How to Pin a Location on Google Maps (2026 Guide: Desktop, Android, iOS)

Quick Answer: To pin a location on Google Maps: open Google Maps, find the spot you want, then right-click it on desktop or tap and hold it on mobile. A pin drops instantly, and a card appears at the bottom showing the address or coordinates, with options to save, share, or get directions.

Sharing a location is part of daily life now, whether you're pointing a friend to a new restaurant, guiding a delivery driver to your door, or saving a spot from a trip so you can find it again later. Google Maps makes all of this possible through "pins": markers you can drop anywhere on the map and share in a tap.

This guide covers how to drop a pin on desktop, Android, and iOS, a few tricks most people miss, and how local businesses use accurate map pins to turn searches into real foot traffic.

Dropped Pin vs. Your Location: What's the Difference?

Before getting into the how-to, it helps to know these two markers apart; they look similar but do very different things.

Your Location is the small blue dot on the map. It's calculated from your device's GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile network data, and it moves in real time as you move.

A Dropped Pin is a static marker you place manually anywhere on the map. It can mark where you are, where you're headed, or a spot you simply want to remember or share — and it stays exactly where you put it, whether that's your current spot or somewhere on the other side of the world.

How to Pin a Location on Desktop

Google Maps on desktop gives you two ways to drop a pin, depending on how precise you need to be.

Method 1: Right-Click to Drop a Pin

This is the fastest way to mark a spot on your computer:

1. Open Google Maps in your browser.

2. Use the search bar to get to the general area, or pan and zoom the map manually until you find the exact spot.

3. Right-click that exact point. A small grey marker drops immediately, along with a menu.

4. A card appears at the bottom of the screen showing the pin's latitude and longitude, and the nearest address if one's available.

Method 2: Drop a Pin Using Coordinates

If you already have latitude and longitude coordinates, this method is the most precise, useful for remote spots, survey points, or locations with no formal address:

1. Open Google Maps.

2. Type or paste the coordinates into the search bar, latitude first, then longitude, separated by a comma.

3. Press Enter or click the search icon.

4. Google Maps zooms to that exact point and drops a red pin there, with the coordinates shown on the info card at the bottom.

How to Pin a Location on Mobile

The Google Maps app makes dropping a pin just as easy on the go, whether you're on Android or iOS.

Android

1. Open the Google Maps app.

2. Search for the area, or find it manually by panning and zooming.

3. Tap and hold the exact spot for about two seconds. You'll feel a light vibration as a red marker drops.

4. A card appears at the bottom with the address (if available) and options to save, share, or get directions.

iOS

The process on iPhone and iPad is nearly identical:

1. Open the Google Maps app.

2. Search for the area or navigate manually with gestures.

3. Tap and hold the spot for a couple of seconds until a red marker appears.

4. A card pops up at the bottom with the address and options to save, share, or get directions.

Temporary Pin vs. Saved Location: Which Should You Use? 

Sharing and Saving Pins

Dropping a pin is just the first step. Here's how to get more out of it:

• Instant sharing: Once a pin is dropped, look for the "Share" button on the info card. One tap sends it via WhatsApp, Telegram, email, or as a plain link you can paste anywhere.
• Saving a place: If the pin marks somewhere worth a return visit, add it to Favourites, "Places to Eat," or a custom list, and rename it something you'll actually recognise later, like "New Coffee Place" or "Client Site, North Gate."
• Getting directions: Tap "Directions" on the same info card, and Google Maps routes you there straight away.
• Measuring distance: On desktop, right-click anywhere on the map after dropping a pin and select "Measure distance," then click the pin to see the straight-line distance between two points.
• Using Plus Codes: For places without a formal street address, Google Maps often generates a short alphanumeric Plus Code tied to a dropped pin, handy for sharing precise locations in rural or unmapped areas.
• Street View: Many dropped pins let you jump straight into Street View from the info card, so you can spot landmarks or scope out the area before you arrive.
• Reporting incorrect info: If a pin's details, like a business name or address, look wrong, use "Suggest an edit" or "Report a problem" on the info card to help Google fix it.

How to Edit or Delete a Pin

Removing a pin works differently depending on whether it's temporary or saved to a list.

Removing a Temporary Pin

Temporary pins are meant to be short-lived. On desktop, a dropped pin disappears when you run a new search, click elsewhere on the map, close the tab, or refresh the browser; there's no delete button because there's nothing to delete. On mobile, it works the same way: search for something new, tap a different spot, or close and reopen the app, and the marker is gone.

Removing a Saved Location (Desktop)

1. Click the Saved icon (bookmark-shaped) on the left panel.

2. Find the list containing the location.

3. Hover over the saved place.

4. Click the three-dot menu that appears next to it.

5. Select "Remove from [list name]."

Removing a Saved Location (Mobile)

1. Open the Google Maps app.

2. Tap the "Saved" tab at the bottom.

3. Go to the list containing the location.

4. Tap the three-dot menu next to the saved place.

5. Select "Remove."

How Local Businesses Can Get the Most Out of Google Maps

For a business trying to win local customers, an accurate, well-optimised Google Maps and Google My Business (GMB) presence isn't optional; it's often the first impression a customer gets. This is where local SEO expertise makes a real difference.

At Why Shy, we help businesses get this right: accurate listing information, strong descriptions, quality visuals, and active review management. We also use GMB features like Google Posts to keep listings active, run hyper-local keyword research, build local links, and produce localised content, all backed by schema markup and ongoing performance tracking.

Done right, this adds up to better visibility on Google Maps and in local search, more people finding your pin, and more of them walking through your door. Learn more about our local SEO services in Gurgaon.

Conclusion

Pinning a location on Google Maps is a small skill with a lot of everyday use, whether you're sharing a meeting point with a friend or making sure customers can find your business without a second guess. Once you know the desktop, Android, and iOS methods, dropping and sharing a pin takes seconds.

If you run a local business and want your Google Maps presence doing more of the work for you, Why Shy can help, from GMB optimisation to full local SEO strategy.

FAQs

Q1: What is a dropped pin on Google Maps?

A dropped pin is a marker you place manually at a specific point on Google Maps, used to identify, save, or share that location.

Q2: How many ways are there to drop a pin on desktop?

Two: right-clicking directly on the map, or entering coordinates into the search bar.

Q3: Can I drop a pin without an internet connection?

No — you need an active internet connection to load Google Maps and drop a pin.

Q4: Is the red marker in the mobile app the same as a dropped pin?

Yes. The red marker in the Google Maps mobile app is how a dropped pin or selected location is shown.

Q5: Can I pin a location for someone else to see in real time?

A dropped pin marks a fixed point and doesn't update — for real-time tracking, you'd use Google Maps' separate Live Location sharing feature instead, which shares your moving position rather than a static spot.

Q6: Does dropping a pin use data or battery?

Dropping a pin itself uses minimal data or battery — the bigger drain comes from having the Maps app open and GPS active, not from placing the marker.

Q7: What is a Google Plus Code, and how does it relate to pins?

A Plus Code is a short, alphanumeric digital address derived from a location's coordinates, useful for places without a formal street address. Google Maps often shows the Plus Code for a dropped pin right on its info card.

Q8: How does Google Maps help a local business's search ranking?

Optimized keywords, consistent listing information, and quality local content help Google understand a business's relevance to nearby searches, which supports stronger rankings on Google Maps and in local search results.