Google Maps API 3 - Custom marker color for default (dot) marker

I've seen lots of other questions similar to this (here, here and here), but they all have accepted answers that don't solve my problem. The best solution I have found to the problem is the StyledMarker library, which does let you define custom colours for markers, but I can't get it to use the default marker (the one you get when you do a google maps search - with a dot in the middle), it just seems to provide markers with a letter in, or with a special icon.

You can dynamically request icon images from the Google charts api with the urls:

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?chst=d_map_pin_letter&chld=%E2%80%A2|FE7569

Which looks like this: the image is 21x34 pixels and the pin tip is at position (10, 34)

And you'll also want a separate shadow image (so that it doesn't overlap nearby icons):

http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?chst=d_map_pin_shadow

Which looks like this: the image is 40x37 pixels and the pin tip is at position (12, 35)

When you construct your MarkerImages you need to set the size and anchor points accordingly:

    var pinColor = "FE7569";
    var pinImage = new google.maps.MarkerImage("http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?chst=d_map_pin_letter&chld=%E2%80%A2|" + pinColor,
        new google.maps.Size(21, 34),
        new google.maps.Point(0,0),
        new google.maps.Point(10, 34));
    var pinShadow = new google.maps.MarkerImage("http://chart.apis.google.com/chart?chst=d_map_pin_shadow",
        new google.maps.Size(40, 37),
        new google.maps.Point(0, 0),
        new google.maps.Point(12, 35));

You can then add the marker to your map with:

        var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
                position: new google.maps.LatLng(0,0), 
                map: map,
                icon: pinImage,
                shadow: pinShadow
            });

Simply replace "FE7569" with the color code you're after. Eg:

Credit due to Jack B Nimble for the inspiration ;)

If you use Google Maps API v3 you can use setIcon e.g.

marker.setIcon('http://maps.google.com/mapfiles/ms/icons/green-dot.png')

Or as part of marker init:

marker = new google.maps.Marker({
    icon: 'http://...'
});

Other colours:

• Blue marker
• Red marker
• Purple marker
• Yellow marker
• Green marker

Use the following piece of code to update default markers with different colors.

(BitmapDescriptorFactory.defaultMarker(BitmapDescriptorFactory.HUE_ROSE)

Here is a nice solution using the Gooogle Maps API itself. No external service, no extra library. And it enables custom shapes and multiple colors and styles. The solution uses vectorial markers, which googlemaps api calls Symbols.

Besides the few and limited predefined symbols, you can craft any shape of any color by specifying an SVG path string (Spec).

To use it, instead of setting the 'icon' marker option to the image url, you set it to a dictionary containing the symbol options. As example, I managed to craft one symbol that is quite similar to the standard marker:

function pinSymbol(color) {
    return {
        path: 'M 0,0 C -2,-20 -10,-22 -10,-30 A 10,10 0 1,1 10,-30 C 10,-22 2,-20 0,0 z M -2,-30 a 2,2 0 1,1 4,0 2,2 0 1,1 -4,0',
        fillColor: color,
        fillOpacity: 1,
        strokeColor: '#000',
        strokeWeight: 2,
        scale: 1,
   };
}

var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
   map: map,
   position: new google.maps.LatLng(latitude, longitude),
   icon: pinSymbol("#FFF"),
});

I you are careful to keep the shape key point at 0,0 you avoid having to define marker icon centering parameters. Another path example, the same marker without the dot:

    path: 'M 0,0 C -2,-20 -10,-22 -10,-30 A 10,10 0 1,1 10,-30 C 10,-22 2,-20 0,0 z',

And here you have a very simple and ugly coloured flag:

    path: 'M 0,0 -1,-2 V -43 H 1 V -2 z M 1,-40 H 30 V -20 H 1 z',

You can also create the paths using a visual tool like Inkscape (GNU-GPL, multiplatform). Some useful hints:

• Google API just accepts a single path, so you have to turn any other object (square, cercle...) into a path and join them as a single one. Both commands at the Path menu.
• To move the path to the (0,0), go to the Path Edit mode (F2) select all the control nodes and drag them. Moving the object with F1, won't change the path node coords.
• To ensure the reference point is at (0,0), you can select it alone and edit the coords by hand on the top toolbar.
• After saving the SVG file, which is an XML, open it with an editor, look for the svg:path element and copy the content of the 'd' attribute.

Well the closest thing I've been able to get with the StyledMarker is this.

