Free Tool

4.9/5

Free Google Maps Link Generator

One link that opens directions on any device. Build a shareable Google Maps URL for any address, route, or GPS coordinate, no API key, no sign-up.

Business name or address

Anything you would type into the Google Maps search box: a business name, a full address, or both.

Sharing this link on print, SMS, or social?

Create Flyn short links and see total clicks and scans free, with full country, device, and referrer breakdowns on Pro. Every Maps link becomes a data point you control.

Shorten for free

Build vs shorten: this tool builds a brand-new Maps URL from an address, route, or coordinates. Already copied a long Maps URL and just need it smaller? Use the Google Maps link shortener instead. Collecting reviews rather than visits? The Google review link generator builds the direct leave-a-review link from your Place ID.

How to Create a Google Maps Link in 3 Steps

Pick a link type and enter the place

Choose Location for a pinned place, Directions for a tap-to-navigate route, or Coordinates for an exact GPS point. Then type the business name, address, or latitude and longitude.

Generate and copy your link

The tool assembles the official Google Maps URL (api=1 format) that works on iPhone, Android, and desktop. Copy it with one click, or open it in a new tab to test where it lands.

Shorten it for print and QR

Raw Maps URLs are long and ugly on signage. Shorten yours into a clean Flyn link, put it on posters, menus, and QR codes, and count every tap and scan.

What Is a Google Maps Link Generator?

A Google Maps link generator builds a share location link: a URL that opens Google Maps at exactly the place or route you choose. Instead of telling customers to "search for us on Maps" and hoping they find the right branch, you hand them a direct link to a Google Maps location that drops a pin or starts navigation immediately. Everything runs on Google's official cross-platform URL scheme (which is why some people call this a Google Maps URL generator), so whether you need a location pin, a Google Maps directions link, or a lat long coordinates link, it behaves predictably on every device.

The most common users are owners creating a Google Maps link for a business, whether that is a "Get directions" maps link for a website contact page or a Google Business Profile, marketers adding location links to emails and SMS campaigns, and event organizers printing signage. In every one of those cases the raw URL works, but it is long. Pair it with our Google Maps link shortener and you get something short enough to print, plus a click count for every surface you put it on.

Anatomy of the Official Google Maps URL

Every link this tool builds follows Google's documented Maps URLs format. Here is what each part does.

Location link

https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Blue+Bottle+Coffee+Los+Angeles

Directions link

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Central+Park+Zoo&travelmode=walking

Parameter	What it does	Details
api=1	Version marker, always required	Tells Google to treat this as an official cross-platform Maps URL. Without it the URL falls back to legacy behavior that differs per device.
query=	The place to show (search links)	A URL-encoded business name, address, or "lat,lng" pair. Used with /maps/search/. Google centers the map on the best match and drops a pin.
destination=	Where the route ends (directions links)	A URL-encoded place or coordinate pair. Used with /maps/dir/. Required for every directions link.
travelmode=	Default transport mode	One of driving, walking, bicycling, or transit. Optional, the visitor can still switch modes after opening the link.
origin=	Where the route starts	Optional. Leave it out and Google Maps starts from the visitor's current location, which is what most signage and invites want.

Note the base paths: location and coordinate links use /maps/search/, while a directions URL uses /maps/dir/. Spaces and commas are percent-encoded automatically by this tool, which is the part people most often get wrong by hand.

Location vs Directions vs Coordinates: Which Link Type?

All three open Google Maps, but they put the visitor in a different starting state. Pick based on what you want the person to do next.

Location

You want people to see where something is: your shop, an office, a venue.

Typical surfaces: Store pages, contact pages, social bios, "find us" buttons.

Directions

You want people to start navigating with one tap, usually from wherever they are.

Typical surfaces: Parking signs, wedding invites, event emails, delivery notes.

Coordinates

The spot has no street address, or the address geocodes to the wrong place.

Typical surfaces: Trailheads, festival gates, beach entries, rural properties.

How the Link Behaves on iPhone, Android, and Desktop

iPhone

Opens the Google Maps app if installed (universal link). Without the app, Maps opens in Safari, fully usable, no install prompt wall.

