How often do you worry about getting lost in an unknown place? Well, with Google Maps we can afford to get lost, as it is the biggest safety net we can rely on. Recently, I moved to a new place in a much bigger and better society, and that automatically increased my chances of getting lost. So, I simply set the location of my new house on Google Maps and started exploring the area. If I ever got lost, I just followed Maps to get back home. There are a variety of scenarios where this Google Maps feature can come in handy. So, let’s learn how to place a marker on Google Maps.
Place a pin in the Google Maps mobile app
As I said before, I fixed the location of my new place so I wouldn’t get lost. But simply placing a marker on a location is not enough, especially if you want to return to it. Therefore, the smartest thing is to “save” such important places. Likewise, I have a Favorites list of all the cafes and restaurants to save me from ruining a date. There are so many things you can do with this feature, and the good thing here is that you can use it on both your mobile phone and PC.
So to get started, follow these steps to place a marker on Google Maps on Android and iOS. In this case, I used my Android device to describe the process. Here’s a quick summary:
- Open the Google Maps app and search for the location you want to pin using the search bar at the top.
- If you want to pin the location you are currently at or near, tap the current location icon in the lower right corner and place the pin manually.
- Once you find the location you want to pin, simply long-press that particular point on the map and a red marker should instantly appear.
- You’ll also see a lot of different options that come with setting a location, along with the option to Save the set location. Tap it to “save” your location.
- You can then create a new list for the saved location or add it to a pre-existing list. Then you must touch the Made button in the upper right corner.
- Immediately after, you will see a message at the bottom confirming that you have saved the location to the list.
Place a Pin in Google Maps on desktop or on the web
Although it is most convenient to place a marker in the Google Maps mobile app on Android or iOS, you can also do it from your desktop PC or laptop. Follow these steps:
- Go to the official Google Maps website using your PC browser.
- So, click once on the location that you want to pin on the map and a small gray pin It will appear wherever you click.
- At the bottom of the screen, you will see a small popup information panel. Click on it.
- As soon as you do, the gray pin will transform into the big red pin you want to drop, along with the various options displayed in the left panel above the location.
- Here you can also see the Save option. Click on it.
- Finally, select the list where you want to save the pinned location and you’re done.
Note:
If you click on a highlighted location that the map instantly recognizes, the red pin will appear directly instead of the small gray pin. For example, if you click directly on a coffee shop or a shopping center building.
Note that you can’t add or drop multiple pins to your standard Google Maps that way. You’ll have to take the Google. my maps page path, but that’s a pain, especially if you’re new to this. The best thing you can do is simply pin and “save” multiple locations and find them in the Saved section of Google Maps.
Delete a fallen Pin in the Google Maps app
Just like placing a marker on Google Maps, the process to delete it is also quite simple. Whether you’re on Android, iOS, or your desktop, once you pin a place, simply tap or click anywhere else on the map to instantly unpin the location.
However, if you “save” a place after pinning it and want to delete the saved place, here’s where you’ll find your saved locations and how to easily delete them on Android or iOS:
- Once in the Android or iOS app, from the bottom panel header to the Saved eyelash.
- Here you will see lists of locations that you have saved on your mobile.
- If you want to delete an entire list of saved locations, simply tap the three-dot menu right next to the list -> Delete List -> Delete.
Note:
You can only delete lists that you have created. Pre-existing lists such as I want to go, Tagged, Travel plans, Featured places and Favorites cannot be deleted.
- On the other hand, if you want to delete a particular saved location in these lists, tap the list containing the saved locations you want to delete.
- Then, in the list panel, scroll to the right to reveal the Edit option and select it.
- You will now see all pinned locations in this list with a cross (x) button to the right. Tap this next to the pinned locations you want to remove.
- This should instantly remove the location from the list. Then touch Save in the upper right corner of your screen.
Delete a dropped pin in Google Maps on desktop
- Once you are on the Google Maps website, click on the burger menu in the upper left corner of your screen.
- Then select the Saved option from the left side panel here.
- Here, right next to the different lists, you will see three point menu icons.
- Next, click on the three dots icon and select the Edit List option.
- You will see that the different pinned locations of a particular list that you edit appear with a cross button (x) with them.
- Simply click the cross-shaped button next to the pinned location you want to delete, and you’re done.
Tips for using pinned locations on Google Maps
Now that you know how to place a marker on Google Maps and remove it, there are a couple of additional tips you should know. I find myself using them over and over again, and I really feel like they will be useful to you too. Here’s a quick summary:
- So let’s say you’ve discovered this amazing cafe and your friend has had a hard time finding one. You can simply mark the location and share with your friend. That will make it easier for you to discover and navigate to it.
- Another thing I’ve been using a lot is the ability to collaborate on saved lists. In my case, when my friend and I first moved to a new city, we had no information on where to start exploring it. So, we used this feature to create a list together and as we learned about different places thanks to locals or our new friends, we kept saving them in the “I wanna go” Google Maps List. Then, we started exploring these places.
- When collaborating or sharing a list, you can leave notes for the other person to see and take note of. This is useful, especially if you are planning a trip and want to visit specific places on specific dates.
We rely heavily on Google Maps at the moment, and knowing how to place a marker and get the most out of it will only improve your navigation experience even more. There are a lot of things to do with Maps and I certainly hope this guide can make things a lot easier for you. That said, let me know in the comments below if you’ve used this feature and, if so, how you use it.
