How to Drop a Pin on Google Maps on Mobile and Desktop

Ever tried meeting someone at a location that doesn’t have a proper address? Or wanted to save a hidden parking spot you’ll never remember otherwise?

That’s exactly what dropping a pin on Google Maps solves.

A dropped pin marks any spot on the map, even if it doesn’t have a street address, business name, or landmark. Once dropped, you can save it, label it, share it with others, or get directions to it instantly.

This guide walks you through how to drop a pin on Google Maps across all devices, along with tips for organizing your saved locations and troubleshooting common issues.

Let’s start with the mobile app, which most people use for quick, on-the-go pinning.

How to Drop Multiple Pins in Google Maps on Mobile (Android and iOS)?

Whether you have an Android or iOS device, Google Maps allows you to drop a location pin in minutes.

Here are the steps.

Step 1: Open Google Maps on your Android phone or iPhone.

Opening Google Maps on an Android phone or iPhone to begin dropping a pin

Step 2: Find the location where you want to drop the pin and zoom in as far as possible to view it.

Searching for a location in Google Maps and zooming in closely to prepare for dropping a pin

Step 3: Upon locating the area, long-press your finger on the location until you see the red pin pop up under your finger.

Long-pressing on a location in Google Maps until a red pin appears on the selected spot

Step 4: To position the pin precisely, drag the pin to your desired spot. Tap on it to cross-check the address and relevant information of the location.

Dragging a dropped pin in Google Maps to fine-tune its position and tapping it to view address details

Step 5: Tap on the pin and click “Save”. You can access it in the information section at the bottom of the screen on Android.

If you have an iPhone, you can click “Labels” and save your dropped pin by a name.

Saving a dropped pin in Google Maps on iPhone using the Labels option and naming the location

Step-by-step process to create a new list on mobile

To give you an overview, a new list is a personalized collection of favorite places and destinations you want to go to. Basically, you can pin and save the locations under a label or list of your choice and access them anytime you need.

Step 1: Open the Google Maps mobile app on your smartphone.

Opening the Google Maps mobile app on a smartphone to start creating a saved list

Step 2: Clicking on the “You” option positioned below in the centre.

Tapping the ‘You’ option at the bottom center of the Google Maps app to access saved places and lists

Step 3: Tap on the “+ New List” option at the top.

Tapping the ‘New List’ option at the top of the Google Maps app to create a new list of locations

Now, all you have to do is name the label, write the description, and start adding the pins. 

OR

Step 1: Open Google Maps on your mobile phone.

Step 2: Search the spot you want to add to the list manually by panning in the map or typing the location in the search bar.

Step 3: As you find the location, an information bar will pop up that will have “Save” in it.

Step 4: Click on it, and a menu bar will appear. 

Step 5: At the top, you will have a “New List” option. Click on it, write the name and description, and that’s how you have your new label ready. 

This was all about how to drop multiple pins on Google Maps Android and iPhone. Next, we will walk you through the steps of the desktop. 

3 Steps to Drop A Pin on Google Maps from Desktop

Step 1: Go to Google Maps on your browser, zoom in, and navigate to the spot you want to mark.

Opening Google Maps in a web browser and zooming in to navigate to the location you want to mark

Step 2: Tap on that spot. You’ll notice a grey pin appear, and an info box will show up on the bottom of the screen. 

If you click the blue navigation arrow, Google Maps will open the navigation page. Here, you can enter the start location and get directions.

Clicking on a location in Google Maps on desktop to drop a grey pin and view the location details panel at the bottom of the screen

Step 3: Click “Save” from the pane that appears, and save it under any of the following:

  • Favorites
  • Want to Go
  • Travel Plans 
  • Starred Places
  • A New List
Clicking the Save option in Google Maps on desktop to store the pinned location under a selected list
Step 4: Now, save the spot either in the existing list or the new one.

Step-by-step process to create a new list on desktop

Step 1: Open Google Maps on your computer.

Opening Google Maps on a computer to begin creating a new saved list

Step 2: Click on ”Saved” at the top left.

Clicking the ‘Saved’ option in the top-left menu of Google Maps on desktop

Step 3: Tap on the “+ New List” option at the top.

Tapping the ‘New List’ option at the top of Google Maps to create a new list of saved places

Now, write the name and description and start adding the pins.

Step 1: Open Google Maps on your computer.

Step 2: Find the spot you want to add to the list.

Step 3: As you find the location, click on it, and an information bar will pop up which will have “Save.”

Step 4: Click on it, and a menu bar will appear. 

Step 5: In the end, you will have a “New List” option. Click on it, write the name, and that’s how you have your new label ready.

Now that you know how to drop multiple pins on Google Maps on the computer, let’s dive into understanding how you can delete dropped pins. 

How to Edit and Delete Dropped Pins?

Edit pins:

General pins: 

1. Go to Google Maps.

Opening Google Maps to begin editing or deleting a dropped pin

2. Search and tap on the location you want to edit.

Searching for and selecting a saved location in Google Maps to edit its details

3. You will now see a red pin and an information bar popping up.

Red pin displayed on a selected location in Google Maps with the information bar visible

4. In the information bar, scroll down to “Suggest an Edit” and recommend the relevant changes.

Scrolling the location information panel in Google Maps to select the ‘Suggest an Edit’ option and submit changes

My pins (Mobile users):

1. Go to Google Maps.

Opening the Google Maps mobile app to manage pinned locations

2. Click on “You.” 

Tapping the ‘You’ option in the Google Maps app to view saved and pinned locations

3. Then, select the list that has the pin you want to edit.

4. Choose the pinned location and scroll down to the information bar.

Selecting a pinned location in Google Maps on mobile and scrolling the information panel

5. Tap on “Suggest an Edit” and recommend the relevant changes.

Tapping the ‘Suggest an Edit’ option in the Google Maps location details to update or modify a pinned place

Delete pins on mobile:

Step 1: Go to Google Maps app and click on the “You” option positioned below in the centre.

