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To create a custom map, use Google My Maps on a computer. Google Maps can display a map you have made, but My Maps is where you create and edit it. You can add places one at a time, draw features, or import an existing spreadsheet or map file, then organize the results into layers and choose who can see them.
Create a map in Google My Maps
- On a computer, sign in to My Maps with your Google Account and select Create a new map. Google’s instructions are under Create or open a map.
- Click Untitled map, enter a name and description, then save the details.
- Use the left panel to choose a base map style. This sets the visual context behind your places and other features.
Add places and organize them into layers
Search for a place
Search for a place name or address, select the matching result, then choose Add to map. The place is added to the selected layer. See Google’s Add places to your map instructions.
Place a marker yourself
Select the layer where you want the feature, choose the marker tool, and click the map at the location. Give the marker a name and save it. Layers help group related places or features—for example, restaurants in one layer and museums in another.
Google currently documents a maximum of 10,000 lines, shapes, or places per map and 2,000 per layer. These are product limits listed in Google My Maps Help.
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Import locations from a spreadsheet or file
If your locations already exist in a supported file, import them instead of adding each one manually. This is useful for an existing list or geographic dataset. Create a layer, choose its import option, and select a file or a supported Google source. Google’s steps are in Import map features from a file.
- Supported sources include CSV, TSV, KML, KMZ, GPX, XLSX, Google Sheets, and photos stored in Drive or Google Photos.
- For tabular data, include a location field Google can use: latitude and longitude, an address, a place name, or WKT geometry.
- Google advises not importing files with more than 2,000 rows. Its current documented file-size guidance is up to 5 MB for unzipped KML or KMZ files and up to 40 MB for other supported files.
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Choose sharing and visibility
Review the map’s access settings before sharing. Maps can be managed in Google Drive, and Drive sharing settings for a map are reflected in My Maps. Choose link sharing for a limited audience or make the map public if it should be accessible to everyone. Google’s share, download, or print a map instructions also cover embedding: the documented website-embedding route requires a public map.
Think about the audience before changing visibility: a public map is different from one shared only with selected people or through a link. Set the level that matches how widely you intend the map to be available.
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Export or print your map
Open the map menu to choose an output that fits how you will use the data:
- KML or KMZ: Export the whole map for use in a compatible mapping tool.
- CSV: Export an individual layer as tabular data.
- Print: Print a view of the map.
Google lists these options in its map sharing, download, and print help.
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Use My Maps on a computer; view maps on mobile
Google says you cannot create My Maps on mobile devices, so use a computer to create and edit a custom map. My Maps files are web-only in Drive and are not available offline there. You can view saved My Maps in Google Maps; an editor can also open a map from the map listing. See Google’s My Maps overview and place-editing help.
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