Current Location - Google Maps - Link to Directions

Google Maps

Google Maps Problem Overview


I'm trying to do what seemed to be an easy thing but has resulted in some confusion. I'm trying to have a link going to Google Maps with the destination address pre-filled and the from address to inherit the user's current location. From what someone else had instructed, if I used 'current location' as the 'from address', it'd do everything for me.

Instead, when I access the URL from a different location, it's still loading the original "current location" and not the actual current location.

I'm sure it's something stupidly easy, but I'm hoping that someone could point me in the right direction.

The link can be found here.

Google Maps Solutions


Solution 1 - Google Maps

For those still looking, here are some methods of linking to Google Maps:

Spaces can be changed to + or encoded as %20.

  • Linking to a location (No directions)

      https://www.google.com/maps?q=760+West+Genesee+Street+Syracuse+NY+13204
    
  • No starting point (User input required to generate directions).

      https://www.google.com/maps?daddr=760+West+Genesee+Street+Syracuse+NY+13204
    
  • With a set location as starting point (Automatically generates directions with no user input required).

      https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=760+West+Genesee+Street+Syracuse+NY+13204&daddr=314+Avery+Avenue+Syracuse+NY+13204
    
  • With "My Location" as starting point (Automatically generates directions with no user input required).

      https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=My+Location&daddr=760+West+Genesee+Street+Syracuse+NY+13204
    
  • Current Location to Latitude and Longitude

      https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=My+Location&daddr=43.12345,-76.12345
    
  • Query search of a Latitude and Longitude. Also shows setting a default zoom level.

      https://www.google.com/maps?ll=43.12345,-76.12345&q=food&z=14
    
  • String search as destination

      https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=My+Location&daddr=Pinckney+Hugo+Group
    

Here is a post I made that I will keep updated as there are some even newer ways to do this!

Solution 2 - Google Maps

Use My Location instead:

https://maps.google.com/?saddr=My%20Location&daddr=myDestinationAddress

Current Location only works on OS'es with English locale setup.

I haven't found any documentation on this. However leaving saddr blank as suggested here https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/ios-sdk/urlscheme will prompt the user to input start address.

Solution 3 - Google Maps

The answers of GreatBlakes and Jon Alslund-Lanthén suggest a way that sometimes gives you the right result but that can fail if the language of your user isn't English.

As of 2019, the best way seems to be:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Googleplex,+1600+Amphitheatre+Pkwy

Solution 4 - Google Maps

Also, you can try to use

  https://maps.google.com/?daddr=53.9187068,27.5862874

It is works for me on android and ios at least. May be usefull. More details here : https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/ios/urlscheme?utm_source=welovemapsdevelopers&utm_campaign=GM-for-iOS-sdk-1-7

Solution 5 - Google Maps

Try taking out a load of the information, and using 'Current+Location' and, oddly, using .co.uk rather than .com.

The link https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=m&f=d&saddr=Current+Location&daddr=312%20Ponce%20De%20Leon%20Boulevard,%20Coral%20Gables,%20FL works as expected for me (Win7, Chrome and IE9, Android Chrome).

Solution 6 - Google Maps

My+Location queryString doesn't work. But Current+Location queryString value is good work.

True link

https://www.google.com/maps?saddr=Current+Location&daddr=36.8957642,30.7089634

Solution 7 - Google Maps

If you make the destination and the current location the same that will work.

So you should copy/past the destination address also in to my location, than plan route and copy the URL.

This will work

Solution 8 - Google Maps

I am assuming you want this link to open on a mobile phone.

None of the strings mentioned populated my actual GPS Location on iOS 14 or the recent versions of android.

This is what did work for me,

https://www.google.com/maps/dir//Address1/Address2

// (double slashes intended) - indicates a custom starting point.

On desktop it leave this field unpopulated, but on mobile it takes your actual GPS location.

Looks like I do not need a google api key after all.

Solution 9 - Google Maps

What you expect to be the users location is not what you expect, "current location" will be taken by google as any other address, and google tries to find a place that matches the query.

When somebody told you that "current location" will force google to resolve the location of the user, this is wrong.

You may geolocate the user on your own and then create the link based on the geolocation-result.

Attributions

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Content TypeOriginal AuthorOriginal Content on Stackoverflow
QuestionBrian SchroeterView Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - Google MapsGreatBlakesView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - Google MapsJon Alslund-LanthénView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - Google MapsChristianView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - Google MapsNigrimmistView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - Google MapsGrim...View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 6 - Google MapsYasin ÖzcanView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 7 - Google MapsDoeye HofView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 8 - Google MapssanjaybalzView Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 9 - Google MapsDr.MolleView Answer on Stackoverflow