Google Maps, we’d literally be lost without it. But, aside from navigating from one destination to another, there are loads of handy features inthe app.
One such feature is the ability to drop a pin. This is extremely useful when you’re trying to direct someone to a remote location, that doesn’t have a street address, or when a listed address in the app isn’t quite right.
Here’s how it works on desktop,AndroidandiOS.
How to drop a pin in Google Maps on desktop
To drop a pin from your desktop browser:
How to drop a pin in Google Maps on Android
To drop a pin on Google Maps when using an Android device:
How to drop a pin in Google Maps on iOS
On an iPhone or iPad, the process is very similar.
What can you do with a dropped pin?
Now that you’ve mastered the art of dropping pins, it’s time to make use of them. Here are a few things you can do with dropped pins.
Directions
It’s easy to get directions to an address with Google Maps, but when you have a more remote location to get to, things start to get a little trickier.
Say, for example, you’ve found a great beauty spot when browsing around in satellite view but it’s not near any roads or businesses. Simply drop a pin, and Google Maps will help you get there, whether it’s by car, on foot, cycling or public transport.
Share a dropped pin
Sharing a dropped pin is exactly what it sounds like, it allows you to share a location with friends so that they can find it, too.
On a mobile device, it will use the operating system’s share menu, so it’ll work in the same way as tapping the share icon on an image or video.
On desktop, you’re given four options:
Save a location
If you’re logged into a Google account, you can save pinned locations for easy access in the future. You’ll then be able to find this location across all devices that are logged into your account.
you’re able to organise saved pins into lists, too, making them easy to browse if you happen to save a lot of locations.
We’ve used this for a number of reasons, like when we find a great free parking space or a cool mountain bike spot in the woods that we want to come back to.
Label a dropped pin
Labelling a dropped pin works very similarly to saving a pin. You can choose a custom word or phrase to let yourself know what the pin is for.
You can also add these labelled pins to lists, effectively doing the same thing as saving the pin.
