To delete a dropped pin on Google Maps, you usually just close it: tap the X in the search bar (phone) or in the search box at the top left (computer), and the red pin disappears. A temporary dropped pin isn’t saved anywhere, so there’s no Delete button for it.
If a pin keeps coming back, it’s almost always a saved place or a labeled place rather than a dropped pin. Those are removed from your lists or labels instead. This guide covers both cases on Android, iPhone and a computer, plus how to clear Timeline visits and search history.
Quick Answer
- On your phone, tap the X in the search bar, or swipe the place card down and tap an empty part of the map.
- On a computer, click the X in the search box at the top left, or click somewhere else on the map.
- If the pin is still there, it’s saved. Open You (phone) or Saved (computer), open the list, choose More, then Edit list, and tap Remove next to the place.
- If the pin has a custom name, go to Labeled, choose More next to the label, then Remove label.
In This Guide
- Before you start: which kind of pin do you have?
- Remove a dropped pin on Android or iPhone
- Remove a dropped pin on a computer
- Delete a saved place from a list
- Remove a labeled place
- Clear Timeline visits and search history
- Which option should you use?
- Troubleshooting
- Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Start: Which Kind of Pin Do You Have?
This guide reflects Google Maps Help as of September 2026 and covers the Google Maps app for Android and iPhone, plus Google Maps in a web browser on a computer. Menu names can shift slightly between app versions, so if a label looks a little different on your screen, look for the closest match.
Google Maps shows several kinds of markers that look similar but behave differently:
- Dropped pin: the red pin that appears when you touch and hold an unlabeled spot on the map in the app. Google Maps Help describes it this way: touch and hold an area that isn’t labeled to drop a red pin. On a computer, right-clicking the map shows a small pop-up with the coordinates instead. A dropped pin is temporary and isn’t stored in your account.
- Search pin: the red marker that appears after you search for an address or business. It’s also temporary.
- Saved place: a spot you added to a list, such as Favorites, Want to go, Starred places, Travel plans or a list you made. Saved places show as small icons on your map every time you open it.
- Labeled place: a spot you gave a private name, such as “Mom’s house” or “Parking spot.” Labels also stay on the map until you remove them.
What you need:
- The Google Maps app (Android or iPhone) or a web browser at google.com/maps.
- To remove saved or labeled places, you must be signed in to the same Google Account you used to save them. Saved places are private to you unless you share a list.
Rule of thumb: if the pin vanishes when you close the search, it was a dropped or search pin. If it’s still there the next time you open Maps, it’s saved or labeled.
Remove a Dropped Pin on Android or iPhone
A dropped pin stays on screen only while its place card (the panel at the bottom with the address and buttons) is open. Closing that card or clearing the search removes the pin. Google Maps Help doesn’t have a dedicated article on this, and the exact controls can vary by app version, but these steps match how the app currently behaves.
- Open the Google Maps app and find the red dropped pin. The search bar at the top shows “Dropped pin” or the pin’s coordinates.
Expected result: the place card for the pin is visible at the bottom of the screen. - Tap the X at the right end of the search bar to clear it.
Expected result: the search bar is empty and the red pin disappears. - If you don’t see an X, swipe the place card down to close it, then tap an empty area of the map. On Android, you can also tap the Back gesture or button.
Expected result: the card closes and the pin is gone. - To double-check, zoom out and back in. If a marker is still in the same spot, it’s a saved or labeled place. Continue to Delete a saved place from a list or Remove a labeled place.
You can only have one temporary dropped pin at a time. If you touch and hold a new spot, the new pin replaces the old one, which is another quick way to get rid of a pin you dropped by mistake.
Remove a Dropped Pin on a Computer
On a computer, clicking a spot on the map or searching for an address opens a place panel on the left and puts a pin on the map.
- Go to google.com/maps in your browser.
- Click the X in the search box at the top left.
Expected result: the place panel closes and the pin disappears. - If a small place card is showing instead of a full panel, click an empty area of the map or close the card.
Expected result: the marker is removed. - Right-clicking the map only shows a pop-up with the latitude and longitude at the top (click them to copy). Click anywhere else on the map to close that pop-up.
If the pin was part of a route, such as a destination you added for directions, closing the directions panel clears it. If you want to reorganize a trip instead, see how to plan multiple stops on Google Maps.
Delete a Saved Place From a List
A saved place stays on your map until you remove it from every list it belongs to. Each list is separate, so a place saved to both Favorites and Want to go has to be removed from both.
On Android or iPhone
- Open the Google Maps app and tap You at the bottom of the screen.
- Find the list that contains the place and tap More (the three dots) next to it.
- Tap Edit list.
- Next to the place you want to remove, tap Remove.
Expected result: the place disappears from the list, and its icon disappears from the map if it isn’t in any other list.
On a computer
- Open Google Maps and click Saved at the top left.
- In the list that includes the place, click More.
- Click Edit list.
- Next to the place, click Remove.
Shortcut: open the place itself, click the Saved button on its page, and uncheck each list it appears in.
