In Google Maps, right-click or long-press a spot to reveal latitude and longitude, then tap the coordinates to copy or share them.
Need the exact latitude and longitude for a spot, a trailhead, or a delivery pin? You can grab that data in seconds on desktop and phone. This guide shows fast clicks, clean formats, and copy tricks that work every time.
Find Latitude And Longitude On Google Maps: Fast Methods
On A Computer
- Open maps.google.com and zoom to the place.
- Right-click the point you need.
- Pick the coordinate pair at the top of the menu. A small card opens.
- Click the numbers on the card to copy them.
On Android
- Open the app and move the map so the crosshair sits on the spot.
- Long-press until a red pin drops.
- Swipe up on the place card. The coordinate pair appears.
- Tap the numbers to copy or use Share.
On iPhone Or iPad
- Open the app and press on the location to drop a pin.
- Swipe up the place card to reveal the numbers.
- Tap the coordinate pair to copy, or use the Share sheet.
Quick Actions At A Glance
The table below collects the fastest way to pull coordinates on each platform and how to copy or share them.
| Platform | Fast Action | Copy Or Share |
|---|---|---|
| Computer | Right-click the spot | Click the numbers on the card |
| Android | Long-press to drop a pin | Tap the numbers or use Share |
| iPhone/iPad | Press to drop a pin | Tap the numbers or Share |
Tip: If you already searched a place by name, open its card and scroll. The pair sits near the map preview. You can tap to copy from there too.
Copy, Share, And Save Coordinates
Copy Cleanly
Click or tap the pair to copy it in decimal format, such as 37.4219999, -122.0840575. Most tools accept that format as-is. If an app needs a different pattern, see the format section below.
Share With A Link
Use the Share button on the place card to send a link by text, email, or any app on your phone. Anyone who opens the link lands on the same spot in the map.
Save For Later
Star the place or add it to a list. That keeps the pair one tap away inside the Saved tab, and it syncs across devices signed in to the same account.
Want written steps from the source? See Google’s guide on search by latitude & longitude. Power users who build links can use the Maps URLs guide to craft a direct link that opens the map at a precise point.
Understand Coordinate Formats
Maps shows a pair as latitude, then longitude. North and East are positive, South and West are negative. You will see three common patterns:
Decimal Degrees (DD)
Short and easy to paste in most tools. Sample: 48.858370, 2.294481 for the Eiffel Tower. The more decimal places you keep, the tighter the pinpoint.
Degrees, Minutes, Seconds (DMS)
Classic style with symbols. Sample: 48°51′30.1″ N, 2°17′40.1″ E. Some forms only accept this style.
Degrees And Decimal Minutes (DMM)
A middle ground. Sample: 48°51.502′ N, 2°17.668′ E. Handy on marine and hiking gear.
Format Cheat Sheet
| Format | Pattern | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| DD | lat, lon | 48.858370, 2.294481 |
| DMS | DD° MM′ SS.S″ N/S, DD° MM′ SS.S″ E/W | 48°51′30.1″ N, 2°17′40.1″ E |
| DMM | DD° MM.MMM′ N/S, DD° MM.MMM′ E/W | 48°51.502′ N, 2°17.668′ E |
If you need to convert between styles, the math is simple: decimal = degrees + minutes/60 + seconds/3600. The reverse takes the decimal part and multiplies by 60 to get minutes, then repeats to get seconds. You can also use a converter like the one from the FCC for DMS to decimal.
Precision, Rounding, And Address Pins
Each extra decimal place sharpens the point. Six places lands you at street level. Seven or eight reaches door level in many areas. Trim too much and a pin can jump to the wrong side of a road.
When you long-press, the pin drops at the exact pixel under your finger. If you dragged while pressing, the pin may slide a little. Zoom in, press once, then fine-tune by dragging the pin a hair if needed.
Named places often sit at the center of a building footprint. If you need the loading gate rather than the lobby, drop a fresh pin on the exact spot and copy that pair instead of the place’s default point.
