[ios] Show Current Location and Update Location in MKMapView in Swift

I am learning how to use the new Swift language (only Swift, no Objective-C). To do it, I want to do a simple view with a map (MKMapView). I want to find and update the location of the user (like in the Apple Map app).

I tried this, but nothing happened:

import MapKit
import CoreLocation

class MapView : UIViewController, CLLocationManagerDelegate {

    @IBOutlet weak var map: MKMapView!
    var locationManager: CLLocationManager!

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        if (CLLocationManager.locationServicesEnabled())
        {
            locationManager = CLLocationManager()
            locationManager.delegate = self
            locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBest
            locationManager.requestAlwaysAuthorization()
            locationManager.startUpdatingLocation()
        }
    }
}

Could you please help me?

You just need to set the userTrackingMode of the MKMapView. If you only want to display and track the user location and implement the same behaviour as the Apple Maps app uses, there is no reason for writing additional code.

mapView.userTrackingMode = .follow

See more at https://developer.apple.com/documentation/mapkit/mkmapview/1616208-usertrackingmode .

For swift 3 and XCode 8 I find this answer:

• First, you need set privacy into info.plist. Insert string NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription with your description why you want get user location. For example, set string "For map in application".

• Second, use this code example

  @IBOutlet weak var mapView: MKMapView!
  
  private var locationManager: CLLocationManager!
  private var currentLocation: CLLocation?
  
  override func viewDidLoad() {
      super.viewDidLoad()
  
      mapView.delegate = self
  
      locationManager = CLLocationManager()
      locationManager.delegate = self
      locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBest
  
      // Check for Location Services
  
      if CLLocationManager.locationServicesEnabled() {
          locationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization()
          locationManager.startUpdatingLocation()
      }
  }
  
  // MARK - CLLocationManagerDelegate
  
  func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {
      defer { currentLocation = locations.last }
  
      if currentLocation == nil {
          // Zoom to user location
          if let userLocation = locations.last {
              let viewRegion = MKCoordinateRegionMakeWithDistance(userLocation.coordinate, 2000, 2000)
              mapView.setRegion(viewRegion, animated: false)
          }
      }
  }
  

• Third, set User Location flag in storyboard for mapView.

you have to override CLLocationManager.didUpdateLocations

 func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {

    let userLocation:CLLocation = locations[0] as CLLocation
    locationManager.stopUpdatingLocation()

    let location = CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: userLocation.coordinate.latitude, longitude: userLocation.coordinate.longitude)

    let span = MKCoordinateSpanMake(0.5, 0.5)

    let region = MKCoordinateRegion (center:  location,span: span)

    mapView.setRegion(region, animated: true)
}

you also have to add NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription and NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription to your plist setting Result as value

In Swift 4, I had used the locationManager delegate function as defined above ..

func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager!, 
    didUpdateLocations locations: [AnyObject]!) {

.. but this needed to be changed to ..

func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager,
    didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {

This came from .. https://github.com/lotfyahmed/MyLocation/blob/master/MyLocation/ViewController.swift - thanks!

Hi Sometimes setting the showsUserLocation in code doesn't work for some weird reason.

So try a combination of the following.

In viewDidLoad()

  self.mapView.showsUserLocation = true

Go to your storyboard in Xcode, on the right panel's attribute inspector tick the User location check box, like in the attached image. run your app and you should be able to see the User location

Swift 5.1

Get Current Location and Set on MKMapView

Import libraries:

import MapKit
import CoreLocation

set delegates:

CLLocationManagerDelegate , MKMapViewDelegate

Declare variable:

let locationManager = CLLocationManager()

Write this code on viewDidLoad():

self.locationManager.requestAlwaysAuthorization()
self.locationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization()

if CLLocationManager.locationServicesEnabled() {
    locationManager.delegate = self
    locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBest
    locationManager.startUpdatingLocation()
}
mapView.delegate = self
mapView.mapType = .standard
mapView.isZoomEnabled = true
mapView.isScrollEnabled = true

if let coor = mapView.userLocation.location?.coordinate{
    mapView.setCenter(coor, animated: true)
}

Write delegate method for location:

func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations 
    locations: [CLLocation]) {
    let locValue:CLLocationCoordinate2D = manager.location!.coordinate

    mapView.mapType = MKMapType.standard

    let span = MKCoordinateSpan(latitudeDelta: 0.05, longitudeDelta: 0.05)
    let region = MKCoordinateRegion(center: locValue, span: span)
    mapView.setRegion(region, animated: true)

    let annotation = MKPointAnnotation()
    annotation.coordinate = locValue
    annotation.title = "You are Here"
    mapView.addAnnotation(annotation)
}

Set permission in info.plist *

<key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
<string>This application requires location services to work</string>

<key>NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription</key>
<string>This application requires location services to work</string>

For Swift 2, you should change it to the following:

func locationManager(manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {
    let location = locations.last

    let center = CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: location!.coordinate.latitude, longitude: location!.coordinate.longitude)
    let region = MKCoordinateRegion(center: center, span: MKCoordinateSpan(latitudeDelta: 0.01, longitudeDelta: 0.01))

    self.map.setRegion(region, animated: true)
}

MyLocation is a Swift iOS Demo.

You can use this demo for the following:

1. Show the current location.

2. Choose other location: in this case stop tracking the location.

3. Add a push pin to a MKMapView(iOS) when touching.

100% working, easy steps and tested

Import libraries:

import MapKit
import CoreLocation

set delegates:

CLLocationManagerDelegate,MKMapViewDelegate

Take variable:

let locationManager = CLLocationManager()

write this code on viewDidLoad():

self.locationManager.requestAlwaysAuthorization()

    // For use in foreground
    self.locationManager.requestWhenInUseAuthorization()

    if CLLocationManager.locationServicesEnabled() {
        locationManager.delegate = self
        locationManager.desiredAccuracy = kCLLocationAccuracyBest
        locationManager.startUpdatingLocation()
    }

    mapView.delegate = self
    mapView.mapType = .standard
    mapView.isZoomEnabled = true
    mapView.isScrollEnabled = true

    if let coor = mapView.userLocation.location?.coordinate{
        mapView.setCenter(coor, animated: true)
    }

Write delegate method for location:

func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateLocations locations: [CLLocation]) {
    let locValue:CLLocationCoordinate2D = manager.location!.coordinate

    mapView.mapType = MKMapType.standard

    let span = MKCoordinateSpanMake(0.05, 0.05)
    let region = MKCoordinateRegion(center: locValue, span: span)
    mapView.setRegion(region, animated: true)

    let annotation = MKPointAnnotation()
    annotation.coordinate = locValue
    annotation.title = "Javed Multani"
    annotation.subtitle = "current location"
    mapView.addAnnotation(annotation)

    //centerMap(locValue)
}

Do not forgot to set permission in info.plist

<key>NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription</key>
<string>This application requires location services to work</string>

<key>NSLocationAlwaysUsageDescription</key>
<string>This application requires location services to work</string>

It's look like: