How to Drop a Pin in Apple Maps on iPhone and iPad

Put a pin in Apple Maps to find destinations using iOS 11 and 12

A person is holding an iPhone next to a traditional map. The iPhone displays the Maps app.

Brook Pifer/Getty Images

by Jennifer Allen
Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications.
Updated April 07, 2019

Placing a pin down on a location in Apple Maps makes it easier to get where you need to go using your iPhone. It's even possible to share your exact location with your contacts. Learn how to drop a pin on iPhone so that you never lost.

Instructions in this article apply to Apple iPhones and iPads running iOS 11 or iOS 12.

How to Drop a Pin on Apple Maps

To pin a location on Apple Maps using your iPhone or iPad:

  1. Launch Maps from your iPhone's Home screen. The screen opens up on your current location with a blue pin highlighting exactly where you are.

  2. Tap and hold on a location where you want to drop a pin. If you're using an iPhone X, iPhone XS, or iPhone XR, you'll feel a brief vibration from your iPhone as the pin appears on the screen. Older iPhones don't provide this tactile feedback.

    Nothing showing up when you hold down on the screen? Try zooming in by pinching your fingers outwards, then holding down again on the road. 

  3. Tap Edit Location to view a zoomed-in shot of the road and get a more realistic view of the location.

    Tap Edit Location on Apple Maps to view a zoomed-in shot of the road and get a more realistic view of the location.

  4. Your new pin now shows up as a marked location on Apple Maps.

How to Get More From Your Apple Maps Pin 

Once you've pinned a location, swipe up on Marked Location to get more options:

  • Tap Directions to be given the fastest route to the location. Your iPhone automatically determines if the location is near enough for you to walk, or if it needs to provide driving instructions. 
  • Want to add the location to a contact on your iPhone contacts list? Tap Create New Contact or Add to Existing Contact to send an address to a friend or colleague. 
Your iPhone automatically determines if the location is near enough for you to walk to, or whether it needs to provide driving instructions.

How to Save Pins on Apple Maps

Save your marked locations by adding a pin to your favorites:

  1. Select the pin on Apple Maps.

  2. Swipe up on Marked Location to bring up the lower pane.

  3. Tap Favorite.

  4. Enter a specific name or use the iPhone's suggested name instead.

    Tap Favorite and either enter a specific name before the location is added to your favorites list, or choose to use the iPhone's suggested name instead.

  5. Once you've named the location, the marked location changes to the name you've given it. 

How to Delete a Pin on Apple Maps

A pin stays on Apple Maps until you choose to remove it:

  1. Tap the pin you want to delete. 

  2. Swipe up on the lower panel of the screen, named either Marked Location or the name you've given it. 

  3. Tap Remove or Remove Marker. 

    Tap Remove or Remove Marker to delete the pin from Apple Maps.

  4. The pin should disappear from Apple Maps.

The process is the same for getting rid of a favorite pin.

How to View Favorite Locations in Maps on iPhone

To see the locations you've marked as favorites:

  1. Tap the search bar at the bottom of the Apple Maps screen.

  2. Scroll down past the previous places you've searched for.

  3. Tap Favorites at the bottom of the list.

    The Apple Maps Favorites List

  4. Tap the location you're looking for to bring it up on the map.

How to Share Pins

It's possible to share your location and dropped pins with a friend. This is a great way to help work out a meeting place:

  1. Tap the pin. 

  2. Swipe up on Marked Location to bring up the lower panel.

  3. Tap Share.

  4. If your friend also has an iPhone, tap Message. They'll receive an iMessage that has the location and direction details attached.

    Options for sharing directions and pin locations via Apple Maps

  5. If your friend has an Android smartphone, share it via email so that they get the same amount of detail.