How to Find North Using Google Maps on Your Android Phone

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Find north or use your Google Maps like a compass

Written by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: July 6, 2025 Fact Checked

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Finding North in Google Maps

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Using Google Maps as a Compass

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FAQ

This wikiHow teaches you how to figure out which way is north using Google Maps on your Android.

How to Find North on Your Phone (Google Maps)

Tap the location button in the bottom-right corner of your map, which looks like a solid circle in crosshairs. Then, tap the compass until the red "N" appears. The red needle will point to the north, so follow that direction to find north. You can also rotate your phone to find north when the compass says "N."

Section 1 of 3:

Finding North in Google Maps

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Look for the tiny map icon labeled Maps on the home screen or in the app drawer.
2
Tap the location button. It's near the bottom-right corner of the map and looks like a solid circle inside a larger circle with crosshairs.
- This will allow the map to rotate depending on the direction the top of your phone is facing.
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3
Tap the compass. The compass is the diamond shape with a red end and a white end, below the layers button (which looks like two overlapping squares).
- Once tapped, the compass will rotate to show you which direction is north. The compass will switch to a red arrow with an "N" to show you that the map has turned to the north.
- The "N" will disappear quickly. You can tap the compass button again to bring it back up.

Section 2 of 3:

Using Google Maps as a Compass

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Look for the tiny map icon labeled Maps on the home screen or in the app drawer.
2
Tap the location button. It's near the bottom-right corner of the map and looks like a solid circle inside a larger circle with crosshairs.
- This will allow the map to rotate depending on the direction the top of your phone is facing.
3
Rotate until the compass says "N." When the red "N" appears on the compass, the red needle will be pointing to the north.^{[1]
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- The "N" will disappear quickly. You can tap the compass button again to bring it back up.

Section 3 of 3:

FAQ

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1
Does Google Maps have a built-in compass? Yes, Google Maps has a compass. When you first open the app, the compass may not be visible, however. To see the compass, tap on the location button (which looks like a circle in the middle of a crosshairs) and look for the compass under the layers button, which looks like two overlapping squares.
2
Can I find north using Google Maps on my iPhone? Yes, you can find north using Google Maps on the iPhone. However, on the iPhone, the location button looks like a triangular arrow instead of a dot in the middle of some crosshairs. After tapping the location button, either tap the compass to find north, or rotate your phone until the compass says "N."
3
Do I need to calibrate my Google Maps compass? If you notice that your Google Maps compass isn't working correctly or your blue dot on the map is facing the wrong direction, you can calibrate your Google Maps app in two ways:^{[2]
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- Move your phone in a figure-8 pattern until the blue dot's beam is narrow and the compass is pointing the right direction.
- Tap your blue dot on the map, then tap Calibrate. Follow the instructions on your device to calibrate Google Maps with Live View.