The bullet in the middle isn't quite a big as the default one though. The StyledMarker class simply builds this url and asks the google api to create the marker.

From the class use example use "%E2%80%A2" as your text, as in:

var styleMaker2 = new StyledMarker({styleIcon:new StyledIcon(StyledIconTypes.MARKER,{text:"%E2%80%A2"},styleIconClass),position:new google.maps.LatLng(37.263477473067, -121.880502070713),map:map});

You will need to modifiy StyledMarker.js to comment out the lines:

  if (text_) {
    text_ = text_.substr(0,2);
  }

as this will trim the text string to 2 characters.

Alternatively you could create custom marker images based on the default one with the colors you desire and override the default marker with code such as this:

marker = new google.maps.Marker({
  map:map,
  position: latlng,
  icon: new google.maps.MarkerImage(
	'http://www.gettyicons.com/free-icons/108/gis-gps/png/24/needle_left_yellow_2_24.png',
	new google.maps.Size(24, 24),
	new google.maps.Point(0, 0),
	new google.maps.Point(0, 24)
  )
});

I've extended vokimon's answer a bit, making it a bit more convenient for changing other properties as well.

function customIcon (opts) {
  return Object.assign({
    path: 'M 0,0 C -2,-20 -10,-22 -10,-30 A 10,10 0 1,1 10,-30 C 10,-22 2,-20 0,0 z M -2,-30 a 2,2 0 1,1 4,0 2,2 0 1,1 -4,0',
    fillColor: '#34495e',
    fillOpacity: 1,
    strokeColor: '#000',
    strokeWeight: 2,
    scale: 1,
  }, opts);
}

Usage:

marker.setIcon(customIcon({
  fillColor: '#fff',
  strokeColor: '#000'
}));

Or when defining a new marker:

const marker = new google.maps.Marker({
  position: {
    lat: ...,
    lng: ...
  },
  icon: customIcon({
    fillColor: '#2ecc71'
  }),
  map: map
});

Hi you can use icon as SVG and set colors. See this code

/*
 * declare map and places as a global variable
 */
var map;
var places = [
    ['Place 1', "<h1>Title 1</h1>", -0.690542, -76.174856,"red"],
    ['Place 2', "<h1>Title 2</h1>", -5.028249, -57.659052,"blue"],
    ['Place 3', "<h1>Title 3</h1>", -0.028249, -77.757507,"green"],
    ['Place 4', "<h1>Title 4</h1>", -0.800101286, -76.78747820,"orange"],
    ['Place 5', "<h1>Title 5</h1>", -0.950198, -78.959302,"#FF33AA"]
];
/*
 * use google maps api built-in mechanism to attach dom events
 */
google.maps.event.addDomListener(window, "load", function () {

    /*
     * create map
     */
    var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("map_div"), {
        mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId.ROADMAP,
    });

    /*
     * create infowindow (which will be used by markers)
     */
    var infoWindow = new google.maps.InfoWindow();
    /*
     * create bounds (which will be used auto zoom map)
     */
    var bounds = new google.maps.LatLngBounds();

    /*
     * marker creater function (acts as a closure for html parameter)
     */
    function createMarker(options, html) {
        var marker = new google.maps.Marker(options);
        bounds.extend(options.position);
        if (html) {
            google.maps.event.addListener(marker, "click", function () {
                infoWindow.setContent(html);
                infoWindow.open(options.map, this);
                map.setZoom(map.getZoom() + 1)
                map.setCenter(marker.getPosition());
            });
        }
        return marker;
    }

    /*
     * add markers to map
     */
    for (var i = 0; i < places.length; i++) {
        var point = places[i];
        createMarker({
            position: new google.maps.LatLng(point[2], point[3]),
            map: map,
            icon: {
                path: "M27.648 -41.399q0 -3.816 -2.7 -6.516t-6.516 -2.7 -6.516 2.7 -2.7 6.516 2.7 6.516 6.516 2.7 6.516 -2.7 2.7 -6.516zm9.216 0q0 3.924 -1.188 6.444l-13.104 27.864q-0.576 1.188 -1.71 1.872t-2.43 0.684 -2.43 -0.684 -1.674 -1.872l-13.14 -27.864q-1.188 -2.52 -1.188 -6.444 0 -7.632 5.4 -13.032t13.032 -5.4 13.032 5.4 5.4 13.032z",
                scale: 0.6,
                strokeWeight: 0.2,
                strokeColor: 'black',
                strokeOpacity: 1,
                fillColor: point[4],
                fillOpacity: 0.85,
            },
        }, point[1]);
    };
    map.fitBounds(bounds);
});

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?v=3"></script>
<div id="map_div" style="height: 400px;"></div>

since version 3.11 of the google maps API, the Icon object replaces MarkerImage. Icon supports the same parameters as MarkerImage. I even found it to be a bit more straight forward.

