The Google Maps team has finally introduced one of the most requested features of all time, and that is providing users with the ability to add custom names to their favorite places that are listed on the map. Obviously, places allowed for editing must appear on Google Maps, otherwise the editing feature won’t work, because there won’t be anything available to edit when you search for a location that does not show up on the Maps website so that you can change its name to whatever you want.
Custom names for places is an upgraded version of Stars (which is still around). You can give any location on the map, a name (which, of course, is private). Even an unknown location that doesn’t have a name in Google Maps. You can then easily search for this place in the Maps app. But right now, Google Now’s Navigate to.. command doesn’t seem to be working for custom names. I think this is much better than Stars and would be really helpful for something moving to a new city or when on a vacation.
So, if you want to add a custom name for your location, just do the following simple steps.
- Update your Google Maps app to version 9.12.
- Open an app and pick the spot you want to add the name.
- Just press on the map, you will see place pin pops up.
- Press the upper right overflow button and you will see an “Edit Name” option.
- Clicking on “Edit Name” will jump you to the text field.
- Just write place name and save.
The feature is still not yet completely ready because the voice search feature is not working with this update. Example, the voice search query “navigate to (custom place name)” won’t work. Also, the feature is not working with Google Maps for the desktop and iOS yet. The other Google Maps clients still waiting for this update and we are really hoping that they will get this feature in few upcoming days.
To save a place with custom name in Google Maps, you need to turn on your location history. The “View Timeline” option shows you the list of places which where you have ever been visited. This option also shows the time that indicates how long you stay there and the time you had taken to reach there.Even more, it shows the mode of transportation that you had taken at that time. You can add custom name and save any place, listing in your timeline history. You can share your location with your friends in Google+ moreover the pictures you have taken at that place also can be shared with that location.
So you can create pins for "Bob's house" or "the secret rendezvous point", or change the title of your favorite bar to the name that everyone calls it. The feature doesn't look quite finished yet-your changes don't appear on the web or an iOS device-but it's a good way to make your digital cartography a little more personal.