Apple Maps URL Scheme: Complete Developer Reference

  • Developer reference
  • iOS · macOS · web
  • Updated September 2026

Short answer

Apple Maps has two URL formats. The legacy maps.apple.com/?q=…&ll=… works everywhere and is what most tools output, ours included. Apple's unified Maps URLs (/place, /search, /directions) need iOS 18.4, macOS 15.4 or later. Convert a Google Maps link.

The two formats

  • Legacy Works everywhere

    maps.apple.com/?q=Eiffel+Tower&ll=48.8584,2.2945&z=16

    • q: place name
    • ll: latitude,longitude
    • z: zoom

    What our converter and most tools output. Opens the Maps app on Apple devices and a web map elsewhere.

  • Unified iOS 18.4+ · macOS 15.4+

    maps.apple.com/place?coordinate=48.8584,2.2945&name=Eiffel%20Tower

    • path: the action
    • coordinate
    • name

    Apple's newer format, also on watchOS 11.4+. One path per action: place, search, directions and more.

Convert a link now

Paste any Google Maps link — place, pin, short link or directions.

Whole list? Use the file converter.

Legacy parameters

Add them after https://maps.apple.com/?, joined with &.

ParameterWhat it doesExample
qPlace name or search textq=Eiffel+Tower
llLatitude,longitude of the pinll=48.8584,2.2945
zZoom levelz=16
tMap type: m standard, k satellite, h hybridt=k
saddrDirections: startsaddr=Louvre+Museum
daddrDirections: destinationdaddr=Eiffel+Tower
dirflgTravel mode: d driving, w walking, r transitdirflg=w

Unified Maps URLs

Add a path and its parameters to https://maps.apple.com/. Short maps.apple links redirect to these. Source: Apple's documentation.

PathShowsParameters
/placeA place cardcoordinate, name, address, place-id
/searchSearch resultsquery, center, span
/directionsDirectionssource, destination, waypoint, mode (driving, walking, transit, cycling), avoid (tolls, highways)
/frameA map areacenter, span
/look-aroundLook Aroundcoordinate
/guidesGuides—

Copy-paste examples

# Legacy: works everywhere
https://maps.apple.com/?q=Eiffel+Tower&ll=48.8584,2.2945
https://maps.apple.com/?ll=48.8584,2.2945&t=k&z=17
https://maps.apple.com/?saddr=Louvre+Museum&daddr=Eiffel+Tower&dirflg=w

# Unified: iOS 18.4+, macOS 15.4+
https://maps.apple.com/place?coordinate=48.8584,2.2945&name=Eiffel%20Tower
https://maps.apple.com/search?query=coffee&center=48.8584,2.2945
https://maps.apple.com/directions?source=Louvre%20Museum&destination=Eiffel%20Tower&mode=walking

From a Swift app, open the URL. On iPhone and iPad it opens the Maps app:

import UIKit

if let url = URL(string: "https://maps.apple.com/?q=Eiffel+Tower&ll=48.8584,2.2945") {
    UIApplication.shared.open(url)
}
Google Maps URLs vs Apple Maps URLs
  • Coordinates: Google puts them in the path (/@48.8584,2.2945,15z); Apple uses a parameter (ll=48.8584,2.2945, or coordinate= in unified URLs).
  • Place IDs: Google's look like ChIJ…; Apple's unified URLs take their own place-id. The two don't translate, so converting means carrying over the name and coordinates.

See Google Maps URL formats for the Google side.

Opening Maps from an app without a URL

In an iOS or macOS app, MapKit's MKMapItem can open a place in Maps directly with openInMaps(launchOptions:). For websites, emails and anything cross-platform, a maps.apple.com link is simpler.

FAQ

Do Apple Maps URLs work on Android?

Yes. On Android, a maps.apple.com link opens Apple Maps on the web in the browser — there's no app.

Can I use Apple Maps URLs in emails?

Yes. maps.apple.com links work in any email client. On Apple devices, they open Apple Maps directly.

Should I use the legacy or the unified format?

Use the legacy ?q=…&ll=… form when your readers may be on older systems; it's the one most tools output. Use unified URLs such as /place and /directions when you can count on iOS 18.4, macOS 15.4 or later.

How do I turn a Google Maps link into an Apple Maps URL?

Paste it into the converter on this page. It expands short links, reads the place name and coordinates, and builds a legacy maps.apple.com link.

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