Creating a custom map starts in Google My Maps, not the regular Google Maps app

Google Maps has two separate tools. The regular Google Maps app on your phone or computer shows you existing maps and directions. Google My Maps is the tool that lets you build your own map from scratch — marking specific locations, drawing routes, organizing pins into categories, and sharing the result with other people. You access it through a web browser, not the mobile app.

The process takes about five minutes for a basic map. You'll start by going to mymaps.google.com, create a new map, then add locations by searching for addresses, clicking on the map, or uploading a list of places. Once you've added what you need, you can customize how the pins look, organize them into layers, and share the map with anyone you want to see it.

Key Takeaways

  • Google My Maps is a separate tool from the regular Google Maps app and only works in a web browser, not on your phone.
  • You can add locations by searching for an address, clicking directly on the map, or uploading a spreadsheet of multiple places at once.
  • Pins can be organized into named layers so you can show or hide groups of locations — useful for separating categories like restaurants, hotels, and landmarks.
  • You share a custom map by sending a link, and you can control whether people can only view it or also edit it.

Starting a new map and adding your first location

Open a web browser and go to mymaps.google.com. You'll see a button that says "Create a new map." Click it. A new blank map will open with a search box at the top left and a white panel on the left side labeled "Untitled map." Give your map a name by clicking "Untitled map" and typing something descriptive — for example, "Weekend hikes near Portland" or "Best coffee shops downtown."

To add your first location, use the search box at the top. Type an address, a business name, or a landmark. When you see the result you want in the dropdown, click it. A pin will appear on the map, and a card will open on the left side showing the location's name and address. You can add a description, a photo, or a label to this pin by clicking inside the card. When you're done, click elsewhere on the map or press Enter to save it.

Alternatively, you can click directly on the map where you want a pin to appear. A new untitled marker will drop, and you can then search for the exact location or type in the details manually. This method is slower but useful if you want to mark a spot that doesn't have a formal address — like a hiking trailhead or a scenic overlook.

Adding multiple locations at once with a spreadsheet

If you have many locations to add, typing them one by one is tedious. Google My Maps lets you upload a spreadsheet instead. Create a file in Google Sheets or Excel with at least two columns: one for the location name and one for the address. You can add extra columns for descriptions, labels, or other details — Google will recognize them automatically.

In Google My Maps, click the "Import" button (it looks like an arrow pointing up). Select your spreadsheet file from your computer. Google will scan the file, identify which column contains addresses, and ask you to confirm. Once you approve, all the locations will appear on your map as pins at once. This method is much faster for adding 20, 50, or 100 locations than searching for each one individually.

Organizing pins into layers and customizing their appearance

A layer is a named group of pins that you can show or hide as a unit. Layers are useful when your map contains different types of locations — for example, one layer for restaurants, another for museums, and a third for parking. To create a layer, look at the left panel and click "Add layer." Give it a name, then add pins to it by searching or clicking the map while that layer is selected.

You can customize how each pin looks. Click any pin on the map, then click the paintbrush icon in the card that opens. You can change the pin's color, icon (a house, a star, a dollar sign, and many others), and the color of the icon itself. These changes explore only to that single pin. If you want all pins in a layer to look the same, you can set a default style for the entire layer by clicking the three dots next to the layer name and selecting "Change style."

You can also draw lines and shapes on your map. Click the line tool in the toolbar at the top, then click points on the map to create a route or boundary. This is useful for marking a walking tour, a road trip route, or the perimeter of a neighborhood.

Sharing your map with others

Once your map is complete, click the "Share" button in the top right. A dialog will open with a link to your map. You can copy this link and send it to anyone via email, text, or social media. By default, anyone with the link can only view your map — they cannot edit it.

If you want someone to be able to add or change locations on your map, click "Change" next to the sharing settings and select "Editor" instead of "Viewer." This turns your map into a collaborative document that multiple people can work on together. You can also keep the map private by selecting "Restricted" and then choosing specific people who can access it.

People who receive your map link do not need a Google account to view it. They can open the link in any web browser and see all your pins, layers, and descriptions. If they're editors, they'll need to sign in to their Google account to make changes.

Editing and updating your map later

Your map is never locked. You can return to mymaps.google.com at any time, click on your map from the list, and add, remove, or change anything. Click any existing pin to edit its name, description, or appearance. Right-click a pin and select "Delete" to remove it. You can also rename layers, change their visibility, or delete entire layers if you no longer need them.

If you want to read your map as a file, click the three dots next to your map name and select "Export to KML." This creates a file you can save to your computer or import into other mapping software. You can also print your map by clicking the three dots and selecting "Print," which opens your browser's print dialog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Google My Maps on my phone?

Google My Maps works best in a web browser on a computer. The mobile app has limited editing features, so if you need to add or change many locations, use a computer instead. You can view and navigate your maps on your phone using the regular Google Maps app by searching for your map by name.

What happens if I share my map and someone edits it?

If you've set someone as an editor, any changes they make appear on the map when ready for everyone who can see it. You can always undo their changes by clicking the three dots next to your map name and selecting "Version history" to see who changed what and when.

Can I embed my map on a website?

Yes. Click the three dots next to your map name and select "Embed on my website." Google will generate HTML code you can copy and paste into your website's code. The map will appear as an interactive embed that visitors can zoom and pan.

Is there a limit to how many locations I can add?

Google My Maps does not publish a hard limit, but performance slows noticeably once you have several thousand pins on a single map. For very large datasets, consider splitting locations across multiple maps or using layers to organize them logically.

Can I convert a regular Google Maps search into a custom map?

Not directly, but you can manually recreate it. Search for what you want in regular Google Maps, then open each result and add it to your custom map by clicking the three dots and selecting "Add to map." For many results, uploading a spreadsheet is faster.