Snapchat now lets you notify others when you arrive at your destination

Following the launch of the “Home Safe” feature that allows users to notify friends and family when they arrive home safely, Snapchat is now offering additional alerts to notify others when users reach other destinations.

The social media giant announced Monday that with new “Arrival Notifications,” users can now set one-time or recurring alerts for locations outside their homes, providing an automated way to share when they arrive at specific places.

“Arrival notifications now work in everyday moments — like letting someone know you’re back at night while travelling, or automatically sharing when you arrive for a class, training, or weekly meeting — without having to remember to send a message,” the company wrote in a blog post.

As with the platform’s Home Safe alerts, access notifications can only be sent to friends you choose to share your location with. Note that location sharing on Snap Map is turned off by default. Snapchat explained that no one can see your location or receive an alert unless you choose to share it. One-time alerts expire after they are sent or after 24 hours.

To use access notifications, you need to share your location with a friend you trust and want to keep informed. Next, you have to tap on your friendship profile and scroll down to Access Notifications. You can choose a location on the map and give it a personal name. For example, you could set a “Running Club” site or a “Piano Lessons” site. You can then choose a one-time alert or a recurring alert, after which Snapchat will notify your friend when you arrive.

The new feature comes as Snapchat announced last summer that Snap Map now has more than 400 million monthly active users.

Snap Map, which launched in 2017, was originally a way for users to see their friends’ locations and browse public snaps from around the world. The feature now also provides ways for users to discover local hotspots and find things to do.

With its Secure Home and Access Notifications features, Snapchat looks to continue competing with services like family location-sharing app Life360 and Apple’s Find My.