Create markers with graphics

The Advanced markers API supports replacing the default marker icon with a custom graphic image. You can also replace the glyph with an image file. This page shows you how to:

Advanced markers supports all common image file types, including PNG, JPEG, GIF, SVG, and TIFF.

Use a custom graphic file

Create a marker using a custom image by passing an img element referencing a graphic file (for example PNG), to theAdvancedMarkerElement.content option:

TypeScript

// A marker with a with a URL pointing to a PNG.
const beachFlagImg = document.createElement('img');
beachFlagImg.src = 'https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/full/images/beachflag.png';

const beachFlagMarkerView = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
    map,
    position: { lat: 37.434, lng: -122.082 },
    content: beachFlagImg,
    title: 'A marker using a custom PNG Image',
});
index.ts

JavaScript

// A marker with a with a URL pointing to a PNG.
const beachFlagImg = document.createElement("img");

beachFlagImg.src =
  "https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/full/images/beachflag.png";

const beachFlagMarkerView = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
  map,
  position: { lat: 37.434, lng: -122.082 },
  content: beachFlagImg,
  title: "A marker using a custom PNG Image",
});
index.js

Use an inline SVG

Some scenarios may call for the use of an inline SVG. Create a marker using an inline SVG image by passing an SVG XML element to the AdvancedMarkerElement.content option:

TypeScript

const parser = new DOMParser();

// A marker with a custom inline SVG.
const pinSvgString = '<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="56" height="56" viewBox="0 0 56 56" fill="none"><rect width="56" height="56" rx="28" fill="#7837FF"></rect><path d="M46.0675 22.1319L44.0601 22.7843" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M11.9402 33.2201L9.93262 33.8723" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M27.9999 47.0046V44.8933" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M27.9999 9V11.1113" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M39.1583 43.3597L37.9186 41.6532" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M16.8419 12.6442L18.0816 14.3506" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M9.93262 22.1319L11.9402 22.7843" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M46.0676 33.8724L44.0601 33.2201" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M39.1583 12.6442L37.9186 14.3506" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M16.8419 43.3597L18.0816 41.6532" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M28 39L26.8725 37.9904C24.9292 36.226 23.325 34.7026 22.06 33.4202C20.795 32.1378 19.7867 30.9918 19.035 29.9823C18.2833 28.9727 17.7562 28.0587 17.4537 27.2401C17.1512 26.4216 17 25.5939 17 24.7572C17 23.1201 17.5546 21.7513 18.6638 20.6508C19.7729 19.5502 21.1433 19 22.775 19C23.82 19 24.7871 19.2456 25.6762 19.7367C26.5654 20.2278 27.34 20.9372 28 21.8649C28.77 20.8827 29.5858 20.1596 30.4475 19.6958C31.3092 19.2319 32.235 19 33.225 19C34.8567 19 36.2271 19.5502 37.3362 20.6508C38.4454 21.7513 39 23.1201 39 24.7572C39 25.5939 38.8488 26.4216 38.5463 27.2401C38.2438 28.0587 37.7167 28.9727 36.965 29.9823C36.2133 30.9918 35.205 32.1378 33.94 33.4202C32.675 34.7026 31.0708 36.226 29.1275 37.9904L28 39Z" fill="#FF7878"></path></svg>';

const pinSvg =
    parser.parseFromString(pinSvgString, 'image/svg+xml').documentElement;

const pinSvgMarkerView = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
    map,
    position: { lat: 37.42475, lng: -122.094 },
    content: pinSvg,
    title: 'A marker using a custom SVG image.',
});
index.ts

JavaScript

const parser = new DOMParser();
// A marker with a custom inline SVG.
const pinSvgString =
  '<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="56" height="56" viewBox="0 0 56 56" fill="none"><rect width="56" height="56" rx="28" fill="#7837FF"></rect><path d="M46.0675 22.1319L44.0601 22.7843" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M11.9402 33.2201L9.93262 33.8723" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M27.9999 47.0046V44.8933" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M27.9999 9V11.1113" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M39.1583 43.3597L37.9186 41.6532" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M16.8419 12.6442L18.0816 14.3506" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M9.93262 22.1319L11.9402 22.7843" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M46.0676 33.8724L44.0601 33.2201" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M39.1583 12.6442L37.9186 14.3506" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M16.8419 43.3597L18.0816 41.6532" stroke="white" stroke-width="2.5" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round"></path><path d="M28 39L26.8725 37.9904C24.9292 36.226 23.325 34.7026 22.06 33.4202C20.795 32.1378 19.7867 30.9918 19.035 29.9823C18.2833 28.9727 17.7562 28.0587 17.4537 27.2401C17.1512 26.4216 17 25.5939 17 24.7572C17 23.1201 17.5546 21.7513 18.6638 20.6508C19.7729 19.5502 21.1433 19 22.775 19C23.82 19 24.7871 19.2456 25.6762 19.7367C26.5654 20.2278 27.34 20.9372 28 21.8649C28.77 20.8827 29.5858 20.1596 30.4475 19.6958C31.3092 19.2319 32.235 19 33.225 19C34.8567 19 36.2271 19.5502 37.3362 20.6508C38.4454 21.7513 39 23.1201 39 24.7572C39 25.5939 38.8488 26.4216 38.5463 27.2401C38.2438 28.0587 37.7167 28.9727 36.965 29.9823C36.2133 30.9918 35.205 32.1378 33.94 33.4202C32.675 34.7026 31.0708 36.226 29.1275 37.9904L28 39Z" fill="#FF7878"></path></svg>';
const pinSvg = parser.parseFromString(
  pinSvgString,
  "image/svg+xml",
).documentElement;
const pinSvgMarkerView = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
  map,
  position: { lat: 37.42475, lng: -122.094 },
  content: pinSvg,
  title: "A marker using a custom SVG image.",
});
index.js