An example could look like this:

var image = {
  url: place.icon,
  size: new google.maps.Size(71, 71),
  origin: new google.maps.Point(0, 0),
  anchor: new google.maps.Point(17, 34),
  scaledSize: new google.maps.Size(25, 25)
};

for further information check this site

As others have mentioned, vokimon's answer is great but unfortunately Google Maps is a bit slow when there are many SymbolPath/SVG-based markers at once.

It looks like using a Data URI is much faster, approximately on par with PNGs.

Also, since it's a full SVG document, it's possible to use a proper filled circle for the dot. The path is modified so it is no longer offset to the top-left, so the anchor needs to be defined.

Here's a modified version that generates these markers:

var coloredMarkerDef = {
    svg: [
        '<svg viewBox="0 0 22 41" width="22px" height="41px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">',
            '<path d="M 11,41 c -2,-20 -10,-22 -10,-30 a 10,10 0 1 1 20,0 c 0,8 -8,10 -10,30 z" fill="{fillColor}" stroke="#ffffff" stroke-width="1.5"/>',
            '<circle cx="11" cy="11" r="3"/>',
        '</svg>'
    ].join(''),
    anchor: {x: 11, y: 41},
    size: {width: 22, height: 41}
};

var getColoredMarkerSvg = function(color) {
    return coloredMarkerDef.svg.replace('{fillColor}', color);
};

var getColoredMarkerUri = function(color) {
    return 'data:image/svg+xml,' + encodeURIComponent(getColoredMarkerSvg(color));
};

var getColoredMarkerIcon = function(color) {
    return {
        url: getColoredMarkerUri(color),
        anchor: coloredMarkerDef.anchor,
        size: coloredMarkerDef.size,
        scaledSize: coloredMarkerDef.size
    }
};

Usage:

var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
    map: map,
    position: new google.maps.LatLng(latitude, longitude),
    icon: getColoredMarkerIcon("#FFF")
});

The downside, much like a PNG image, is the whole rectangle is clickable. In theory it's not too difficult to trace the SVG path and generate a MarkerShape polygon.

> > > In Internet Explorer, this solution does not work in ssl. > > One can see the error in console as: > > SEC7111: HTTPS security is compromised by this, > > Workaround : As one of the user here suggested replace > chart.apis.google.com to chart.googleapis.com for the URL path to avoid SSL error.

You can use this code it works fine.

 var pinImage = new google.maps.MarkerImage("http://www.googlemapsmarkers.com/v1/009900/");<br>

 var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
            position: yourlatlong,
            icon: pinImage,
            map: map
        });

Combine a symbol-based marker whose path draws the outline, with a '●' character for the center. You can substitute the dot with other text ('A', 'B', etc.) as desired.

This function returns options for a marker with the a given text (if any), text color, and fill color. It uses the text color for the outline.

function createSymbolMarkerOptions(text, textColor, fillColor) {
	return {
		icon: {
			path: 'M 0,0 C -2,-20 -10,-22 -10,-30 A 10,10 0 1,1 10,-30 C 10,-22 2,-20 0,0 z',
			fillColor: fillColor,
			fillOpacity: 1,
			strokeColor: textColor,
			strokeWeight: 1.8,
			labelOrigin: { x: 0, y: -30 }
		},
		label: {
			text: text || '●',
			color: textColor
		}
	};
}

These are custom Circular markers

small_red:

data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAJCAYAAADgkQYQAAAAiklEQVR42mNgQIAoIF4NxGegdCCSHAMzEC+NUlH5v9rF5f+ZoCAwHaig8B8oPhOmKC1NU/P//7Q0DByrqgpSGAtSdOCAry9WRXt9fECK9oIUPXwYFYVV0e2ICJCi20SbFAuyG5uiECUlkKIQmOPng3y30d0d7Lt1bm4w301jQAOgcNoIDad1yOEEAFm9fSv/VqtJAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC

small_yellow:

