How to Drop a Pin on Google Maps

Let others know where you are

Google Maps on an iPhone over a physical map of Los Angeles
Google Maps uses 'pins' to show map locations.

Getty Images / bgwalker

by Karen Marcus
Karen Marcus has been a freelance writer in the tech industry for 20+ years. She's written for companies like HP, Intel, IBM, Samsung, and others.
Updated June 01, 2019

Despite the proliferation of mapping and navigation tools available today, some places may still be hard to find. They include camping spots, tucked-away coffee shops, or a certain location within a park. To help a friend meet you easily at one of these spots, create a map pin, share it with your friend, and skip the “This place was so hard to find” conversation.

What Is a Google Maps Pin?

A Google Maps pin is simply a marker that you can use to identify a location within Google Maps. It allows others to locate the place using GPS coordinates rather than a street address. As mentioned above, you can use pins to assist with driving directions to off-street places.

Use the Google Maps pin feature on your phone to identify your exact location in a large parking lot.

How to Drop a Pin on Your PC

Follow these steps to create directions to a Google Maps pin location using your PC:

  1. Open a web browser and navigate to Google Maps.

  2. In the Search Google Maps field, enter an address or area to narrow your location.

  3. Using your mouse, drag or zoom to view an even narrower area.

  4. Right-click on the spot where you want to drop the pin, and select Directions to here from the menu.

    Clicking Directions to Here in Google Maps
    To create the pin, right-click at the exact location.

  5. In the Choose a starting point field, enter the address to start from.

  6. Driving directions will appear as usual in Google Maps.

  7. To share the directions, click the three-bar icon in the left menu screen to open the Google Maps menu. Then select Share or embed map.

    Google Maps menu
    Choose Share or embed map from the Google Maps menu.

  8. You can use the social media links to share that way, or click copy link, then paste into an email.

    The Share Directions model within Google Maps
    Share using the social media links, or copy the link and paste into an email.

  9. To remove the pin, right-click on it, and choose Remove this destination from the menu.

How to Drop a Pin on Your Phone

Follow the instructions below to create a Google Maps pin using your phone:

  1. Open Google Maps.

  2. Type an address in the search field, or scroll to find the area you want.

  3. Press and hold in the exact location to create the map pin.

    A dropped pin in Google Maps displaying exact latitude and longitude
    Press and hold at the exact location to drop a pin.

  4. At the bottom of the screen you’ll see options for creating directions, sharing the pin, or saving.

  5. To share or save, tap the button and follow instructions from there.

  6. To create directions, tap Directions. Then, in the Your location field, type in the starting location. Driving directions will appear as usual.

    Getting directions in Google Maps from a dropped pin
    Using the starting address and the pin, Google Maps creates driving directions.

  7. To remove the pin, click the X in the search field.