How to Draw on Google Maps

Create custom routes with the My Maps App

By
Cesar Aroldo-Cadenas
Cesar Cadenas Writer
Cesar Aroldo-Cadenas
Writer
  • California State University - Long Beach
Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the tech industry since 2016 on a variety of topics like cryptocurrency, video games, the latest gadgets, and much more.
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Updated on May 5, 2022
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
Jon Fisher headshot
Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
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What to Know

  • My Maps in a browser: Plot the points > Draw a line > Add Driving Route. Use mouse to draw route.
  • Mark current location: Create a map; type your address in the search bar.
  • The Android My Maps app is no longer available; however, you can use My Maps in a mobile browser on your device.

This guide will show you how to draw on Google Maps using Google's My Maps tool, which is accessible via desktop and mobile browsers. My Maps lets you create maps with custom information personalized to suit your needs.

How to Create a Route With My Maps

Use the browser-based Google My Maps tool to draw a custom route.

  1. Go to My Maps in your browser and sign in to your Google account, if you aren't already signed in.

  2. Click +CREATE A NEW MAP in the upper-left corner to get started. (You can also select an existing map if you've already made one.)

    Create a New Map button in Google Maps

  3. To get started, enter a location in the search box and press Enter or Return on your keyboard. Select Untitled Map to name your map at any point.

    Location highlighted in Search Box in Google My Maps

  4. In the upper-left maps tools box, select Add Layer.

    Google My Maps tool box with Add layer highlighted

  5. Select Untitled Layer and name the layer Markers. Select Save.

    Markers name highlighted in Google My Maps layer name box

  6. Select Add Marker and place the marker at the starting point of your route.

    Add Marker tool highlighted in Google My Maps

  7. In the Point One box, enter a name for your starting point and select Save.

    Google My Maps Point 1 Box highlighted

  8. Select the Draw a Line tool.

    Draw a Line tool highlighted in Google My Maps

  9. Select Add Driving Route.

    Add Driving Route highlighted in Google My Maps

  10. Click on your starting point to begin drawing the route, and then double-click on your ending point to stop drawing. My Maps will create your route. (A new driving layer will automatically appear.)

    Route highlighted in Google My Maps

  11. You can add lines and shapes to further customize your map. Click Draw a line and select Add a line or shape.

    Google My Maps with Add line or shape highlighted

  12. Use the tool to draw lines to signify paths that are not observable on Google Maps or draw shapes to highlight a specific portion. Once created, you can add a note to the line or shape. Select Save.

    Note added in Google My Maps

Note

Your Map is automatically saved on your Google Drive, so there's no need to manually save it.

How Do I Mark My Current Location in My Maps?

Go to Google My Maps in a web browser and create a new map. Then, type in your address in the search bar at the top of the page. My Maps will place a green marker over your location.

What Happened to Google My Maps for Android?

In 2021, Google removed the Google My Maps Android app from the Google Play Store. You can still use Google My Maps on a mobile browser by navigating to mymaps.google.com.

Any maps you created using the My Maps Android application are still accessible. To find them, open the Google Maps app and select Saved. Alternatively, go to mymaps.google.com to access them.

My Maps was never available on iOS. However, you can access My Maps via a mobile browser on your iOS device.

FAQ
  • Can you draw a radius on Google Maps?

    Google Maps does not support radius functionality. However, you can use a third-party tool. For instance, if you go to the Draw a Circle tool from Map Developers, you can create a circle on a Google map using a point and a radius.

  • Can you draw a grid on Google Maps?

    It is not possible to show the latitude and longitude lines on Google Maps, but you can do that on Google Earth. In a web browser or on the Google Earth app, go to Settings > Map Style > Enable Gridlines.

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