If you have a spreadsheet full of addresses, business locations, customer sites, travel destinations, or other places, entering every location into Google Maps one at a time can take a lot of time. Fortunately, you can import multiple locations at once by using Google My Maps, Google’s tool for creating and managing custom maps.
The important thing to know is that the regular Google Maps website does not provide a simple “Import locations” button for adding a spreadsheet directly to your everyday Maps view.
Instead, you can use Google My Maps on a computer to import your location data. Afterward, you can view your custom map through Google Maps.
This method works especially well when your locations are stored in a CSV, XLSX, Google Sheets, KML, KMZ, GPX, or TSV file.
Your file should contain location information such as addresses, place names, latitude and longitude, or WKT geometry data.
Import locations into Google Maps [Easy Steps]
To import locations into Google Maps:
- First, prepare your location spreadsheet with addresses, place names, or latitude and longitude.
- Open Google My Maps on a computer and sign in with your Google Account.
- Create a new map or open an existing custom map.
- Click Add layer, give the layer a name, and select Import.
- Upload your CSV, XLSX, Google Sheet, KML, KMZ, GPX, or supported file containing your locations.
- Select the column containing your addresses, place names, or coordinates when Google asks how to position the locations.
- Select the column you want to use for place names or titles.
- Review the imported locations, then organize and customize the map as needed.
- Open the map through Google Maps when you want to view your imported locations.
The easiest approach is to think of Google My Maps as the importing tool and Google Maps as the place where you can later view your custom map.
Google says My Maps can import map features such as places, lines, and shapes from several file types, including spreadsheets and KML files.
The following steps walk you through the whole process from preparing your file to checking the finished map.
Step 1: Prepare Your Location File
Before opening Google My Maps, get your locations ready in a spreadsheet or supported file. For a simple location list, a CSV or XLSX file is usually convenient.
Your spreadsheet should have a header row that identifies the information in each column. For example, you could have columns named Name, Address, City, State, and ZIP Code. You can also use columns containing latitude and longitude if you already have precise coordinates.
For example, a simple spreadsheet might contain “Central Park” in the Name column and its address in the Address column. Another row could contain another destination with its corresponding address. Keeping your information organized makes the import process much easier.
Google My Maps supports several formats, including CSV, TSV, KML, KMZ, GPX, XLSX, and Google Sheets. Google also states that the file should contain a column with location information such as latitude and longitude, addresses, place names, or WKT geometry.
If you’re importing a spreadsheet, make sure the first row contains column titles. This helps My Maps understand what each column represents.
Step 2: Open Google My Maps on Your Computer
Now open Google My Maps using a desktop or laptop browser and sign in to your Google Account.
This part is important because My Maps is not available for creating or editing maps on Android or iPhone/iPad. Google says you can view your My Maps through Google Maps on those devices, but map creation and editing should be done on a computer.
Once you’re signed in, you can either create a new custom map or open a map you’ve already created.
If you already have a map where you want the locations to appear, open that map. Otherwise, start a new map so your imported locations have a dedicated place to live.
Step 3: Create or Open Your Custom Map
After opening Google My Maps, create a new map or select an existing one.
When you create a map, you’ll see the map area along with a panel on the left. This panel contains your map layers, which are useful for organizing different types of locations.
For example, if you’re creating a travel map, you might eventually have one layer for hotels, another for restaurants, and another for attractions. If you’re importing one spreadsheet containing all your destinations, you can start with a single layer.
Google currently allows a map to contain up to 10 layers, while an individual layer can contain up to 2,000 lines, shapes, or places.
Step 4: Add a New Layer
In the panel on the left, click Add layer. Give the layer a descriptive name that tells you what the imported locations represent.
For example, you could name it Customer Locations, Vacation Destinations, Store Locations, or Favorite Restaurants.
Naming your layer clearly is more useful than it may seem. If you eventually add several groups of locations, you’ll immediately know what each layer contains.
After creating the layer, look underneath its name for the Import option.
Step 5: Import Your Location File
Click Import under the new layer. Google My Maps will ask you to select the file containing your location information.
Choose your prepared CSV, XLSX, Google Sheet, KML, GPX, or another supported file and upload it.
If you’re using a Google Sheet, select the appropriate spreadsheet when prompted. If you’re working with a file saved on your computer, select the file from your computer’s storage.
Google’s current My Maps documentation lists multiple supported import formats and notes that most supported files can be up to 40 MB, while uncompressed KML and KMZ files can be up to 5 MB. Google also says not to import files containing more than 2,000 rows in a single import.
