Google Maps is one of the most widely used navigation apps in the world. It’s known for its accuracy, detailed mapping data, and powerful navigation features. However, the app contains dozens of icons and symbols, and many users don’t fully understand what they represent.

These icons highlight everything from restaurants and transit stations to hospitals and tourist attractions. Learning what they mean can make navigating the app much easier and faster, whether you’re using it on Android or iOS devices.

In this guide, we’ll explain the most important Google Maps icons and symbols, including interface icons and map markers.

Types of Google Maps Icons

To make things easier to understand, Google Maps symbols can be divided into two main categories:

1. Interface-Level Icons

These icons appear throughout the app interface, including the Home screen, search panel, directions page, and navigation view. They control the main tools used for searching and navigating.

2. Map Icons and Location Symbols

These icons appear directly on the map and represent places and points of interest, such as restaurants, schools, hospitals, temples, or transport stations.

Google Maps Interface Icons Explained

Interface icons help you interact with the app. They allow you to search for places, change map views, start navigation, and manage your saved locations.

1. Google Maps Home Screen Icons

When you open Google Maps, the Home screen acts as the main hub for searching and exploring nearby locations.

1. Search Bar: The white bar at the top lets you search for any place, address, or landmark. You can type something like bars near me and get results.
2. Microphone Icon (Voice Search): Tap this mic if you’d rather speak instead of typing. Just say nearest petrol pump, and Maps will find it for you.
3. Directions Icon: The blue arrow-shaped icon opens the direction panel. You can set your starting point and destination to see routes.
4. Layers / Map Type Icon: Found in the top-right corner, this icon lets you switch between map styles, like Default, Satellite, or Terrain.
5. Your Location Icon: The small circular target at the corner centers the map to your current GPS position. It’s useful when you’ve scrolled away and want to come back to where you are.
6. Explore Tab: This section shows what’s around you, like nearby restaurants, gas stations, or parks, all based on your current location.
7. Saved or You Tab: This section lists all your saved places, like favorites, starred locations, or custom lists.
8. Contribute Tab: The plus shape icon allows you to share your experience by adding reviews, photos, or new places.
9. Compass Icon: Rotates your map view based on your phone’s direction. Red always points north.
10. Profile Icon: Found on the top-right corner, this opens your account settings and saved lists.
11. Map pin: After clicking on it, you can find you’re exact location.
12. Blue Dot (Current Location Indicator): Represents exactly where you are on the map in real time.
13. Blue Beam (Direction Facing Indicator): The small cone around your blue dot shows which direction your phone (and you) are facing.
14. Circle Accuracy Indicator: If you notice a faint blue circle around your location dot, it shows your GPS accuracy range. If it’s smaller means more precise.

2. Search and History Icons

When you tap the search bar, Google Maps displays recent searches and saved places.

1. Back Arrow: Takes you back to the main map view without closing the app.
2. Clock Icon: A small clock beside previous searches. It shows your past searches for quick access.
3. Microphone Icon: Works exactly as it does on the Home screen for voice-based search.
4. Edit / More Icon: Lets you rename, change, or delete saved places like Home or Work.
5. Info Icon: Gives you a short note explaining how Google uses your activity to improve search results.
6. Clear History Icon: Lets you remove one or all of your previous search entries.
7. Home Label Icon: Marks your saved Home address for easy navigation later.
8. Work Label Icon: Marks your workplace location.
9. Parking Icon: Appears when you’ve saved a parking spot. Tap it to view where you parked.
10. Recent Searches Section: A small list showing your most recent search terms and locations.

3. Directions Screen Icons

When you tap Directions, you’ll see several icons related to route planning.

1. Your Location Field: By default, it sets your current location as the starting point.
2. Destination Field: Type or choose your desired location here.
3. Car Mode: It is the default mode that gives the fastest route for cars.
4. Bike Mode: Optimizes your route for cyclists, avoiding highways.
5. Train / Transit Mode: Displays bus, metro, or train connections.
6. Walk Mode: Shows pedestrian routes, footpaths, and shortcuts.
7. Flight Mode: Suggests air routes between distant cities when applicable.
8. Swap Location Icon (arrow icon): A two-arrow symbol that swaps your from and to locations instantly.

4. Route Preview Screen Icons

Before starting navigation, Google Maps shows a route overview.

1. Starting Point: Marks where your journey begins.
2. Destination Point: The location you’re searched to reach.
3. Blue Navigation Route Line: The main route, marked in blue, showing the suggested path.
4. Traffic Color Indicators: Green means clear, orange means slow, and red means heavy traffic.
5. Alternate Routes (Grey/Light Blue Line): Optional routes shown in grey, usually a little longer.
6. Menu (Three Dots): Opens more settings, like Share, Edit Stops, or Route Options.
7. Compass: Adjusts your map orientation.
8. ETA Box (Estimated Time and Distance): Shows your travel time and distance.
9. Cross Icon: Ends your route and returns to the home map.

5. Navigation Mode Icons

Once you start navigation, Google Maps switches to live navigation mode.

