I’m baffled! I want to start using Facebook Places when I’m in public venues (having read your article yesterday about Facebook Places and Privacy, thanks for that!) but it can’t ever find my location. Is there some secret to getting it to work on my iPhone 4?
Wait! You haven’t sacrificed twin goats, one to Facebook and one to Apple? Well, there’s your problem! 🙂
More seriously, while Facebook seems to default to minimal privacy, Apple tends more towards protecting your privacy than otherwise, and so it is likely the situation in this case too: your iPhone (well, iOS 4 on your iPhone, to be accurate) is refusing to let Facebook know your location because you haven’t explicitly enabled that feature yet.
I had the same situation when I started experimenting with Facebook Places, so I know the most likely places where you need to tweak your settings to get things working properly.
First off, make sure you have the latest version of Facebook on your iPhone: you can tell because it has the Places icon right there smack-dab in the middle of the screen:
Tap on the icon and you’ll see where your friends are, but not relative to your own location (which makes sense). On the top right is a “Check In” button. Tap on that and you’ll see:
Yeah, that’s probably where you’re stuck, right?
Go back to your home screen on your Apple iPhone 4, and go to Settings, then look for General. Tap on it and you’ll see…
You want to tweak your Location Settings. Tap on that.
Ah ha! I had Facebook blocked from using Location Services, so the phone refused to let the app know my current lat/long location. Good, unless I want Facebook on the iPhone to know where I am. To fix it, just slide the control to “ON”.
Now, go back to the Facebook app, tap on Places again, and you’ll see that it now knows your location and gives you the location of people relative to your own location:
Even cooler, tap on “Check In” and after just a second or two (it’s way faster than Foursquare, I have to say) it shows you a list of known venues near your location:
I’ll complete the tutorial by checking in at a favorite coffee shop in town, Atlas Purveyors. I tap on the venue name and it shows me the location and who is currently here:
Once more a “Check In” button to tap and, once I do…
That’s all there is to it. Oh, and on Facebook? Here’s what my friends saw:
Cool. Once you address the privacy issues, it’s definitely pretty slick stuff, this Facebook Places!
Very amazing….imagine how i am frustrated of this little problem….
You are such a genius…..thank you sooooooooooooo much dave….
Great stuff thanks a lot, really glad I came across this
I too am having the same problem. Just got an iPhone 4s the other day and immediately updated to ios6. When trying to use the check in app on facebook it will show me on a map exactly where I am but it says “no nearby places” and my only option is to create a place. I checked and made sure my location settings were on and they are. Not sure at all what it cane be.
Ai have the same problem David 😐 … if i put in the phone another account of facebook,works just fine this function “check in ” but my account has the same problem like yours ! i’m so disappointed 🙁
Was working fine till yesterday then suddenly I started getting no places found; however, my friend sitting right next to me who also did the ios6 update had a list of places. Cannot figure it out. It lets me add a place but does not seem to retain it either.
Hi yeah same as Steve – have used check in fine for ages suddenly as of today always come up no nearby places – my wifes s2 still works fine – i logged out and back in on my iphone – no effect – I removed the fb app and rebooted the iphone before reinstalling – no effect!
Suspicious that this happens so soon after all the ios6 problems is nt it?
I have specifically not updated because I use maps a lot!!
Any suggestions?
iPhone 4 update now I can’t check in anywhere …I get no nearby locations. Went to location services and its on. Any suggestions?
Hi I have tried all the above and still cannot check in to places with my iphone 4s – have rang my service provider and also apple help desk with no luck – any advice please? Thanks!
Mine doesnt have the places icon in the middle of the screen, mine has the same pic but it says nearby, i followed the step by step guide but only got as far as finding location services, as that wasnt an option on my ipod touch
This post is so helpful! Thanks much! 🙂
When I try to check in on facebook from my iphone I get “error your update could no be posted at this time” Location setting is on…any suggestions? It was working fine 2 weeks ago..now nothing.
Dave, that worked GREAT!!! Thank you so much for your help !!!
okay so i have done the things you told me to and still there was no luck,facebook would still keep on searching for my location.please tell me what else i can do?
“Why can’t Facebook Places find my location on the iPhone?” – I can find other places and check in fine. I’ve added my home as a place in facebook. I’ve claimed it, and I can see it when I look at my on-line profile. But, when I go to check in, it rarely (it has let me check in twice) shows up. I type in exactly the way I’ve added the home name, but it won’t find it. Help?
@brooke: go at settings > general > restrictions and set Location ON..
This will solve your problem..
Have fun
Thank you for the easy to follow directions and visuals. The directions on facebook didn’t work and Att tech told me to take the phone to an apple store that is about 25 miles away.
You are a generous person!
i have a 3g and i have the latest version 4.2.1 i cannot use current location on any of my apps. i go to the settings and go to general and then location services and it says it is on but it and the list of apps under it are grayed out and i can’t change anything. i can’t even disable the location settings. is this because of the versioni i have? can i do something about this. please help i’m so frustrated.
oh my…thx u very very much!!
When I go to Location Services it is on but the only other item listed is camera, and that is also on. Facebook is not listed.
OMG thanks so much 🙂
your a LEGEND 😛
My location services on my iPhone 3G is complety unable what can I do???