Cloud-based maps styling release notes

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This page is updated with each new release of the Cloud-based maps styling. The changelog lists releases by date and includes any new features, bug fixes and significant performance improvements. You can also browse and filter all release notes for all products in the Google API Console.

Consult the Overview for information on how to use cloud-based maps styling.

December 17, 2024

Added a new interactive dialog for creating new styles, which includes an option to use a monochromatic map template.

Style editor displays empty dots next to features with children that have edited styles, or filled dots if the feature has edited styles.

The keyzooms panel has a "reset" button that removes custom styles across all zoom levels. This is the same functionality as the "remove" button in the main panel.

The style details and map details pages have an interactive preview of the map style and an easier to read details section.

When associating a style to a map ID from the map details page, you can now see preview thumbnails for your styles.

The style editor now uses SDK style tables, which are the new Maps JavaScript API standard for vector maps. They are significantly more compact in size than the previous style tables and are more performant. The latency of redrawing after a style change should improve.

Added various accessibility improvements throughout the style editor, including screen reader experience, keyboard navigation, contrast, and screen magnification compatibility.

Improved the positioning of the keyzooms panel to no longer cover other elements.

Added a new look and feel for map style cards that are responsive and dark-mode friendly.

Added an urgent reminder of pending style migrations starting in March 2025. This reminder was added to all pages and components within the Google Cloud console that reference map styles.

September 26, 2024

Updated the map style editor as follows:

  • When style customization values are unset, you can now see the original basemap stroke width and visibility values (read more).

Refreshed the look and feel of the user interface in Google Cloud Console.

Expanded the Map feature hierarchy (JS, Android, iOS) as follows:

  • Added new nodes for Paved and Unpaved trails under Infrastructure > Road network > No traffic > Trail.
  • Points of interest > Transit > Airport now covers both the point of interest and the area of interest.

Newly created map styles more closely match default SDK maps for Android, iOS, and JavaScript.

  • Buildings will now be displayed as footprint outlines rather than as 3D meshes.
  • Landmark POIs will now be displayed as illustrated icons rather than POI pins.

September 16, 2024

You can now customize the app background color across platforms from the style editor. This is the color displayed when tiles are loading as you pan or zoom.

August 27, 2024

Cloud-based maps styling now features modernized pins. The latest map styles will use the new pins, which are modern, rounded pin shapes with more vibrant pin colors that are harmonized with the new map colors.

The old pins will continue to be used on legacy map styles.

July 31, 2024

Updated the map style editor as follows:

  • See original basemap color values when style customization values are unset (read more).
  • Stroke Width minimum can be set to 0px.
  • Use the map inspector to find features on the map view and navigate to your style customizations.
    • Left-click anywhere on the map to open the map inspector at your click point.
    • Select a map feature from the map inspector, and the corresponding Map Features pane expands and shows the elements you can customize.
  • Expanded the Map feature hierarchy as follows:
    • Added new Infrastructure > Road network > Road sign feature
    • Added text styler for building numbers on Infrastructure > Buildings
    • Added text styler to Political > Border
    • Added stroke styler to Infrastructure > Road network > Parking aisle
  • If you have no Legacy styles, you will be taken directly to the style editor when creating a new style.
  • If you create a new Legacy style (limited to specific users), you will now see a warning on the create page indicating that Legacy Styles will not work after March 2025.
  • Improves freshness of style preview thumbnails used in the Dataset to Style association flow.

May 30, 2024

Updated the map style editor as follows:

  • Users can now paste and edit hex color values directly in the color field to configure polygon or polyline geometry fill or stroke colors.
  • Improved messaging for when vector maps cannot be loaded on user's web browser.
  • Added a prompt when users try to exit with unsaved changes.

Expanded the Map feature hierarchy as follows:

  • Added new Infrastructure features:
    • Commercial buildings containing businesses located under Building.
    • Ramps onto and between highways located under Road Network.
  • Added a new Points of Interest feature:
    • Landmarks which have illustrated icons when enabled.

April 4, 2024

Expanded Map feature hierarchy with:

  • New features under the Infrastructure > Transit station feature:

    • Bicycle share
    • Bus station
    • Ferry terminal
    • Funicular station
    • Gondola station

  • New features under the Infrastructure > Transit station > Rail station feature:

    • Tram station

Added support for polygon geometry customization for the following features:

  • Airport
  • Cemetery
  • Golf course

Resolved known issues 321086844 and 325051372, in which some points of interest ignored custom styling and visibility across different zoom levels.

March 28, 2024

Updated map style editor to display current zoom level and coordinates of the center point of the view-port.

March 18, 2024

Legacy cloud-based maps styling deprecation

All legacy map styles will need to be migrated to the next-generation of cloud-based maps styling to bring more customization capabilities for developers.

All Google cloud projects with existing legacy map styles or those who have chosen to opt-out of the next generation of cloud-based map styling prior to March 18, 2024, will be able to retain those preferences until March 18, 2025.

Starting March 18, 2024, you will not be able to create new legacy map styles unless you have previously opted-out of the latest version of cloud-based maps styling.

After March 18, 2025, all legacy map styles will be automatically migrated and decommissioned. This automatic migration might result in some changes to the map styles.

Update any legacy map styles to the latest version before March 18, 2025 to avoid any disruption in some of your map styles.

Known issues

Following are known issues with cloud-based maps styling.

  • Text stroke styling doesn't always work if it is not styled in the base map. The known case is for Water.
  • 312220318: When strokes are applied to 3D buildings, the stroke is ignored, and different shades of the fill color are used instead to create effective edges.
  • 332916114: Not all Map features are style-able.

iOS Known Issues

  • The iOS client does not interpolate text stroke color for labels.