Google's Trusted Contacts app lets users share locations in an emergency

Emergency contacts are a handy thing to have, and Google has just unveiled its Trusted Contacts app to help keep us all a little safer when we’re walking home in the dark or off on an adventure into the unknown. As the name suggests, Trusted Contacts can be used to quickly share your location with a selection of your most trusted family and friends.

The app works with existing contacts on your phone, but allows you to assign a “trusted” status to your friends and family. These people can then make location requests about you if they’re worried, which you can deny if you want some privacy. You can make similar requests of them and can also send them your location directly should you need bailing out of a tricky situation. The contact limit is 50, but Google expects that most people will just opt to use 5 or 6. Location access can also be revoked at any time, and it’s entirely an opt-in service.

If a contact requests your location and you don’t reply back in five minutes, Google will automatically send your location to them. As well as sharing GPS location details, the app offers up the ability for contacts to view your phone as offline when you don’t have any reception and also when you’re battery is dead.

The app is currently available for all Android devices running version 4.1 and up. To get started, simply download the app below, add some contacts, and then they’ll receive an email asking them to sign up to the app too.