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On Android or iPhone, touch and hold the spot on the map until a pin appears. On a computer, right-click the spot. Open the resulting location card to get directions, share the point, save it, or add a private label. A pin marks a point; it does not automatically create a permanent saved place or a public listing.
Choose the right way to mark a place
Google Maps has several features that can look like “marking a place,” but they differ in what they do and who can see the result.
| What you want | Use | Visibility and purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Mark an exact point temporarily | Dropped pin | Useful for a meeting point, trailhead, parking spot, or place without a clear address. Share the pin if someone else needs it. |
| Find the location again | Save to a list | Saved to your Google Account; lists are private by default and eligible lists can be shared. |
| Give a point a personal name | Private label | Visible to you, not a public name for everyone. |
| Add a genuine missing public location | Add a missing place | Submits a place for Google Maps; publication is subject to Google’s process. |
| Correct an existing public address or pin | Suggest an edit | Submits a public map correction for review. |
| Organize many custom points | Google My Maps | A separate map for multiple markers, layers, lines, and shapes; it can be private or shared. |
For a personal campsite, home waypoint, or temporary meeting spot, use a pin, saved list, or private label—not a public place submission.
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The basic gesture is the same on Android and iPhone or iPad. Button locations can vary with the device and app interface.
#1 Best Overall
- Bright, high-resolution 5” glass capacitive touchscreen display lets you easily view your route
- Get more situational awareness with alerts for school zones, speed changes, sharp curves and more
- View food, fuel and rest areas along your active route, and see upcoming cities and milestones
- View Tripadvisor traveler ratings for top-rated restaurants, hotels and attractions to help you make the most of road trips
- Directory of U.S. national parks simplifies navigation to entrances, visitor centers and landmarks within the parks
- Open the Google Maps app and search for the general area, or pan and zoom to it.
- Touch and hold the exact spot on the map, then release when the dropped-pin marker appears.
- Tap the location card at the bottom of the screen. If the actions are not visible, swipe up on the card.
- Choose an action: Directions to navigate, Share to send the point, Save to put it in a list, or Label or Add a label to give it a private name.
If the app selects a business or road instead of dropping a pin, move slightly away from its label or zoom in and try a blank area. If the marker lands inaccurately, zoom in and touch and hold at the intended point again. Google’s mobile pin gesture is also described by Digital Trends.
Drop a pin on a computer
- Open Google Maps in a desktop browser and search for the area, or navigate to it manually.
- Right-click the exact spot on the map.
- Select the dropped pin or coordinates that appear to open its location card.
- Use the available controls to get directions, share the point, save it, or add a private label.
The card may show an address, a nearby place, or latitude and longitude rather than a formal place name. If a normal click selects an existing place, right-click a nearby blank spot instead. See Digital Trends’ pin instructions for the desktop method.
Rank #2
- 6” high-resolution navigator includes map updates of North America
- Hands-free calling when paired with your compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH technology and convenient Garmin voice assist lets you ask for directions to places you want to go
- Road trip–ready features include the HISTORY database of notable sites, a U.S. national parks directory, Tripadvisor traveler ratings and millions of Foursquare POIs
- Driver alerts for things such as school zones, sharp curves and speed changes help encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness
- Access live traffic, fuel prices, parking, weather and smart notifications when you pair this navigator with your compatible smartphone running the Garmin Drive app
Share an exact location
- Drop the pin and open its location card.
- Select Share.
- Choose a messaging or email app, or copy the map link and send it.
A shared pin is often more useful than an address for a trail entrance, beach access point, rural property, construction site, campsite, or particular parking spot. Check that the marker is where you intend before sending it. A pin identifies a geographic point; it does not guarantee a road, legal route, or accessible entrance reaches it. If the address is unclear, include the displayed coordinates or practical arrival directions such as the nearest gate or trail.
Save a pin so you can find it later
- Open the dropped pin’s card, or select an existing place.
- Select Save.
- Choose a list, such as Favorites or Want to go, or create a new list. You can give a list a name and, where offered, an icon or description.
- Find saved places later under Saved on desktop or You in the mobile app. Sign in to your Google Account if you want your saved places available across devices.
Google documents creating, editing, hiding or showing, and sharing eligible lists in its list-management instructions. Changes are saved automatically. Google’s instructions say Starred places cannot be shared. Google Guidebooks states that saved lists can contain up to 3,000 entries and that lists exceeding that limit may not display properly; this is a stated limit, not a guarantee that every list view will behave identically. Saving a location is not the same as downloading an offline map or adding a public place.