Use a graphic file as the glyph

Replace the default glyph by passing an img element referencing a graphic file resource, or an inline SVG resource, to the PinElement.glyph option:

TypeScript

// A marker with a custom SVG glyph.
const glyphImg = document.createElement('img');
glyphImg.src = 'https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/full/images/google_logo_g.svg';

const glyphSvgPinElement = new PinElement({
    glyph: glyphImg,
});

const glyphSvgMarkerView = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
    map,
    position: { lat: 37.425, lng: -122.07 },
    content: glyphSvgPinElement.element,
    title: "A marker using a custom SVG for the glyph.",
});
index.ts

JavaScript

// A marker with a custom SVG glyph.
const glyphImg = document.createElement("img");

glyphImg.src =
  "https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/examples/full/images/google_logo_g.svg";

const glyphSvgPinElement = new PinElement({
  glyph: glyphImg,
});
const glyphSvgMarkerView = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
  map,
  position: { lat: 37.425, lng: -122.07 },
  content: glyphSvgPinElement.element,
  title: "A marker using a custom SVG for the glyph.",
});
index.js

Use a place icon as the glyph

With Place Details, you can request a place icon and background color, which you can apply to markers. Customize a marker using place data by passing place.icon_background_color to the PinElement.background option, and a URL using place.icon_mask_base_uri to PinElement.glyph. Append the .png or .svg file type extension to the URI. Use place.geometry.location to place the marker in the correct location. This example also displays the place.name in the marker title.

TypeScript

// A marker customized using a place icon and color, name, and geometry.
const place = new Place({
    id: 'ChIJN5Nz71W3j4ARhx5bwpTQEGg',
});

// Call fetchFields, passing the desired data fields.
await place.fetchFields({ fields: ['location', 'displayName', 'svgIconMaskURI', 'iconBackgroundColor'] });

const pinElement = new PinElement({
    background: place.iconBackgroundColor,
    glyph: new URL(String(place.svgIconMaskURI)),
});

const placeIconMarkerView = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
    map,
    position: place.location,
    content: pinElement.element,
    title: place.displayName,
});
index.ts

JavaScript

// A marker customized using a place icon and color, name, and geometry.
const place = new Place({
  id: "ChIJN5Nz71W3j4ARhx5bwpTQEGg",
});

// Call fetchFields, passing the desired data fields.
await place.fetchFields({
  fields: [
    "location",
    "displayName",
    "svgIconMaskURI",
    "iconBackgroundColor",
  ],
});

const pinElement = new PinElement({
  background: place.iconBackgroundColor,
  glyph: new URL(String(place.svgIconMaskURI)),
});
const placeIconMarkerView = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
  map,
  position: place.location,
  content: pinElement.element,
  title: place.displayName,
});
index.js

Use icon fonts

Use icon fonts, such as Font Awesome, with markers by adding the icon name and style as CSS classes to an HTML <i> tag, and adding that to a <div> tag. In the following example the icon is used to replace the glyph:

TypeScript

// A marker using a Font Awesome icon for the glyph.
const icon = document.createElement('div');
icon.innerHTML = '<i class="fa fa-pizza-slice fa-lg"></i>';
const faPin = new PinElement({
    glyph: icon,
    glyphColor: '#ff8300',
    background: '#FFD514',
    borderColor: '#ff8300',
});

const faMarker = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
    map,
    position: { lat: 37.412, lng: -122.095829650878 },
    content: faPin.element,
    title: 'A marker using a FontAwesome icon for the glyph.'
});
index.ts

JavaScript

// A marker using a Font Awesome icon for the glyph.
const icon = document.createElement("div");

icon.innerHTML = '<i class="fa fa-pizza-slice fa-lg"></i>';

const faPin = new PinElement({
  glyph: icon,
  glyphColor: "#ff8300",
  background: "#FFD514",
  borderColor: "#ff8300",
});
const faMarker = new AdvancedMarkerElement({
  map,
  position: { lat: 37.412, lng: -122.095829650878 },
  content: faPin.element,
  title: "A marker using a FontAwesome icon for the glyph.",
});
index.js

In the previous example, the required Font Awesome script has been loaded via the script element of the HTML file:

<script src="https://use.fontawesome.com/releases/v6.2.0/js/all.js"></script>

Next steps

Create markers with custom HTML