Opening the Google Maps mobile app and tapping the ‘You’ option at the bottom center to view saved pins

Step 2: In the list, tap on the three dots of the pin that you want to delete.

Tapping the three-dot menu next to a pinned location in Google Maps on mobile

Note: You can only delete the labels or lists you have created. Others are by default and cannot be deleted. 

Step 3: Once you do that, you will see a “Delete list” option in the menu. Click on it, and your list is now deleted.

Selecting the ‘Delete list’ option from the menu in Google Maps to remove the pinned location on mobile

Delete pins on desktop:

Step 1: Visit Google Maps and click on “Saved” at the top left.

Opening Google Maps on desktop and clicking the ‘Saved’ option in the top-left menu

Step 2: In the list, click on the three dots of the pin that you want to delete.

Clicking the three-dot menu next to a saved pin in Google Maps on desktop

Note: You can only delete the labels or lists you have created. Others are by default and cannot be deleted.

Step 3:
After doing that, you will see a “Delete List” option. Click on it, and your list is now deleted.

Clicking the ‘Delete list’ option in Google Maps on desktop to permanently remove the saved pin

6 Key Benefits of Dropping A Pin on Google Maps

1. Finds accurate location

Whether you have an address to a specific location or not, Google Maps helps you find and pinpoint the exact spot you want to visit in seconds.

2. Seamless navigation

Pin and reach your desired location with accurate ETAs and optimized routes. You can also measure the distance between your location and the one you want to visit through Maps.

3. Easy sharing

Want to share the directions to your favorite cafe with your friends? Do it with dropped pin locations.

Be it your family or loved ones, Google Maps allows you to share a specific spot over a text, email, and other social media channels like WhatsApp and Instagram. 

4. Save for later

Planning an itinerary for your next trip? Pin and label iconic and most traveled spots on Maps so you can make the most out of your getaway. 

5. Offline use

Did you know you can pin a location and download the Maps for offline use? Yes, you read it right. 

No more network or low battery issues. Just pin, download, and you are all set!

6. Mark important spots

Whether you are parking your vehicle or have discovered an interesting spot, save it all on Google Maps so you never forget the important places. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Open Google Maps, navigate to your desired location, and press and hold to drop a pin. Once the pin appears, tap the information card at the bottom and select Share.

You can then send the location via text, email, WhatsApp, or any other sharing method available on your device.

Google Maps doesn’t support dropping multiple pins simultaneously. You’ll need to drop and save each pin individually.

For managing multiple locations in a single route, consider using Google Maps trip planner or a dedicated route planning tool like Upper for bulk imports.

Yes. Google Maps generally limits saved places to about 500 locations per list. While you can create multiple lists, users often report issues when total saved locations reach 2,000–3,000, such as older pins no longer displaying.

For larger collections, Google My Maps supports up to 10,000 markers across multiple layers and is better suited for managing many locations.

Dropped pins that aren’t saved are temporary and will disappear when you close the app or drop a new pin.

To keep a pin permanently, make sure to tap Save and add it to a list.

Yes, but you need to download the map area first while you have an internet connection.

Once downloaded, your saved pins within that region will be accessible offline.

When Google Maps Pins Aren’t Enough, Get Upper

Google Maps is excellent for saving and navigating to individual locations, but it has real limitations when you’re dealing with more complex routing needs.

For instance, Google Maps only allows up to 10 stops per route. If you’re managing deliveries, service calls, or sales routes with dozens of stops daily, you’ll quickly hit that ceiling.

This is where dedicated route optimization tools like Upper route planner become essential.

Upper lets you import hundreds of stops at once, automatically optimizes the most efficient route sequence, and handles real-world constraints like delivery windows, driver schedules, and vehicle capacity. Instead of manually rearranging pins one by one, you get an optimized route in seconds.

For teams, Upper also provides driver tracking, proof of delivery, and customer notifications, turning a basic pin-dropping workflow into a complete delivery management system.

What Upper offers beyond Google Maps:

  • Import unlimited stops via spreadsheet or API
  • Automatic route optimization that factors in traffic, time windows, and priorities
  • Multi-driver support for dispatching routes to your entire team
  • Real-time tracking and delivery confirmation
  • Reports showing completed stops, time savings, and route efficiency

Businesses using Upper have reported completing 24% more deliveries daily without adding extra drivers, while cutting planning time by over 11 hours per week.

If your current workflow involves dropping dozens of pins and manually planning routes, see how Upper compares to Google Maps for multi-stop route planning.

Author Bio
Jeel Patel
Jeel Patel

Jeel Patel is the Chief Executive Officer at Upper. With 5+ years of experience in dev, outbound, and inbound sales, He is committed to growing conversion through inbound and outbound activities. Outside the office, Jeel loves to spend time with his dog and take him on long walks. Read more.