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What Do Different Colors on Google Maps Mean on Mobile

by Rahul Rai
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What is the Meaning of All Colors on Google Maps

When we explained the symbols and icons on Google Maps, we realized that many users also have trouble understanding the meaning of different colors on Google Maps. Especially after Google decided to update the color legend last year upsetting several users. So, if you’re looking for the meaning of a particular color, here’s a complete guide to help you.

Traffic and Navigation

Let’s kick things off with the essentials – navigation. It’s the feature most of us rely on every day, guiding us through our commutes and adventures alike.

  1. Blue/Green: If you see blue route while navigating, it means the roads are clear, and you will hardly experience any traffic in the selected direction. While not navigating, green means no traffic delays.
  2. Orange: If you see orange on the selected route, it indicates some traffic, which may slightly delay your arrival.
  3. Red: If you look closely at the screen, there are actually two types of red in Google Maps: regular red (seen between the orange sections) and dark red. The darker the red, the heavier the traffic you will encounter on that route.
  4. Light Blue: While navigating, you may see a lighter blue route next to the original route. This color indicates that an alternate route is available, which could be faster than the original route, helping you avoid traffic and save time while traveling.

Roads

  1. Gray Color with Stripes: This color pattern indicates that the road is either underground roads or lower bridges.
  2. Light Blue Gray: These are your everyday roads and streets.
  3. Moonstone Blue Color: This color code indicates that it is a highway or expressway.
  4. Gray Color (Dashed Lines): Notice thin dashed lines? That’s a state border, a subtle yet important indicator of where one jurisdiction ends and another begins.
  5. Gray Color (Parallel Lines): If you see two thin lines (closely spaced parallel lines), it represents either a railway or a metro line.
  6. Cyan Color: This color symbolizes a drainage line on Google Maps.
  7. Dark Green: The dark green line next to roads, parks, or natural areas indicates bicycle-friendly paths.
  8. Dotted Green: This also represents bicycle-friendly roads but without dedicated bike lanes. You can still ride on these paths, but take extra caution.

Note: Depending on your country, the metro line may be represented in different colors.

Buildings

In Google Maps, buildings are represented in two colors. Gray is used for residential buildings, while light yellow is used for commercial buildings.

You can also find military bases depicted in Dark Gray. Refer to the screenshot above to see the side-by-side difference between military and civilian areas. However, once you zoom in, the area colors look the same, except the roads in military areas turn gray, while the roads in civilian areas appear light blue-gray.

Nature

Google Maps uses a variety of colors to help you understand different landscapes, making it easy to identify what a place is about at a glance:

  1. White: Represents snow, typically seen in mountainous areas.
  2. Brown: This color symbolizes deserts or mountain ranges – dry and rugged terrains.
  3. Green: Used for forests, parks, and other natural areas rich in vegetation.
  4. Blue: This color code represents water bodies like lakes, rivers, and oceans.
  5. Dark Tan: Shows up near beaches, indicating sandy coastal areas.

Biking Trails

  • Dark green: Trails with no auto traffic.
  • Green: Dedicated lanes are roads shared with cars but also have separate bike lanes.
  • Dotted green line: Bicycle-friendly roads don’t have a bike lane but are recommended for cyclists.
  • Brown: These are unpaved trails – off-road dirt paths.

Places of Interest

You will also see some places of interest marked in certain colors. They represent food, retail shops, emergency services, and more. Here is the Google Maps color legend for them.

That’s all you need to know. We hope the guide above has answered all your questions regarding the meanings of Google Maps colors. If new color shades are added to Google Maps in the future, we will definitely update this post. If you’re also unsure about the meanings of symbols and icons on WhatsApp or Instagram, here’s a guide on that.

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