Step-By-Step: How To Add Google Maps Saved Lists On The App or On your Phone / Device

How To Set UP Custom Google Maps Saved Lists On Your Phone or App

Google Maps custom saved lists are awesome for storing away travel destinations for a future trip! I’m a big fan of adding any and all awesome future travel destinations to custom lists I’ve created for regions all over the world. Who knows what life might bring or when you might “end up” in some random corner of the globe!? And it’s especially likely if you’re tracking towards being a traveling nomad!

But setting up Google Maps saved lists in the app or on a phone or device is a little different than doing it on a browser window. Of course, software and sites change from time to time, but these steps should translate regardless. Want to know my thinking behind why Google Maps saved lists are so powerful for me? Watch this quick 3-minute ditty by yours truly!

Creating Custom Google Maps Saved Travel Wish Lists On Your Phone or in the App:

Notice that below all of these instructions on how to set up Google Maps saved lists there are images to help you follow along!

1. Make sure you’re logged into your account in the app. In Google Maps, or anytime you’re in Google’s space, you can’t really save stuff or view your saved lists, or anything personal, unless you’re logged in. Typically your avatar will show up, assuming you have selected one.

2. Tap on “Saved” at the bottom of the app screen to bring up your stored or default Google Maps items.

3. Tap on “+ New List” near the top of the app screen to start creating your new google maps saved list. 

4. Name your new google maps saved list and give it a description.

Google Maps Wish List and Saved Lists Tip: What To Call Your List?

I’m a huge nerd as it comes to organizing, and Google Maps is a bit tricky when it comes to this. Unfortunately, at this point, Google Maps hasn’t created a folder or organizational system available for Google Maps lists…at least that I know of! So for me a few best practices will help as you start so that as your plethora of lists grow they don’t get out of control…

A. Label Your Saved General Lists, well, generally.

For instance, using “Eastern Europe” or “Western Europe” will do.

B. Label Your Saved Specific Lists more, well, specifically.

But start with an over-arching Them. For instance, I have multiple Queretaro lists that I wanted to explore because my single list wasn’t specific enough when I was living there. I created:

• Queretaro – Food Want To Go
• Queretaro – Landmarks Want to Go
• Queretaro – Coworking / Possible Work Spots Want to Go

But be careful! Since you can’t organize them into folders or anything, it can get out of hand quickly!

5. Choose whether the list is Private, Shared, or Public. We all know that Google Maps, and Google in general, track your every move if you let them. You can keep all your stuff private here if you want, or even just share a list with a friend or two. That’s really good for travel planning or co-creating trips with someone else.

6. Now that your new list is created, go back to the Google Maps App search screen and search for a cool place! Might I suggest “The Wormhole” on the Aran Isles in Ireland, or Vienna, Austria, or maybe even a church completely covered in Bones outside of Prague!?

7. On your search results, tap on a pin (or the place’s name) to bring up a place’s details. In Google Maps, this page allows you to check out images and contact information and whatnot.

8. Tap on the “Save” icon (usually in the center of the app screen) to bring up your Google Maps saved lists. 

9. Select/check any saved list you want to add the place to then tap “Done.” You can add to multiple lists if you want to, but be careful! You may want to just be a little more calculated about your list creation if you feel yourself inclined to add to more than one or two saved lists! (See more tips below…)

10. Back on the details screen you’ll see that the “Saved” icon is now highlighted! If you’ve added the destination to more than one list, the number of lists it’s on will be in parenthesis. 

8. Tap on the “Save” icon (usually in the center of the app screen) to bring up your Google Maps saved lists. 

9. Select/check any saved list you want to add the place to then tap “Done.” You can add to multiple lists if you want to, but be careful! You may want to just be a little more calculated about your list creation if you feel yourself inclined to add to more than one or two saved lists! (See more tips below…)

10. Back on the details screen you’ll see that the “Saved” icon is now highlighted! If you’ve added the destination to more than one list, the number of lists it’s on will be in parenthesis. 

More Google Maps Saved List Tips

Google Maps Lists and Saved Places Tip: Add Notes with Names!

I’m a huge fan of learning the names of people when I can, even though I’m terrible at remembering them. So I put them in my phone on my saved place info/notes section! There’s a spot below the saved icon in the app that says “add note.” Literally, the moment you meet someone at the amazing new restaurant or spot you visit, drop their name in the notes section so the next time you’re there you can call them by name!

Google Maps saved Lists “Favorites” Tip

Once you’ve finally visited one of the places on your handy dandy new saved places list, what do you do now? Well, you no longer “want to go”, so it needs to come off of that saved list! Simply go back into the detail screen in the app and tap the “saved” button again and uncheck any lists you want to remove it from.

Here’s where your default Favorites list in Google Maps comes in. If the place passes muster as a place you love and want to go back to, tap on the “Favorites” check box and it will live there as long as you want! The next time you don’t feel like exploring a new spot, just open the app and select your list of favorites and pick from it!

Time to Fill Your New Google Maps Saved Lists With Some Travel Wanderlusty Awesome Destinations!

Hope this little Google Maps How-To helped! Holler at me over on Facebook and let me know what cool travel destinations you’re adding to your new lists. Or check out some more travel destination inspiration here! 

Cheers!
— Jason