Getting Started

Once you’ve enabled billing, installed your preferred dependency manager and other software, and created an API key, you’re ready to download the Maps SDK for iOS and add a simple map.

Release notes are available for each release of Maps SDK for iOS.

Step 1: Installing the SDK

Use CocoaPods

The Maps SDK for iOS is available as a CocoaPods pod. CocoaPods is an open source dependency manager for Swift and Objective-C Cocoa projects.

If you don't already have the CocoaPods tool, install it on macOS by running the following command from the terminal. For details, see the CocoaPods Getting Started guide.

sudo gem install cocoapods

Create a Podfile for the Maps SDK for iOS and use it to install the API and its dependencies:

  1. If you don't have an Xcode project yet, create one now and save it to your local machine. (If you're new to iOS development, create a new project and select the iOS App template. Note: on 11.7, create a Single View Application.)
  2. Create a file named Podfile in your project directory. This file defines your project's dependencies.
  3. Edit the Podfile and add your dependencies along with their versions. Here is an example which includes the dependencies you need for the Maps SDK for iOS and Places SDK for iOS (optional): 
    source 'https://github.com/CocoaPods/Specs.git'
target 'YOUR_APPLICATION_TARGET_NAME_HERE' do
  pod 'GoogleMaps', '4.2.0'
  pod 'GooglePlaces', '4.2.0'
end
    Make sure to regularly run pod outdated to detect when there is a newer version to ensure you're always on the latest. If necessary, [upgrade to the latest version](get-cocoapods).
  4. Save the Podfile.

  5. Open a terminal and go to the directory containing the Podfile:

    cd <path-to-project>

  6. Run the pod install command. This will install the APIs specified in the Podfile, along with any dependencies they may have.

    pod install

  7. Close Xcode, and then open (double-click) your project's .xcworkspace file to launch Xcode. From this time onwards, you must use the .xcworkspace file to open the project.

To update the API for an existing project, follow these steps:

  1. Open a terminal and go to the project directory containing the Podfile.
  2. Run the pod update command. This will update all of the APIs specified in the Podfile to the latest version.

Use Carthage

The Maps SDK for iOS is available to use with Carthage, a simple, decentralized dependency manager for Swift and Objective-C Cocoa projects.

  1. Install Carthage. There are several methods, so see the Carthage README file for exact steps.
  2. If you don't have an Xcode project yet, create one now and save it to your local machine. (If you're new to iOS development, create a new project and select the iOS App template. Note: on 11.7, create a Single View Application.)
  3. Create a file named Cartfile in your project directory. This file defines your project's dependencies.
  4. Edit the Cartfile and add your dependencies along with their versions:
    binary "https://dl.google.com/geosdk/GoogleMaps.json" == 4.2.0
    Make sure to regularly run carthage outdated to detect when there is a newer version to ensure you're always on the latest. If necessary, [upgrade to the latest version](get-cocoapods).
  5. Save the Cartfile.
  6. In a terminal window, go to the directory containing the Cartfile:
    cd <path-to-project>
  7. Run the carthage update command. This will install the APIs specified in the Cartfile, along with any dependencies they may have.
  8. In the Finder, in your project directory, go to the downloaded framework files under Carthage/Build/iOS.
  9. Drag the following bundles into your project: (When prompted, select Copy items if needed, please use the same version as above.)
    • GoogleMaps-x.x.x/Base/Frameworks/GoogleMapsBase.framework
    • GoogleMaps-x.x.x/Maps/Frameworks/GoogleMaps.framework
    • GoogleMaps-x.x.x/Maps/Frameworks/GoogleMapsCore.framework

    Premium Plan customers must also include GoogleMaps-x.x.x/M4B/Frameworks/GoogleMapsM4B.framework.

  10. Right-click GoogleMaps.framework in your project, and select Show In Finder.
  11. Drag the GoogleMaps.bundle from the Resources folder into the top level directory of your Xcode project. When prompted, ensure Copy items into destination group's folder is not selected.
  12. Select your project from the Project Navigator, and choose your application's target.
  13. Open the Build Phases tab for your application’s target, and within Link Binary with Libraries, add the following frameworks:
    • Accelerate.framework
    • CoreData.framework
    • CoreGraphics.framework
    • CoreImage.framework
    • CoreLocation.framework
    • CoreTelephony.framework
    • CoreText.framework
    • GLKit.framework
    • ImageIO.framework
    • libc++.tbd
    • libz.tbd
    • OpenGLES.framework
    • QuartzCore.framework
    • SystemConfiguration.framework
    • UIKit.framework

  14. Choose your project, rather than a specific target, and open the Build Settings tab. In the Other Linker Flags section, add -ObjC. If these settings are not visible, change the filter in the Build Settings bar from Basic to All.

  15. To install the Places SDK for iOS, see Get Started with the Places SDK for iOS.

To update the API for an existing project, follow these steps:

  1. Open a terminal and go to the project directory containing the Cartfile.
  2. Run the carthage update command. This will update all of the APIs specified in the Cartfile to the latest version.

Install manually

This guide shows how to manually add the GoogleMaps framework to your project and configure your build settings in Xcode.