If your spreadsheet contains thousands of locations, it may be better to divide the data into smaller, logical groups before importing it.
Step 6: Choose the Column That Identifies Each Location
After uploading your file, My Maps needs to know where each location belongs on the map.
You’ll normally be asked to choose the column containing your location information. If your spreadsheet contains complete addresses, select the address column. If it contains recognizable place names, you can use the place-name column. If you have latitude and longitude information, use those coordinate columns.
For example, if your spreadsheet contains Name, Address, and Phone Number, the Address column is generally the useful choice for positioning the locations.
If you’re using coordinates, make sure the latitude and longitude values are accurate. Even a small mistake in coordinates can place a marker in the wrong location.
Step 7: Choose the Location Name Column
After My Maps identifies where your locations should go, you’ll be asked which column should be used to title the imported places.
Select the column containing the names you want to see when you click a marker.
For example, if your spreadsheet has a Name column containing “Central Park,” “Empire State Building,” and “Times Square,” selecting that column will make those names appear as the titles of your imported locations.
This is particularly useful when your address column contains long addresses. Instead of seeing only an address, you can click a marker and immediately recognize the location by its name.
Step 8: Check the Imported Locations
Once the import is complete, take a moment to check your map carefully.
Look at the markers and make sure they appear in the expected areas. Click a few locations to verify that the names and information were imported correctly.
If a location appears somewhere unexpected, check the original spreadsheet. Common causes include incorrect addresses, incomplete location information, misspelled place names, or inaccurate coordinates.
It’s better to catch these problems now than after you’ve spent time organizing the map.
Step 9: Organize and Customize Your Locations
After importing the locations, you can make your map easier to understand by changing how the markers look.
Google My Maps lets you change marker colors and icons, organize features, and style locations using information from your data. You can also use different layers to separate groups of places.
For example, you could use one layer for hotels and another for restaurants. You could also use different marker styles to make important locations easier to recognize.
If your map contains a large number of locations, good organization can make a major difference when you’re trying to find a specific place later.
Step 10: View Your Imported Locations in Google Maps
Once your custom map is ready, you can access it through Google Maps.
Google says that maps created in My Maps can be viewed in Google Maps. On a computer, sign in to Google Maps, select Saved > Maps, and choose the custom map you want to view. If you need to edit it, you can choose Open in My Maps.
This gives you a convenient way to access the locations you’ve imported without manually searching for every location again.
Faqs
Can I import locations directly into the regular Google Maps app?
Not in the same way you can import a spreadsheet into a custom map. The practical method is to use Google My Maps on a computer to import the file and then view the resulting custom map through Google Maps. Google specifically directs users to My Maps for creating and editing custom maps.
What file types can I import into Google My Maps?
Google My Maps supports several formats, including CSV, TSV, KML, KMZ, GPX, XLSX, and Google Sheets. The file needs suitable location information, such as addresses, place names, coordinates, or WKT geometry.
Can I import an Excel spreadsheet into Google Maps?
Yes, but the spreadsheet is imported through Google My Maps, rather than directly into your normal Google Maps interface. An XLSX file is among the supported formats.
Can I import locations using latitude and longitude?
Yes. Latitude and longitude information can be used to position imported locations. This can be especially useful when you need precise marker placement rather than relying on an address or place name.
Can I import more than 2,000 locations?
Google’s current My Maps help documentation says not to import files containing more than 2,000 rows in a single import. If your data is larger, dividing it into separate logical groups can help you work within the documented limits.
Can I edit the imported locations later?
Yes. After importing your locations, you can edit place information, move features, change marker styles, and organize locations into layers. My Maps also supports reimporting and merging data from CSV files and Google Sheets for certain update workflows.
Why are some of my imported locations in the wrong place?
This usually means the location information in the source file needs attention. Check for incomplete addresses, spelling mistakes, ambiguous place names, or incorrect latitude and longitude values. Correct the source data and import it again if necessary.
Summary
Importing a large list of locations into Google Maps is much easier when you use Google My Maps. Start by preparing a clean spreadsheet containing addresses, place names, or coordinates. Then open My Maps on your computer, create or open a map, add a layer, and use Import to upload your file.
Once My Maps identifies the location and name columns, it can place your locations on the map for you.
You can then check the markers, organize them into layers, customize their appearance, and view the finished map through Google Maps.