1. Next Turn Direction Box: Tells you what your next move is, like Turn left after 200 meters.
2. Current Position Arrow: Shows your car’s real-time position on the map.
3. Recenter Button: If you move the map, this button repositions it to your car’s location.
4. Route Line (Colored): Highlights your current route. The color may change based on traffic.
5. Voice Command (Google Assistant): Helps you ask things like Find nearby fuel stations.
6. Mute / Alerts / Full Voice Toggle: Adjusts the sound level of navigation prompts.
7. Report Button: Lets you report live incidents.
8. Exit Navigation Button: Stops the trip immediately.
9. Route Overview Button: Gives a bird’s-eye view of your current route.
10. Lane Guidance Arrows: Tell you which lane to stay in during turns or exits.
11. Arrival Notification Icon: Appears when you’re nearing your final destination.
12. Search Along Route: Helps you look for stops like restrooms or restaurants along your way.
13. Speedometer Icon: Displays your current driving speed in real-time.
14. Speed Limit Icon: Shows the maximum allowed speed for the current road.

6. Your Places on Google Maps

This section covers the places you’ve saved or marked yourself, like your favorite cafés, trips, or lists.

1. Saved Places: The bookmark icon used for locations you’ve saved manually.
2. Favorites: A heart icon marking your personal favorite spots.
3. Want to Go: A green flag for destinations you’ve planned to visit later.
4. Travel Plans: Used for upcoming or ongoing trips.
5. Start Places: Indicates the start point of any saved route.

7. When You Click on a Place on Google Maps

When you tap any place on Google Maps, you’ll see several icons and symbols. Each tells you something important about that location. You just need to tap on any listed icons and you can see these symbols.

1. Place Type: Tells what kind of place it is, like a temple, restaurant, museum, or park.
2. Status Indicator (Closed · Opens 10 AM): Shows whether the place is currently open or closed and when it opens next.
3. Action Buttons (Directions, Tickets, Call, etc.): These icons help you to open navigation with route, buy entry tickets, and contact the place directly, check their website, and more.
4. Photos and Videos Section: Shows real photos or short clips uploaded by visitors or Google to preview the place.
5. Red Location Pin on Map: Marks the exact location of the selected place on the map.
6. Street View Preview (Square Image with Curved Arrow): Shows a real-world 360° image of the place captured by Google’s Street View cameras.
7. Save Icon: Lets you save the place to your favorites or lists for quick access later.
8. Share Icon: Let’s you share the location link with others through apps like WhatsApp and Messages.
9. Cross Icon: Closes the place details and returns you to the main map view.

In-Map Icons and Location Symbols

Google Maps uses color-coded icons to represent different types of locations.

1. Food and Drink Icons

These icons usually appear in orange.

• Restaurant icon – dining places
• Bar icon – pubs and lounges
• Cafe icon – coffee shops
• Wine glass icon – wine bars

2. Shopping and Entertainment Icons

These icons highlight retail stores and entertainment venues.

• Shopping bag – shopping malls
• Grocery cart – supermarkets
• Theater mask – theaters
• Museum icon – museums
• Camera icon – tourist attractions
• Monument icon – historical landmarks

3. Services and Health Icons

These symbols represent everyday services.

• Gas pump – gas stations
• Parking “P” – parking areas
• Hotel bed – hotels or resorts
• Bank icon – bank branches
• ATM symbol – cash machines
• Cross icon – hospitals
• Pill icon – pharmacies

4. Outdoor and Transport Icons

These icons appear for outdoor attractions and transportation.

• Tree icon – parks
• Mountain icon – mountain areas
• Tent icon – campgrounds
• Airplane icon – airports
• Train icon – railway stations
• Bus icon – bus stops
• Ferry icon – ferry terminals

5. Government and Public Building Icons

These symbols represent civic institutions.

• Post office icon – postal services
• Police badge – police stations
• Book icon – libraries
• School building – schools
• Government building – city halls

6. Religious Site Icons

These icons represent places of worship.

• Church icon – Christian churches
• Mosque icon – mosques
• Temple icon – Hindu or Buddhist temples
• Synagogue icon – Jewish places of worship
• Gurdwara icon – Sikh temples

7. Personal Icons

Some icons are unique to each user.

• Heart icon – favorite locations
• Star icon – starred places
• Flag icon – places you want to visit
• House icon – your saved home address
• Briefcase icon – your workplace

8. Boundaries and Transit Lines

Google Maps also uses lines instead of icons to represent certain features.

• Colored metro lines – subway routes
• Train route lines – rail networks
• Dotted red lines – city or area boundaries
• Country border lines – international borders

Final Thoughts

Google Maps includes hundreds of icons and symbols, and understanding them can dramatically improve how you use the app. Once you learn what the most common icons represent, navigating cities, finding places, and exploring new locations becomes much easier.

Whether you’re searching for restaurants, planning a trip, or navigating traffic, knowing these symbols will help you use Google Maps more efficiently.

FAQs

Why do Google Maps icons look different in some countries?

Google sometimes adapts map icons to match regional standards. For example, symbols for banks, hospitals, or postal services may differ depending on the country.

How do I identify a closed road in Google Maps?

Road closures are usually marked with a red line or barrier icon.

Can I add custom icons to Google Maps?

No. Users cannot add public icons, but they can save places using stars, hearts, or flags.

How often are Google Maps icons updated?

Google regularly updates map icons and data, typically during major map data refreshes several times per year.