Android

Opens the Google Maps app directly, it ships preinstalled on nearly every Android phone. Directions links land one tap away from navigation.

Desktop

Opens Google Maps in a browser tab with the pin or route ready. Handy for people planning a trip before they leave.

This is the practical reason to use the api=1 format instead of copying whatever is in your browser address bar: address-bar URLs carry session data and map viewport state that may not reproduce for other people, while the official scheme is stateless and renders the same intent everywhere.

Print and QR Signage Best Practices

A Maps URL on a poster has two jobs: be scannable and stay correct. Never print the raw URL, it is 80+ characters of percent-encoding that nobody will type. Shorten it first, then print the short link as text alongside a QR code so people can choose to scan or type. Generate the code from the short link, not the raw URL: shorter payloads produce coarser, more forgiving QR patterns that scan reliably from further away and at smaller print sizes. And caption the code with a clear action, "Scan for directions" beats a bare QR square, because people scan when they know exactly what they will get.

The bigger win is editability. Print the raw Google URL and the sign is frozen: move to a new address and every poster, menu, and window decal is wrong. Print a Flyn short link instead and the printed artwork never has to change, you just re-point the link at the new Maps URL. Add a logo to the code with our QR code generator with logo so the sign looks branded rather than generic.

Honest note before you print: many QR services deactivate your codes when a trial ends, which kills the printed sign. Links in a Flyn account are never deactivated over plans or billing; only anonymous trial links (made without an account) expire after 24 hours, so claim yours with a free account before you print.

Google Business Profile Share Link vs a Generated Link

If you manage a Google Business Profile, the Share button in Google Maps already gives you a link, a short maps.app.goo.gl code. It works fine, so here is the honest comparison. The share link is opaque: Google generates the code, you cannot predict it, rebuild it in a template, or change what it opens. A generated api=1 link is deterministic: it is built from your own text, so you can construct it in a spreadsheet for 50 locations, keep it in version control, or regenerate it any time.

Neither one, on its own, gives you click data or editability. That layer comes from shortening: wrap either URL in a Flyn short link and the destination becomes editable and every click is counted. For collecting reviews rather than visits, the same logic applies to your review URL, our Google review link generator builds the direct leave-a-review link for your business.

What People Put Google Maps Links On

Four places a one-tap directions link earns its keep.

Store signage and menus

Put a short link or QR on window decals, table tents, and flyers so customers can pull up directions to your other locations in one tap.

Event parking

A directions link with no origin starts navigation from wherever each guest currently is. Print it on tickets and yard signs near the venue.

Delivery instructions

Coordinates pin the exact gate, loading dock, or building entrance, so drivers stop calling to ask where the entrance actually is.

Real estate listings

Each listing gets a Maps link on the flyer and sign rider. Shorten them with Flyn and you see which properties get the most drive-by interest.

Maps Link + Flyn Short Link: Better Together

Generate the Maps URL here, then shorten it with Flyn to make it printable, brandable, editable, and measurable.

Edit after printing

Moved locations? Re-point the short link to the new Maps URL, every printed sign keeps working.

Count every tap and scan

Total clicks and scans are free on every link; Pro adds country, device, and referrer breakdowns so you know which sign or campaign drives visits.

Built-in QR codes

Every Flyn link comes with a downloadable QR code, dynamic by design because it rides on the redirect.

Branded domains

Put your own domain on the short link so the sign says you, not a random shortener. Add your own domain on Pro, 3 included.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Google Maps link generator?

It builds a shareable URL that opens Google Maps at a specific place, route, or GPS coordinate. The tool uses Google's official cross-platform URL format (api=1), so the same link works on iPhone, Android, and desktop. You paste the address or coordinates, click Generate, and copy the link anywhere.

Do I need a Google API key to create these links?

No. Google Maps URLs with api=1 are a free, universal scheme that anyone can use without a key, a Google account, or any quota. An API key is only needed for the Maps JavaScript API and embed products, which are different things. Links from this generator never expire and never bill anyone.

