How To Share Your Location With Google Plus Codes

When you need something delivered or need to call for help you probably give the person on the other end of the line your street address. What do you do if you’re somewhere you don’t know the address, or a place that doesn’t have one? Google is currently rolling out a new Google Maps feature called “Plus Codes” that makes it easier to share your location data with anyone on the planet—even if you location happens to be a cabin in the woods.

The tool essentially creates an “address” for you based on the latitude and longitude coordinates of where you are. You can use these coordinates to mark the location of a house, but also something like a tent or a boat.

To create one, you’ll tap the blue dot on Google Maps that represents where you are right now. When you do, a new page will launch with your Plus Code at the top.

For instance, you might see “FWM8+V9, Ibadan, Nigeria.” It’s a lot like an address except instead of a street name and number you have “FWM8+V9.”

Plus Codes can be acquired through the blue location dot as well as tapping and holding the Map to drop a pin somewhere.

Once you have one, Plus Codes are searchable both in Google Maps and Google Search.

They also stay the same for individual locations forever, so you could print them on a poster or sign or pass them out to an invited guest, and if they search them in Google Maps, they’ll always be able to find you—even without a street address.