How to Get Coordinates in Google Maps or Bing Maps

Sometimes, addresses in Google Maps or Bing Maps can be incorrect, especially in rural or densely populated areas. To ensure accuracy, it’s better to have the exact coordinates of a location on the map. Whether you want to send it to a friend or post it online, using direct coordinate data guarantees precision.

Obtaining this information is simple in both Bing and Google.

Step 1: Zoom in to the desired location.

Step 2: Select an overhead view to see the landscape.

In Google Maps: Choose the Satellite view.
In Bing Maps: Choose the Aerial view.

This will help you accurately mark the specific spot you want to map out.

Step 3: Center the map on the spot you wish to mark.

In Bing: Right-click on the desired location. A red dot will appear with a context menu. If the dot is in the right place, left-click on Center map here like this:

When it comes to Google, the deal is pretty much the same, except for one unfortunate thing: you don’t have a cool red dot to play with. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! To set the center of the map where you want it, just follow these simple steps:

Step 4. Share the link to get the coordinates you need.

To begin, click on the icon at the bottom left that looks like an email symbol. This is called the “Share your map” button.

Next, click on the link at the top right that says “Send”.

At this point, you have two options for sending the information to the person you want to share it with. You can either use the send function on the website to email the details directly, or if you prefer, you can manually send the information yourself. Here’s how to do it:

In the email link, you will find the longitude and latitude coordinates listed.

Here is an example of what it will look like:

Just six numbers after the decimal point— that’s all you need to pinpoint your location on the map. Take a look at our example: 27.617955 -82.726275. It’s amazing how precise this can be!

But wait, there’s more! Let’s see it from a different angle:

Whether you’re using Bing or Google, you can simply input these coordinates into a map search. The map will then display the precise location you’ve chosen.

In the example above, the coordinate data is 27.617955,-82.726275.

If you’re new to working with this type of data, here’s a quick rundown. The first number represents north, unless there’s a minus sign in front of it, indicating south. The second number represents east, but if there’s a minus sign, it means west. In the above example, the coordinate is north by west. It’s crucial to include the negative sign if there is one, as failing to do so will result in the location being mapped to an entirely different (and very distant) spot on the globe.

For instance, if you accidentally forget to include the minus sign for the coordinate data above, the mapped location will end up in Nepal instead of Florida.

When you enter the correct coordinate information directly into Google Maps, you’ll see the exact location marked by a green arrow. The closest known address will be indicated by a red balloon, like this:

When you use Bing Maps, you’ll notice that the only thing you’ll see when you enter a coordinate is a small image of a thumbtack on the map. It looks something like this:

Hey there! I know some of you might like doing things the old-fashioned way, like the example shown above. It’s cool because you don’t have to give away your email address just to send a location to someone (or even to yourself!).