How to Show Multiple Locations on Google Maps (2025 Easy Tutorial)
How to Make a Google Map Show Multiple Locations: The Complete Guide
Displaying multiple locations on a Google Map is a common need for businesses, event planners, and travelers. While Google provides basic tools, creating a professional, embeddable map requires navigating several technical hurdles. This guide walks you through the actual working methods and their limitations.
Method 1: Using Google My Maps (The Free, Manual Method)
This is Google’s dedicated tool for creating custom maps, but it has a dated interface and limited design control.
Step 1: Create Your Map
- 1. Go to https://www.google.com/mymaps.
- 2. Sign in with your Google account.
- 3. Click the “Create a New Map” button.
Step 2: Add and Manage Your Locations
- 1. Click “Untitled map” to give your map a name and description.
- 2. To add locations:
- – Use the search bar at the top and click “Add to map.”
- – Click the marker icon below the search bar, then click directly on the map.
- 3. In the pop-up for each location, you can add a name, description, and change the marker color or icon.
Step 3: Embed the Map on Your Website
- 1. Click the “Share” button and set the map’s visibility to “Public on the web.”
- 2. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) next to your map’s title and select “Embed on my site.”
- 3. Copy the generated `<iframe>` code.
Example of the Embed Code:
html
<iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1xYZAbC123dEf45&hl=en" width="640" height="480"></iframe>Code language: HTML, XML (xml)
The Limitations:
- – The design is generic and often looks unprofessional on a modern website.
- – You cannot use custom marker images or apply advanced map styling.
- – Managing more than a few dozen locations becomes slow and cumbersome.
Method 2: The Custom Code Solution (For Full Control)
For a seamless, branded experience, developers use the Google Maps JavaScript API. This is powerful but technically demanding.
Step 1: Set Up a Google Cloud Project & API Key
- 1. Go to the [Google Cloud Console](https://console.cloud.google.com/).
- 2. Create a project, enable billing, and enable the “Maps JavaScript API”.
- 3. Navigate to “Credentials,” create an API Key, and restrict it to your website’s domain for security.
Step 2: Implement the Map with HTML and JavaScript
Create an HTML file and use the following code. It creates a map with multiple markers and displays the location name in a pop-up info window when a marker is clicked.
Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with your actual Google API key.
html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Multi-Location Business Map</title>
<style>
#map {
height: 500px;
width: 100%;
border-radius: 10px;
margin: 20px 0;
}
.map-title {
font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1 class="map-title">Visit Our Locations</h1>
<div id="map"></div>
<script>
// Map initialization function
function initMap() {
// Center the map (San Francisco area)
const mapCenter = { lat: 37.7749, lng: -122.4194 };
// Create the map object
const map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map"), {
zoom: 10,
center: mapCenter,
styles: [ // Optional: Add custom map styles here
{
"featureType": "poi.business",
"stylers": [{ "visibility": "off" }]
}
]
});
// Array of locations: [Name, Latitude, Longitude]
const locations = [
['Downtown Store', 37.7749, -122.4194],
['Mission District Branch', 37.7599, -122.4148],
['Marina Warehouse', 37.8044, -122.4362]
];
// Create a single InfoWindow to be reused
const infowindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow();
// Loop through locations and create markers
locations.forEach(([name, lat, lng]) => {
const marker = new google.maps.Marker({
position: { lat: lat, lng: lng },
map: map,
title: name // Tooltip on hover
// To use a custom icon, add this line:
// icon: 'custom_pin.png'
});
// Add a click listener to each marker
marker.addListener('click', () => {
infowindow.setContent(`<div style="padding: 10px;"><strong>${name}</strong></div>`);
infowindow.open(map, marker);
});
});
}
</script>
<!-- Load the Google Maps JavaScript API -->
<script async defer src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=YOUR_API_KEY&callback=initMap"></script>
</body>
</html>
Code language: HTML, XML (xml)
The Significant Challenges:
- – Technical Barrier: Requires solid knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- – API Management: You are responsible for securing your API key and managing Google Cloud billing.
- – Complexity Grows Quickly: Adding features like custom marker icons, clustering for many locations, or advanced filtering requires extensive additional code and debugging.
There’s a Better Way: Get Professional Results Without the Headache
As you can see, making a Google Map show multiple locations involves a difficult choice: settle for the limited, unprofessional look of “My Maps” or embark on a complex development project with the API.
This frustration is exactly why MapsFun.com exists. It’s designed to give you the power of the API with the simplicity of a visual editor.
- – Truly No-Code: Add and manage locations with a simple click-and-search interface—no programming needed.
- – Instant Customization: Apply beautiful map themes, upload your own marker icons, and design rich info windows with images and formatted text in minutes.
- – No API Setup: We handle all the technical backend. No Google Cloud accounts, no billing setup, no key restrictions.
- – Optimized for Web: Get a clean, responsive embed code that looks great on all devices.
Stop wrestling with complicated tools and code. Create a stunning, professional map that shows all your locations in just a few clicks. Visit MapsFun.com to get started for free.