data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAJCAYAAADgkQYQAAAAi0lEQVR42mNgQIAoIF4NxGegdCCSHAMzEC+NijL7v3p1+v8zZ6rAdGCg4X+g+EyYorS0NNv////PxMCxsRYghbEgRQcOHCjGqmjv3kKQor0gRQ8fPmzHquj27WaQottEmxQLshubopAQI5CiEJjj54N8t3FjFth369ZlwHw3jQENgMJpIzSc1iGHEwB8p5qDBbsHtAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==

small_green:

data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAJCAYAAADgkQYQAAAAiElEQVR42mNgQIAoIF4NxGegdCCSHAMzEC81izL7n746/X/VmSowbRho+B8oPhOmKM02zfb/TCzQItYCpDAWpOhA8YFirIoK9xaCFO0FKXrY/rAdq6Lm280gRbeJNikWZDc2RUYhRiBFITDHzwf5LmtjFth3GesyYL6bxoAGQOG0ERpO65DDCQDX7ovT++K9KQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==

small_blue:

data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAJCAYAAADgkQYQAAAAiklEQVR42mNgQIAoIF4NxGegdCCSHAMzEC81M4v6n56++n9V1RkwbWgY+B8oPhOmKM3WNu3/zJn/MbCFRSxIYSxI0YHi4gNYFRUW7gUp2gtS9LC9/SFWRc3Nt0GKbhNtUizIbmyKjIxCQIpCYI6fD/JdVtZGsO8yMtbBfDeNAQ2AwmkjNJzWIYcTAMk+i9OhipcQAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC

small_purple:

data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAkAAAAJCAYAAADgkQYQAAAAi0lEQVR42mNgQIAoIF4NxGegdCCSHAMzEC+NMov6vzp99f8zVWfAdKBh4H+g+EyYorQ027T//2f+x8CxFrEghbEgRQcOFB/Aqmhv4V6Qor0gRQ8ftj/Equh2822QottEmxQLshubohCjEJCiEJjj54N8tzFrI9h36zLWwXw3jQENgMJpIzSc1iGHEwBt95qDejjnKAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==

They are 9x9 png images.

Once they're on your page you can just drag them off and you'll have the actual png file.

I try two ways to create the custom google map marker, this run code used canvg.js is the best compatibility for browser.the Commented-Out Code is not support IE11 urrently.

var marker;
var CustomShapeCoords = [16, 1.14, 21, 2.1, 25, 4.2, 28, 7.4, 30, 11.3, 30.6, 15.74, 25.85, 26.49, 21.02, 31.89, 15.92, 43.86, 10.92, 31.89, 5.9, 26.26, 1.4, 15.74, 2.1, 11.3, 4, 7.4, 7.1, 4.2, 11, 2.1, 16, 1.14];

function initMap() {
  var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('map'), {
    zoom: 13,
    center: {
      lat: 59.325,
      lng: 18.070
    }
  });
  var markerOption = {
    latitude: 59.327,
    longitude: 18.067,
    color: "#" + "000",
    text: "ha"
  };
  marker = createMarker(markerOption);
  marker.setMap(map);
  marker.addListener('click', changeColorAndText);
};

function changeColorAndText() {
  var iconTmpObj = createSvgIcon( "#c00", "ok" );
  marker.setOptions( {
                icon: iconTmpObj
            } );
};

function createMarker(options) {
  //IE MarkerShape has problem
  var markerObj = new google.maps.Marker({
    icon: createSvgIcon(options.color, options.text),
    position: {
      lat: parseFloat(options.latitude),
      lng: parseFloat(options.longitude)
    },
    draggable: false,
    visible: true,
    zIndex: 10,
    shape: {
      coords: CustomShapeCoords,
      type: 'poly'
    }
  });

  return markerObj;
};

function createSvgIcon(color, text) {
  var div = $("<div></div>");

  var svg = $(
    '<svg width="32px" height="43px"  viewBox="0 0 32 43" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">' +
    '<path style="fill:#FFFFFF;stroke:#020202;stroke-width:1;stroke-miterlimit:10;" d="M30.6,15.737c0-8.075-6.55-14.6-14.6-14.6c-8.075,0-14.601,6.55-14.601,14.6c0,4.149,1.726,7.875,4.5,10.524c1.8,1.801,4.175,4.301,5.025,5.625c1.75,2.726,5,11.976,5,11.976s3.325-9.25,5.1-11.976c0.825-1.274,3.05-3.6,4.825-5.399C28.774,23.813,30.6,20.012,30.6,15.737z"/>' +
    '<circle style="fill:' + color + ';" cx="16" cy="16" r="11"/>' +
    '<text x="16" y="20" text-anchor="middle" style="font-size:10px;fill:#FFFFFF;">' + text + '</text>' +
    '</svg>'
  );
  div.append(svg);

  var dd = $("<canvas height='50px' width='50px'></cancas>");

  var svgHtml = div[0].innerHTML;