Rank #3
- Explore confidently with the reliable handheld GPS
- 2.2” sunlight-readable color display with 240 x 320 display pixels for improved readability
- Preloaded with Topo Active maps with routable roads and trails for cycling and hiking
- Support for GPS and GLONASS satellite systems allows for tracking in more challenging environments than GPS alone
- 8 GB of internal memory for map downloads plus a micro SD card slot
Give a place a private label
- Search for the place or address, or select the point on the map.
- Choose Add a label and enter a name, such as “Gate entrance” or “Our campsite.”
- Find labelled locations in the labelled section of your saved places; the precise view may differ between app and desktop.
Google says private labels appear on your map and in search suggestions, and are private to your account. They do not publish a new landmark or business. For a location another person needs to see, share the pin or use a shared list instead. See Google’s private-label instructions.
Add a missing place for everyone
Use this option only for a genuine public place that belongs on Google Maps, such as an eligible landmark, café, or local business. A personal waypoint or temporary meeting spot is better handled with a pin or private list.
Rank #4
- 8” navigator with high-resolution, dual-orientation display and map updates of North America .Special Feature:Large Display; Voice Assist; Hands-Free Calling; Live Traffic and Weather; Traffic Cams and Parking; Smart Notifications,Driver Alerts; Tripadvisor; National Parks Directory; Find Places by Name; Garmin Real Directions Feature.
- Hands-free calling when paired with your compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH technology and convenient Garmin voice assist lets you ask for directions to places you want to go
- Road trip–ready features include the HISTORY database of notable sites, a U.S. national parks directory, Tripadvisor traveler ratings and millions of Foursquare POIs
- Driver alerts for things such as school zones, sharp curves and speed changes help encourage safer driving and increase situational awareness
- Access live traffic, fuel prices, weather, parking and smart notifications when you pair this navigator with your compatible smartphone running the Garmin Drive app
- On desktop: Search for the location or address and select Add a missing place.
- On Android: Open Google Maps, tap Contribute, then Add place.
- Provide the requested details and submit the suggestion.
A submission is not an instant listing or a guarantee of acceptance. Google’s guidance describes adding missing places here and the Android Contribute tab here.
Correct a wrong address or map pin
If an existing public address or place is wrong, submit a correction rather than creating a duplicate listing or relying on a private label.
Best Value
- Bright, high-resolution 5” glass capacitive touchscreen display lets you easily view your route
- Get more situational awareness with alerts for school zones, speed changes, sharp curves and more
- View food, fuel and rest areas along your active route, and see upcoming cities and milestones
- View Tripadvisor traveler ratings for top-rated restaurants, hotels and attractions to help you make the most of road trips
- Directory of U.S. national parks simplifies navigation to entrances, visitor centers and landmarks within the parks
- On desktop: Search for the address, select Suggest an edit, then choose Wrong pin location or address.
- On Android or iPhone/iPad: Search for the address, tap Suggest an edit, then choose Fix an address. Move the map to the correct building center or enter the corrected details as prompted.
- Submit or post the correction.
Google reviews map corrections, and some address or street-entrance tools are limited to selected countries or regions. Follow Google’s instructions for fixing an address or wrong pin; iOS-specific guidance is available at this page.
Mark several places with Google My Maps
For a trip map, property map, fieldwork, or project with many categorized points, use Google My Maps instead of relying on a series of temporary pins in standard Maps. Google’s marker-creation instructions focus on desktop.
- On a computer, sign in to Google My Maps and open a map or create one.
- Select Add marker and choose a layer.
- Click the desired location, name the marker, then click Save.
Google says a My Maps map can contain up to 10,000 lines, shapes, or places, with up to 2,000 in an individual layer. My Maps supports custom markers and layers but takes more setup than saving one place. See Google’s instructions for adding places to a map.
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Fix common pin problems
- No pin appears: Zoom in and touch and hold a blank part of the map rather than an existing label or place card. On desktop, use the right mouse button.
- Save or Label is missing: Open the location card fully; on mobile, swipe up. Check that you selected the dropped pin rather than a nearby result. Sign in if you want saved places synced to your account.
- Someone else cannot see your custom name: Labels are private to your account. Share the pin or use a shared list.
- The point is misplaced: Zoom in and recreate a personal pin at the right location. For an incorrect public address or pin, submit a correction instead.
- A submitted public place does not appear: Confirm it is a genuine eligible public location, avoid duplicates, and provide precise details. Use an address correction if an existing address or pin is wrong. Google directs users to dedicated map-correction paths rather than general product feedback for missing or incorrect map information: report a map issue.
- You cannot find an old temporary pin: A dropped pin is not the same as a saved list item or public listing. Save it, label it, copy its link, or add it to My Maps according to how you need to use it.
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