Delete a whole list
Before you delete a list, keep in mind that every place in it goes too. To delete a list you created, open You (phone) or Saved (computer), tap More next to the list and choose Delete list. Google’s built-in lists, such as Favorites, Want to go, Travel plans and Starred places, are default lists, so clear them by removing places one at a time. Each saved list holds up to 3,000 places. If you’re cleaning up because you’re moving to a new account, read how to transfer Google Maps saved places to another account first.
Remove a Labeled Place
A label is a private name you give a location, often from a dropped pin. Labeled places keep showing on your map until you remove the label.
On Android or iPhone
- Open the Google Maps app and tap You.
- Tap Labeled.
- Next to the label you want to delete, tap More, then Remove label.
Expected result: a message confirms the label was removed. On iPhone, it reads “Your named place has been removed.” - Removed the wrong one? Tap Undo in that message right away.
On a computer
- Open Google Maps and click Saved.
- Click Labeled.
- Next to the label you no longer want, click Remove.
If you only want to fix a name, you don’t have to delete it. Open the label, tap the place name, and choose Label (Android) or Edit label (iPhone) to type a new one. On a computer, use Edit your label. The full steps are in Google’s guide to private labels.
Clear Timeline Visits and Search History
Sometimes the “pin” people want gone is a record of where they’ve been or a place that keeps appearing as a search suggestion. Those live in different places.
Timeline visits
Timeline is Google Maps’ record of places you’ve visited. Its data now comes directly from your phone, so Timeline is only in the mobile app. Google states that it isn’t available for Maps on a computer. In the app, tap your profile picture, then Your Timeline:
- One visit: choose the day, tap the visit, tap More, then Remove.
- A whole day: choose the date, tap More, then Delete day.
- A range or everything: tap More, then Location & privacy settings, then Delete range of Timeline data or Delete all Timeline data. Deleting all Timeline data can’t be undone, so be sure before you confirm.
- Automatic cleanup: Auto-delete Timeline removes data older than 3, 18 or 36 months.
Google explains each option in Manage your Google Maps Timeline.
Search history
Clearing search history stops a place from showing up as a suggestion, but it doesn’t remove saved places or labels. On Android, tap your profile picture, then Your data in Maps, then Search Services History. Tap Remove next to individual entries, or tap Delete and choose Delete custom range or Delete all time. Google notes these settings are being updated, so the screen may look slightly different. For a fuller walkthrough, see how to clear Google Maps history.
Which Option Should You Use?
| What you see | What it is | How to remove it |
|---|---|---|
| Red pin that appeared after touching and holding the map | Dropped pin | Tap X in the search bar or close the place card |
| Red marker after searching an address | Search pin | Clear the search box |
| Colored icon (heart, flag, star) that’s always on the map | Saved place | You or Saved, then More, Edit list, Remove |
| Marker with a name you typed | Labeled place | Labeled, then More, Remove label |
| Places in your travel history | Timeline visit | Your Timeline in the app, then Remove or Delete day |
| A place that keeps appearing as a suggestion | Search history | Your data in Maps, then Search Services History |
Related: How to Find Pinned Locations on Google Maps.
Troubleshooting
The pin comes back every time I open Google Maps
A pin that survives closing the app is saved or labeled. Check every list under You or Saved, including the default lists, and check Labeled. Remove it from each one.
I don’t see a Remove or Delete option on the pin
That’s expected for a temporary dropped pin. Its place card offers actions such as Directions, Save, Label and Share, but not Delete. Clear the search or close the card instead.
I removed a place but it still shows on another device
Make sure both devices are signed in to the same Google Account. Close and reopen the app, and update Google Maps if an update is waiting. Changes to lists can take a short time to appear everywhere.
I can’t remove a place from a shared list
Lists someone else shares with you are controlled by that person. If you don’t have editing rights, ask the list owner to remove it, or stop following the list.
I opened a pin someone sent me and it won’t go away
A shared pin link just opens that location. Clear the search or close the place card. It isn’t added to your account unless you save or label it.
Related: delete an address from Google Maps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a dropped pin get saved to my account?
No. A dropped pin is temporary. It’s only saved if you tap Save and pick a list, or tap Label and give it a name.
Can I delete all my dropped pins at once?
There’s only ever one temporary dropped pin at a time, so there’s nothing to bulk-delete. For saved places, deleting a list you created removes everything in it at once.
Can I undo removing a pin?
When you remove a label in the app, an Undo option appears briefly. For a temporary pin, just touch and hold the same spot to drop it again. For a saved place, save it to the list again.
Does clearing my Maps search history remove saved places?
No. Search history, saved lists, labels and Timeline are separate. Clearing one doesn’t affect the others.
Can I manage Timeline from my computer?
No. Google says Timeline isn’t available for Maps on a computer because the data comes from your phone. Use the Google Maps app instead.
Is there a limit to how many places I can save?
Yes. Google says each saved list is limited to 3,000 entries, and lists with more may not display properly.
Summary
- Clear a temporary dropped pin by tapping or clicking the X in the search bar, or by closing the place card.
- A pin that keeps coming back is saved: remove it with More, Edit list, Remove.
- Named pins are labels: go to Labeled and choose Remove label.
- Timeline visits are cleared in the mobile app under Your Timeline.
- Search suggestions are cleared under Your data in Maps.
Next step: open You or Saved and review your lists to clear any old places you don’t need. Google’s Save favorite places help page lists the steps for every device.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.