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How to reorder stops in Google Maps

Google Maps does not reorder your stops for you: it keeps them in the order you type them. To change that, you drag each one using the six-dot handle. In the Google Maps app you can add up to 9 stops after your start, the destination included — 10 points in all. A shared Google Maps link carries up to 11 (your start, 9 stops in between and your destination) and silently drops any extra stops. MakeRoutes therefore caps routes you can export at 11. There is no button that works out the shortest route.

Updated

Reordering stops by hand

  1. Open directions — Open Google Maps and tap Directions. Enter your starting point and first destination.
  2. Add the other stops — Use the three-dot menu and choose Add stop. In the Google Maps app you can add up to 9 stops after your start, the destination included — 10 points in all. A shared Google Maps link carries up to 11 (your start, 9 stops in between and your destination) and silently drops any extra stops. MakeRoutes therefore caps routes you can export at 11.
  3. Drag to reorder — Hover over a stop until the six-dot handle appears, then drag it to the position you want. Repeat for every stop until the order suits you.
  4. Check the total time — Google Maps recalculates the time each time you change the order. Compare arrangements by hand to see which is shortest.

It works, but it is manual. Five stops have 120 possible orders; eight have over 40,000. Dragging by eye, there is no way to know whether you found the best one.

How to reorder stops on iPhone and Android

  1. Open directions — In the Google Maps app, search for your destination or tap it on the map, then tap Directions.
  2. Open the stop editor — Tap More at the top right, then Edit stops. To add a stop, choose another destination.
  3. Drag to reorder — Find the stop you want to move, hold its reorder handle and drag it to the new position.
  4. Finish — Tap Done when the order suits you.

These are the steps on Google’s own help page for the Google Maps app (Google Maps Help); the steps are the same on Android and iPhone.

Where it falls short

What you need Google Maps
More than 10 points in the app No — you have to split the trip
Work out the best order No — you order them yourself
Finish at a specific place Only if you put it last by hand
Save the route to reuse it Not directly

Getting the best order automatically

MakeRoutes works out automatically the order Google Maps makes you drag by hand: it sequences your stops so you drive as little as possible, then opens the finished route in Google Maps so you navigate as usual.

  1. Add your stops: up to 8 in the browser, or 11 in the free app.
  2. Choose the fastest route or the shortest one.
  3. Decide where it ends: anywhere, back at your starting point, or at a stop you pick.
  4. Tap optimize and open it in Google Maps.

It is free, runs in the browser and needs no signup. Try it with your own stops.

Order my stops

Frequently asked questions

Does Google Maps optimize the order of stops?

No. It keeps the order you type them in and only lets you change it by dragging them one at a time. It does not work out the shortest route on its own.

How many stops can Google Maps handle?

In the Google Maps app you can add up to 9 stops after your start, the destination included — 10 points in all. A shared Google Maps link carries up to 11 (your start, 9 stops in between and your destination) and silently drops any extra stops. MakeRoutes therefore caps routes you can export at 11. For longer trips, split the journey into several routes.

How do I get the fastest order without trying every combination?

Use a route optimizer. MakeRoutes works out the best order for up to 11 stops in its free app — 8 in the browser — and then opens the result in Google Maps — or in Apple Maps, which takes every stop from iOS 18.4 on — so you navigate as usual. It is free and needs no signup.

Can I make the route finish at a specific place?

In Google Maps only if you place it last by hand. In MakeRoutes you can choose to finish anywhere, return to your starting point, or end at a stop you pick — your own home after dropping several people off, for example.

Is it useful for delivery drivers?

For rounds of up to 11 stops in the free app, yes. For deliveries with dozens of stops it falls short: it is built for the everyday trips of people visiting several places in a row.