Ever stumbled upon a cool spot—like a hidden café or a forgotten parking spot—and wanted to save it for later? Google Maps’ “drop a pin” feature is the perfect solution. A dropped pin acts like a digital thumbtack on the map, marking the exact GPS coordinates of any location (even places without street addresses). This makes it easy to remember, navigate to, or share that location. Dropped pins are private by default to your Google account, so no worries—your secret hideouts won’t suddenly appear on everyone’s map.
Dropping a pin is fast and works the same way it always has: whether on your phone or PC, you simply pick a point on the map. Once placed, you can save the pin to a list, share it with friends, or get directions there later. This guide covers everything you need to know about dropping pins on Android, iPhone, and Desktop in 2026, step-by-step. We’ll even touch on related tasks like saving pins, sharing locations, and removing pins when you’re done.
Dropping a Pin on Google Maps (Android)
On an Android phone or tablet, dropping a pin is simple: just open the Google Maps/apple map app and navigate to the area you want to mark. If you know the address or landmark, you can search for it to get close. Otherwise, pan and zoom the map manually until you see the right spot. Once you’re over the correct location, press and hold that point on the map. After a moment, a red pin will drop and an information card will appear at the bottom.
- Step 1: Open Google Maps. Launch the Google Maps app on your Android device.
- Step 2: Find the location. You can type an address or place name in the search bar, or just scroll and zoom to the area you want. Zoom in as needed for precision.
- Step 3: Long-press to drop the pin. Tap and hold your finger on the exact spot. Keep pressing until you see a red map marker appear beneath your finger. (You may feel a small vibration.)
- Step 4: View and use the pin. After the pin drops, an info panel slides up from the bottom. This shows the place name (if any), address or coordinates, and options like Directions, Save, or Share. Tap the pin or its info card to expand it and take further action.
Jaivinder’s Tip: If you don’t get the pin exactly right on the first try, you can drag the dropped pin slightly after it appears. Just tap and hold the red marker and move it to fine-tune its position.
Dropping a Pin on Google Maps (iPhone)
The process on an iPhone is virtually identical. Open the Google Maps app (make sure it’s the Google app, not Apple Maps) and find your target area. Whether you search by address or move around manually, zoom in to pinpoint the spot. Then tap and hold the location on the map. A red pin will appear, just as on Android, and an info card will pop up from the bottom.
- Step 1: Launch the app. Open Google Maps on your iPhone and make sure you’re signed in with your Google account.
- Step 2: Locate the spot. Use the search box or drag/zoom the map until you see exactly where you want the pin.
- Step 3: Tap & hold the map. Touch and hold the map at the precise point. After a moment, a red marker drops onto that location.
- Step 4: Explore the info card. The map pin’s detail panel appears at the bottom. Tap it to see options like Save, Label, Share, or Directions.
Jaivinder’s Tip: On some iOS versions, a quick tap may open a small pop-up. If that happens, just tap the pin again. The long-press gesture always works to drop the pin.
Dropping a Pin on Google Maps (Desktop/PC)
- Step 1: Open Google Maps. In your browser, navigate to Google Maps and log in if prompted.
- Step 2: Navigate to location. Search for a nearby address or drag the map until you see the target area. Zoom in for precision.
- Step 3: Click to drop. Left-click exactly where you want the pin. A small grey pin appears immediately. (If you already have a marker at the address, try clicking slightly off-center.)
- Alternative (Right-click): You can also right-click on the spot and choose “What’s here?”. This automatically drops a pin there and shows its coordinates.
- Step 4: Open pin details. After the pin appears, click the grey marker or its bottom info bar. It will turn red and expand into a side panel with details like coordinates, address, and options to Save or Share.
Saving and Sharing Dropped Pins Here
Once you drop a pin, you usually want to save it for later or share it. On mobile, tap the pin’s info card and then hit Save. You can add it to “Favorites”, “Want to go”, or a custom label/list. On desktop, after clicking the pin, look for the Save button in the side panel to do the same. Saving pins lets you easily retrieve them in Your Places in Google Maps.
To share a pin: tap or click the pin to open its info, then use the Share icon. On mobile, the share option usually appears at the bottom of the info panel; on desktop it’s a button near the top of the panel. Google Maps will give you a link that you can copy or send via email, text, or social apps. When the recipient opens the link, they’ll see that exact location on their map.
Dropping Multiple Pins and Lists
Google Maps itself only lets you have one active dropped pin at a time. If you drop a new one, the old one vanishes (unless you saved it). However, you can create multiple saved pins by saving each location to a list. For example, after dropping a pin on mobile, tap Save and add it to a label like Favorites or create a New List. Do this for each location you want to mark.
On desktop, you can also save multiple locations by adding each pin to Your places or a list. Another powerful option is Google My Maps (a separate Google service): it lets you drop dozens of pins on a custom map and organize them freely. This is handy for trip planning or mapping out business locations.
Removing or Clearing a Dropped Pin
Once you’re done with a pin, you may want to remove it to declutter your map. The method depends on whether the pin was saved or not:
- Temporary (unsaved) pin: Simply tap the “X” icon on the info card, or click/tap elsewhere on the map. The pin will disappear immediately.
- Saved pin: You must unsave it. Open its info panel and click the Saved button (which looks like a bookmark). Uncheck the list it’s saved under. For example, if you saved it to Favorites, remove that checkmark. The marker will then be removed from your saved places.
Remember: unsaved dropped pins automatically vanish when you move the map too much or close the app. If you want to keep a location forever, always use the Save feature (or Label it with a custom name on mobile).
Tips and Important Notes
- Pin Accuracy: The more you zoom in before dropping, the more accurate your pin placement will be. Especially on mobile, tiny drags can place the pin slightly off; use fingers to nudge it if needed.
- Grey vs. Red Pins: On desktop, a newly clicked pin starts grey. It turns red once you open its info panel (meaning it’s active and ready to save/share). On mobile, pins appear red immediately.
- Pin Limits: You can only drop one unsaved pin at a time. To mark multiple spots, save each pin to lists (or use My Maps).
- Privacy: As noted, your dropped pins are private. Others won’t see them unless you explicitly share the link.
Jaivinder’s Tip: As a SearchAndRank founder, I recommend saving pins to lists labeled with your projects (like “HQ Tour” or “Field Sites”) – this keeps all your important locations organized in one place!
Summary
Dropping a pin on Google Maps is a quick, powerful way to bookmark any location—especially places without a formal address. On Android or iPhone, just long-press the map; on PC, click or right-click for “What’s here?”. After dropping a pin, you can save it to your Google account or share it with anyone. If you ever need to remove a pin, just click the X or unsave it from your list.
Whether you’re meeting a friend at an unnamed trailhead, remembering where you parked, or mapping out sales leads, dropped pins ensure you never lose that exact spot. Happy mapping!