  1. Download the SDK source files: GoogleMaps-4.2.0.
  2. Unpack the source files.
  3. Launch Xcode and either open an existing project, or create a new project. If you're new to iOS, create a new project and select the iOS App template. Note: on 11.7, create a Single View Application.
  4. Drag the following bundles into your project: (When prompted, select Copy items if needed, please use the same version as above.)
    • GoogleMaps-x.x.x/Base/Frameworks/GoogleMapsBase.framework
    • GoogleMaps-x.x.x/Maps/Frameworks/GoogleMaps.framework
    • GoogleMaps-x.x.x/Maps/Frameworks/GoogleMapsCore.framework

    Premium Plan customers must also include GoogleMaps-x.x.x/M4B/Frameworks/GoogleMapsM4B.framework.

  5. Right-click GoogleMaps.framework in your project, and select Show In Finder.
  6. Drag the GoogleMaps.bundle from the Resources folder into the top level directory of your Xcode project. When prompted, ensure Copy items into destination group's folder is not selected.
  7. Select your project from the Project Navigator, and choose your application's target.
  8. Open the Build Phases tab for your application’s target, and within Link Binary with Libraries, add the following frameworks:
    • Accelerate.framework
    • CoreData.framework
    • CoreGraphics.framework
    • CoreImage.framework
    • CoreLocation.framework
    • CoreTelephony.framework
    • CoreText.framework
    • GLKit.framework
    • ImageIO.framework
    • libc++.tbd
    • libz.tbd
    • OpenGLES.framework
    • QuartzCore.framework
    • SystemConfiguration.framework
    • UIKit.framework

  9. Choose your project, rather than a specific target, and open the Build Settings tab. In the Other Linker Flags section, add -ObjC. If these settings are not visible, change the filter in the Build Settings bar from Basic to All.

  10. To install the Places SDK for iOS, see Get Started with the Places SDK for iOS.

Step 2: Adding your API key

Follow the Get an API key guide to add your API key to your app.

Step 3: Adding a map

The code below demonstrates how to add a simple map to an existing ViewController. If you're creating a new app, first follow the SDK installation instructions above, and create a new project and select the iOS App template. Note: on 11.7, create a Single View Application.

Now, add or update a few methods inside your app's default ViewController to create and initialize an instance of GMSMapView.

Swift

/*
 * Copyright 2020 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
 *
 *
 * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this
 * file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
 *
 *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
 *
 * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under
 * the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
 * ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing
 * permissions and limitations under the License.
 */

import UIKit
import GoogleMaps

class ViewController: UIViewController {

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        // Do any additional setup after loading the view.
        // Create a GMSCameraPosition that tells the map to display the
        // coordinate -33.86,151.20 at zoom level 6.
        let camera = GMSCameraPosition.camera(withLatitude: -33.86, longitude: 151.20, zoom: 6.0)
        let mapView = GMSMapView.map(withFrame: self.view.frame, camera: camera)
        self.view.addSubview(mapView)

        // Creates a marker in the center of the map.
        let marker = GMSMarker()
        marker.position = CLLocationCoordinate2D(latitude: -33.86, longitude: 151.20)
        marker.title = "Sydney"
        marker.snippet = "Australia"
        marker.map = mapView
  }
}

Objective-C

/*
* Copyright 2020 Google Inc. All rights reserved.
*
*
* Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not use this
* file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
*
*     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
*
* Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under
* the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF
* ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific language governing
* permissions and limitations under the License.
*/

#import "ViewController.h"
#import <GoogleMaps/GoogleMaps.h>

@interface ViewController ()

@end

@implementation ViewController

- (void)viewDidLoad {
    [super viewDidLoad];
  // Do any additional setup after loading the view.
  // Create a GMSCameraPosition that tells the map to display the
  // coordinate -33.86,151.20 at zoom level 6.
  GMSCameraPosition *camera = [GMSCameraPosition cameraWithLatitude:-33.86
                                                          longitude:151.20
                                                               zoom:6];
  GMSMapView *mapView = [GMSMapView mapWithFrame:self.view.frame camera:camera];
  mapView.myLocationEnabled = YES;
  [self.view addSubview:mapView];

  // Creates a marker in the center of the map.
  GMSMarker *marker = [[GMSMarker alloc] init];
  marker.position = CLLocationCoordinate2DMake(-33.86, 151.20);
  marker.title = @"Sydney";
  marker.snippet = @"Australia";
  marker.map = mapView;
}

@end

ViewController.m

Run your application. You should see a map with a single marker centered over Sydney, Australia. If you see the marker, but the map is not visible, confirm that you have provided your API key.

Step 4: Declaring the URL schemes used by the API

Beginning with iOS 9 and Xcode 7, apps must declare the URL schemes that they intend to open, by specifying the schemes in the app's Info.plist file. The Maps SDK for iOS opens the Google Maps mobile app when the user clicks the Google logo on the map, and your app therefore needs to declare the relevant URL schemes.

To declare the URL schemes used by the Maps SDK for iOS, add the following lines to your Info.plist:

<key>LSApplicationQueriesSchemes</key>
<array>
    <string>googlechromes</string>
    <string>comgooglemaps</string>
</array>

The following screenshot shows the configuration in the Xcode user interface:

LSApplicationQueriesSchemes configuration in Xcode

Without the above declaration, the following errors occur when the user taps the Google logo on the map:

-canOpenURL: failed for URL: "comgooglemaps://" - error: "This app is not allowed to query for scheme comgooglemaps"
-canOpenURL: failed for URL: "googlechromes://" - error: "This app is not allowed to query for scheme googlechromes"

To eliminate these errors, add the declaration to your Info.plist as described above.

For more details, see the guide to code samples.