  //todo yao gai bu dui
  canvg(dd[0], svgHtml);

  var imgSrc = dd[0].toDataURL("image/png");
  //"scaledSize" and "optimized: false" together seems did the tricky ---IE11  &&  viewBox influent IE scaledSize
  //var svg = '<svg width="32px" height="43px"  viewBox="0 0 32 43" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">'
  //    + '<path style="fill:#FFFFFF;stroke:#020202;stroke-width:1;stroke-miterlimit:10;" d="M30.6,15.737c0-8.075-6.55-14.6-14.6-14.6c-8.075,0-14.601,6.55-14.601,14.6c0,4.149,1.726,7.875,4.5,10.524c1.8,1.801,4.175,4.301,5.025,5.625c1.75,2.726,5,11.976,5,11.976s3.325-9.25,5.1-11.976c0.825-1.274,3.05-3.6,4.825-5.399C28.774,23.813,30.6,20.012,30.6,15.737z"/>'
  //    + '<circle style="fill:' + color + ';" cx="16" cy="16" r="11"/>'
  //    + '<text x="16" y="20" text-anchor="middle" style="font-size:10px;fill:#FFFFFF;">' + text + '</text>'
  //    + '</svg>';
  //var imgSrc = 'data:image/svg+xml;charset=UTF-8,' + encodeURIComponent(svg);

  var iconObj = {
    size: new google.maps.Size(32, 43),
    url: imgSrc,
    scaledSize: new google.maps.Size(32, 43)
  };

  return iconObj;
};

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <title>Your Custom Marker </title>
  <style>
    /* Always set the map height explicitly to define the size of the div
       * element that contains the map. */
    #map {
      height: 100%;
    }
    /* Optional: Makes the sample page fill the window. */
    html,
    body {
      height: 100%;
      margin: 0;
      padding: 0;
    }
  </style>
</head>

<body>
  <div id="map"></div>
    <script src="https://canvg.github.io/canvg/canvg.js"></script>
    <script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
    <script async defer src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?callback=initMap"></script>
</body>

</html>

I tried for a long time to improve vokimon's drawn marker and make it more similar to Google Maps one (and pretty much succeeded). This is the code I got:

let circle=true;

path = 'M 0,0  C -0.7,-9 -3,-14 -5.5,-18.5 '+   
'A 16,16 0 0,1 -11,-29 '+  
'A 11,11 0 1,1 11,-29 '+  
'A 16,16 0 0,1 5.5,-18.5 '+  
'C 3,-14 0.7,-9 0,0 z '+  
['', 'M -2,-28 '+  
'a 2,2 0 1,1 4,0 2,2 0 1,1 -4,0'][new Number(circle)];   

I also scaled it by 0.8.

change it to chart.googleapis.com for the path, otherwise SSL won't work

Using swift and Google Maps Api v3, this was the easiest way I was able to do it:

icon = GMSMarker.markerImageWithColor(UIColor.blackColor())

hope it helps someone.

Sometimes something really simple, can be answered complex. I am not saying that any of the above answers are incorrect, but I would just apply, that it can be done as simple as this:

I know this question is old, but if anyone just wants to change to pin or marker color, then check out the documentation: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/android-sdk/marker

when you add your marker simply set the icon-property:

GoogleMap gMap;
LatLng latLng;
....
// write your code...
....
gMap.addMarker(new MarkerOptions()
    .position(latLng)
    .icon(BitmapDescriptorFactory.defaultMarker(BitmapDescriptorFactory.HUE_GREEN));

There are 10 default colors to choose from. If that isn't enough (the simple solution) then I would probably go for the more complex given in the other answers, fulfilling a more complex need.

ps: I've written something similar in another answer and therefore I should refer to that answer, but the last time I did that, I was asked to post the answer since it was so short (as this one)..

You can use color code also.

 const marker: Marker = this.map.addMarkerSync({
    icon: '#008000',
    animation: 'DROP',
    position: {lat: 39.0492127, lng: -111.1435662},
    map: this.map,
 });