Decimal Places Guide
Use this quick guide to judge the precision you need.
| Decimal Places | Approx Precision | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | ~110 meters | City-level views |
| 5 | ~1.1 meters | Trailheads, kiosks |
| 6 | ~11 centimeters | Driveway pins |
Use Plus Codes When No Address Exists
Some rural spots lack a street address. Plus Codes give a short code you can share, like 7FG8V4V6+G8. Every code maps to a unique location and works offline in many apps. On a phone, open the place card and look for the code under the address line. Tap to copy.
You can paste a Plus Code into the search box to jump back to the same place. If the full code shows with a city name, keep both parts when sharing.
Build A Direct Link From A Coordinate Pair
Links can open the map right at your point, ready to share or embed. Two easy patterns:
Search URL
Use this pattern: https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=LAT,LON. Replace the placeholders with your numbers, like ...&query=48.85837,2.29448. This works on desktop and phone. See the official Maps search URL notes for more options.
Short Link From The Share Card
When you tap Share, Maps can generate a short link. Short links look tidy in texts and emails and still carry the same point.
Paste Coordinates Into The Search Box
You can paste most formats straight into the search box. DD, DMS, and DMM all work. Keep latitude first, then longitude, and use a period for the decimal marker. If your region uses a comma for decimals, switch to a period when searching.
Common Mistakes And Fast Fixes
Pair Is Reversed
If the map opens far from your target, you may have pasted longitude before latitude. Switch the order and try again.
Wrong Symbol Or Letter
DMS needs the degree, minute, and second symbols, plus N/S/E/W letters. A missing symbol can break imports in some tools. When in doubt, switch to decimal.
Extra Spaces Or Line Breaks
Clean any stray spaces around the comma. When pasting from a PDF, paste into a plain text field first, then into the search box.
Pin Snaps To A Nearby Road
Snap happens when a close road point looks like the target. Zoom in two levels and drop the pin again on the exact surface you need.
Location Sharing Needs A Check
If a friend cannot see your link, make sure they can open Maps and that their app is updated. You can also share a live view with the built-in Location Sharing tool and send the link directly from there.
Practical Uses You Can Rely On
Delivery drop-offs. Meetups in parks. Campsites with no address. Survey notes. Field photos. When everyone shares the same numbers, the group shows up at the same place without confusion.
Teams can paste pairs into forms, CRMs, or mapping tools. Photos can store pairs in EXIF, and some cameras stamp the numbers on image overlays. Hikers can type DMS into a handheld GPS, while drone pilots prefer decimal pairs in mission tools.
Method Notes
This guide combines direct testing on desktop, Android, and iOS with the official help pages and URL specs linked above. Steps can change with app updates, so screens may vary a little across devices and regions. Now.
Import Coordinates Into Other Tools
Plenty of apps accept a plain pair. Spreadsheets and CRMs are quick places to stash data. Keep one column for latitude and one for longitude. Use a period for decimals, and avoid extra spaces. If a tool wants a single field, join them with a comma.
GIS apps and Google Earth can read KML and CSV files. A basic CSV row looks like name,latitude,longitude. For KML, a placemark uses <coordinates>LON,LAT,ALT</coordinates> with longitude first. When exporting, match the order the target app expects to avoid flips.
Photo and video workflows benefit too. Many editors read the GPS tag in media metadata. If your camera or phone geotags shots, the pair travels with the file and helps sorting.
Privacy And Safety Basics
Numbers pin a spot with high precision, and links are easy to forward. Share pairs only with people who should visit. Before posting on social media, remove the EXIF location from photos if the spot is private.
Live sharing helps during meetups. When done, turn it off in the app to stop sending your live view. If you manage links for a team, check that shared lists use the right audience setting inside the Saved tab.
Advanced Tips For Field Work
Download an offline area before a trip. With the map cached, you can drop pins and read pairs offline. Sync when back on a network to save pins to your account.
Carry a short note on decimal precision for your crew. Six places works for most tasks. When logging a long line of points, keep the same number of places for clean sorting and easier joins in spreadsheets.
Match the format to the gear. If a form only accepts DMS, convert the decimal pair once and paste that pattern all day. If your device needs a hemisphere letter, make sure the minus sign is gone and the letter is correct.