pin until you see a section at the bottom for Dropped pin. Swipe up on that section to see more details about it.
Now it’s time to find your parked car. On an Android phone or iPhone, tap the blue pin for your parking spot. Tap Directions and then tap Go to get directions to your car.
Apple Maps (iOS)
You need to tweak a few settings before you can use Apple Maps to find your parking spot. Open Settings > Privacy > Location Services on your iPhone and make sure Location Services is turned on.
Scroll to the bottom of the Location Services screen and select System Services > Significant Locations. You may be asked for your passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID, then turn on the switch for Significant Locations.
Next, go to Settings > Maps and turn on the switch for Show Parked Location. Now the next time you drive somewhere, you can track your car’s location after you park.
Make sure your iPhone is connected via Bluetooth or CarPlay, then get out of the vehicle. When you disconnect from the car, your phone should display a notification indicating that Maps has dropped a pin to show where you parked.
If the notification doesn’t appear, open Apple Maps. Look for the blue Parked Car pin on the map and tap it. If you don’t see it, type “parked car” in the search field, and the car’s location should then appear. Tap the Edit Location button to see an image of your car’s surrounding area. You can also create a note with more details and tap the Add Photo button to snap a photo of your car and location.
When you need to find your car, open Apple Maps. Tap the Parked Car pin, select Directions, and then tap the Go button to follow walking directions to your parked car.
Parked Car Locator (Android)
With Parked Car Locator, tap the compass icon to zoom in on your current location. Tap the Park Here button and tap OK to set your parking.
When it’s time to find your car, just open the app and follow the arrow to get to your car. Tap the hamburger icon in the upper left to switch the view between normal, satellite, terrain, and hybrid.
Find My Car — GPS Navigation (Android)
A straightforward app, Find My Car — GPS Navigation makes it simple to record your car’s location and then find it later. Open the app and tap the Park button. You can then add a note to your location and snap a photo of it.
When you’re ready to return to your car, open the app again and tap the Find My Car button. Just follow the direction of the pointer, and the app will steer you to the right spot.
Find My Car with AR by Bello Studios (iOS)
The $1.99 Find My Car with AR app is quite simple. At the main screen, tap the Add New Car Location license plate icon when you park your car. Tap the Mark Location button. Name the location and select the location type, then tap the Save location button.
When you need to find your car, open the app and tap the Back to Location button. You’ll see the location of your car displayed on the map. Walk in the direction of your car. You can switch among a map view, a satellite view, or a hybrid view that combines the two, or tap the AR icon to see your surroundings as you walk.
Find Your Car with AR by Augmented Works (iOS)
If you choose Find Your Car with AR, open the app before you leave your car and tap the I parked here button. When it’s time to find your car, launch the app again. A large red arrow points in the direction of your car; just follow that arrow.
You can change the display from a conventional map to a satellite or between a regular or augmented reality map. The AR map shows you your actual surrounding area so you can see what’s nearby as you walk to the car.
Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com.
