“Improve Your Commute: Learn How to Easily Add Multiple Stops to Your Route”

The use of multiple stops in Google Maps can be beneficial when you need to visit more than one location. The app automatically reroutes to your next stop, saving you time and effort. If you frequently visit family or run errands, this feature can be a great help.

You can add multiple stops to Maps on your Android phone, tablet, and computer. However, the website version has limited functionality. You can also try this feature on your iOS device and make Google Maps your default navigator. To plan better road trips with multiple stops, follow the steps below.

How multiple stops work in Google Maps

You can add up to nine stops on Google Maps through the mobile app or website. Maps provides you with directions based on the order in which you input destinations and estimates the total trip duration whether you’re driving, riding, or walking. If you need to make an unplanned stop, the app lets you add it to your list and rearrange it. Maps uses turn-by-turn navigation to guide you to your destination once your trip starts. You can also access some of your favorite apps, including Phone, Messages, and Media. Moreover, you can share your location and directions with third parties to allow them to monitor your movements.

It’s best to rearrange destinations according to which one is most important since Maps doesn’t offer route optimization when using multiple stops. However, you can plan your trips to avoid tolls, ferries, and highways. Maps selects the best route without them. Turn-by-turn navigation isn’t available on the web version, and you can only create multiple stops and send them to your phone. In case you need to find addresses that are hard to locate, drop a pin in Maps to help you easily find them in the future. Unfortunately, you can’t save your multi-stop route and reuse it in the future.

How to add multiple stops to your Google Maps itinerary

You can access Google Maps through the web page and mobile app. However, using the app is recommended because the web version eventually directs you to the app. The web page doesn’t provide you with turn-by-turn navigation, but you can create stops and send them to your phone for directions. To ensure that this trick works, you’ll need to sign in to your account. Moreover, the website version might not detect your location even though you’ve turned it on from your device or browser’s settings menu.

To add multiple stops to your Google Maps itinerary, follow the steps below:

Add multiple stops in Google Maps on the mobile app

Open Google Maps.

Tap the Directions icon.

Google Maps automatically sets your location. If it’s not accurate, tap Your location to change it.

Tap Choose a destination to enter your first destination or select it from the recent places you’ve visited.

Tap the three-dots icon beside Your location. Then tap Add stop.

Tap Choose destination to insert another address. You can repeat this step up to nine times to add stops.

Use the drag icon to rearrange your stops. Tap x to remove a stop from the list.

When you’re through, tap Done to save your stops.

Select your transportation mode. Remember, multiple stops don’t work with public transit.

Tap Start to reach your stops with turn-by-turn navigation.

Add multiple stops in Google Maps on the website

Open your browser and go to google.com/maps.

Click the Directions icon.

Select your transport mode. Multiple stops don’t work with public transit.

Type a starting point or tap Your location to use your current position.

Type your first destination.

Click Add destination to add a stop. To add more stops, repeat this step up to nine times.

Click Send directions to your phone.

Use the provided options to send your routes to your phone via a notification, email, or text message.

How to optimize your multi-stop route in Google Maps

Google Maps can search for highways, ferries, and tolls to avoid them as much as possible. This feature doesn’t happen automatically when you create multiple stops, so enable it before you start a trip.

Optimize multi-stop routes in Google Maps on the mobile app

Open Google Maps.

Tap the Directions icon.

Create multiple stops, as illustrated in the above section.

Once you’ve created multi stops, tap the three dots icon and select Options.

Tap the toggle switches beside the options for avoiding tolls, motorways, and ferries.

To optimize route options from the settings menu, tap your profile icon.

Select Settings.

Scroll up and tap Navigation settings.

Under Route options, tap the toggle switches.

Optimize multi-stop routes in Google Maps on the website

Open your browser and go to google.com/maps.

Create multiple stops using the steps mentioned above.

Click Options.

Under Avoid, select highways, tolls, or ferries.

The Multiple Stops feature isn’t perfect yet

Google Maps’ multiple stops feature works best for short trips with no more than nine destinations. If you need to deliver numerous customer orders, it might not be the most efficient solution for a fully automated process. The absence of route optimization and reusability is a significant issue when you have time-sensitive errands to run. To find better optimization, consider exploring other navigation and map apps as an alternative to Google Maps.