Where is my car? How to find your parked car

Walked out of the shop and have no idea where you left the car? Your phone can usually tell you. Here is how to find your parked car on iPhone and Android, what to try if you forgot to save the spot, and how to make sure it never happens again.

Find your parked car on iPhone with Apple Maps

Apple Maps can mark where you parked automatically when your iPhone disconnects from your car's CarPlay or Bluetooth. Check that these settings are on:

1. Open Settings, tap Privacy & Security, then Location Services, and turn Location Services on.
2. In Location Services, tap System Services and turn on Significant Locations.
3. Go back to Settings, tap Apps, then Maps, and turn on Show Parked Location.
4. To find the car, open Maps, tap Parked Car in the suggestions under the search field, then tap Directions.

Apple Maps only marks the spot when your car connects to the iPhone over Bluetooth or CarPlay, and it does not mark it at familiar places like home or work. Menu names can differ slightly between iOS versions.

Find your parked car with Google Maps on Android or iPhone

Google Maps lets you save your parking spot yourself, and on iPhone it can also detect it when your phone is connected to the car.

1. When you have parked, open Google Maps and tap the blue dot that shows your location.
2. Tap Save parking. To remember the floor or the meter time, open the parking location and add a note or a photo.
3. To get back, tap the “You parked here” pin, or search for “Saved parking”, and tap Directions.

On Android the spot stays saved until you clear it. On iPhone it is removed after 48 hours or when you start driving again.

Forgot to save where you parked?

If you did not save the spot, there are still a few places to look:

• Google Maps Timeline: if Timeline is turned on, tap your profile picture in Google Maps and open Your Timeline to see where you stopped today.
• Apple Maps: open Maps and look for Parked Car anyway. If your iPhone was connected to the car, it may have marked the spot on its own.
• Your car maker's app: many newer cars show their location in the manufacturer's app if connected services are turned on.
• A tracker in the car: an AirTag or another Bluetooth tracker left in the car shows up in the Find My or tracker app.
• Your photos: a photo you took near the car, even of a sign or a shop, carries the location where it was taken.

The easy way: save your spot with Find My Car

The built-in options depend on Bluetooth, CarPlay or remembering a few taps. Find My Car saves where you parked with one tap, from a widget or by asking Siri, and guides you straight back to the car. You can add a photo and a note for the floor or row, get a reminder before your parking time runs out, and share the spot with the people you travel with. It is free on iPhone and Android.

Tips so you never lose your car again

• Save the spot the moment you turn the engine off, before you walk away.
• In car parks, take a photo of the floor number or the nearest pillar.
• Note which exit or entrance you used to leave the car park.
• Share your parking spot with whoever you are meeting, so they can find the car too.