Will this make a maps link that opens the app on phones?

Yes. On Android and iOS, Google Maps URLs behave as universal links: if the Google Maps app is installed, the link opens directly in the app, and if not, it opens the mobile browser version of Maps. On desktop it opens Google Maps in a new browser tab. You do not need separate links per platform.

How do I make a Google Maps directions link that starts from the visitor's current location?

Use the Directions tab and leave the Origin field empty. Google Maps then starts the route from wherever the device currently is, which is exactly what you want for parking signs, invitations, and delivery instructions. Only set an origin when you want a fixed route, for example from an airport to your hotel.

What travel modes can I set in a directions link?

The official travelmode parameter accepts driving, walking, bicycling, and transit. The visitor can still switch modes after opening the link, you are only choosing the default. If you omit the parameter, Google Maps picks the mode it thinks fits best, usually driving.

When should I use a lat long coordinates link instead of an address?

Use latitude and longitude when the place has no reliable street address: a trailhead, a festival entrance, a beach access point, a specific gate in a large venue, or a rural property. A lat long Google Maps link pins the exact spot rather than letting Google guess from a text query. You can grab coordinates by long-pressing any point in the Google Maps app.

Is this the same as the Google Maps share link from the Share button?

No, and the difference matters. The Share button gives you an opaque maps.app.goo.gl code that Google generates and controls, you cannot predict it or rebuild it. This generator gives you a deterministic URL built from your own text, so you can recreate, edit, or template it anytime. Shorten it with Flyn and you can even change where the printed link points later.

Can I put a Google Maps link on a printed sign or QR code?

Yes, that is one of the best uses. Shorten the long Maps URL first so the printed link is readable, then generate a QR code from the short link. If your address ever changes, you re-point the short link to the new Maps URL and every printed sign keeps working without a reprint.

Why should I shorten a Google Maps link?

Raw Maps URLs run well past 80 characters of percent-encoded text, which looks broken in an SMS and is impossible to type from a poster. A Google Maps short link is clean and brandable, and because it redirects through Flyn, you see the total number of taps and scans free, with full country, device, and referrer breakdowns on Pro. You can also edit the destination later, which a raw URL can never do.

Does the generated link work in other countries and languages?

Yes. Google Maps localizes the interface to the visitor's device language and region automatically, the URL itself stays the same. For place queries, include enough context (city, country) so the search is unambiguous worldwide. Coordinates are fully language-independent, which makes them the safest choice for international audiences.

Can I track how many people click my Maps link?

Not with the raw Google URL, Google gives you no click data on it. Wrap it in a Flyn short link and every click and QR scan is counted free in your dashboard; country, device, and referrer breakdowns are available on Pro. That turns a static signage link into a measurable channel.

Are Plus Codes a good alternative to a coordinates link?

Sometimes. A Plus Code (something like 8Q7XJW5V+Q6) is Google's compact code for places without street addresses, and pasting one into Maps works. The honest note: most people do not recognize Plus Codes, other map apps often reject them, and they are easy to mistype. A plain lat,lng coordinates link is understood everywhere and needs no explanation, so for a broad audience it is the safer choice. Plus Codes shine mainly when you need something short enough to read out loud.

Why is my Google Maps link not working?

The usual culprits: spaces or special characters that were never percent-encoded (this tool encodes them automatically), a query so vague that Google picks the wrong place (add the city and country), a hand-built URL missing api=1 so it falls back to inconsistent legacy behavior, or a copied address-bar URL carrying session state that does not reproduce on other devices. Rebuild the link here with a specific query, or switch to exact coordinates, and use the Open in Maps button to test it before sharing.

Does this tool store the addresses I enter?

Everything runs in your browser. The tool builds the URL locally with JavaScript, and nothing is sent to a server when you click Generate. Your recent links are kept in your browser's localStorage so you can reuse them, and that history never leaves your device. If you shorten a link with Flyn, only the final URL is sent to create the redirect.

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Generate your Maps link for free, then shorten it with Flyn for clean signage, built-in QR codes, and a click count for every surface you share it on.

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