What Do Uber Icons and Symbols Mean? A Simple Guide

Have you ever stared at your Uber app, wondering what a particular icon or symbol means? From little cars and clocks to mysterious flags and stars, Uber’s interface is packed with visual cues that help you navigate rides, order food, and manage your account. We’ll break down the meaning of all the symbols and icons you’ll see in the Uber app so you can get the most out of it.

Table of Contents

1. Uber Home Screen Symbols Meaning

These are the main icons you’ll see on the Uber home screen. Let’s move on to explore the icons you’ll encounter during a ride.

Q (Search) Icon: This is the search bar. Tapping it lets you enter your destination address or the name of a place to request a ride to a destination.
Calendar Icon: This icon lets you schedule a ride in advance. Tapping it opens a menu where you can choose the date and time you want to be picked up. This is useful for planning trips to the airport or other time-sensitive travel.
Clock Icon: Shows your saved or frequently visited locations. Tapping it will show a list of places you’ve previously entered as destinations, making it quicker to select a common destination like “home” or “work.”
Car (Ride Options) Icons (Ride, Uber Auto, Moto, Courier): These icons represent the multiple available transportation options.
Home Icon: This icon takes you back to the main home screen of the Uber app if you are on a different tab.
Services Icon: This icon shows all the services offered by Uber such as rides, food, packages, etc.
Activity Icon: This icon shows your past rides and orders.
Account Icon: This icon takes you to your account settings, where you can manage your profile, payment methods, ride history, help options, and other account-related information.

Ride: This is the standard Uber car service.
Uber Auto: This option lets you book an auto-rickshaw ride.
Moto: This option lets you book a motorcycle ride.
Courier: This option lets you send packages via Uber.

Note: You might want to mention that the availability of some icons (like “Moto” or “Courier”) can vary depending on your location.

2. Uber Services Screen Symbols Meaning

When you tap on the Services tab at the bottom of the Uber app, you’ll see a variety of options beyond the standard ride services. Here’s what the icons in this section mean:

Intercity (Car with a man) Icon: This icon lets you book rides for travel between cities. It’s designed for longer distances and may offer different vehicle options or features compared to regular rides.
Rentals Icon: This icon lets you rent a car through Uber for self-driving. It’s useful for when you need a car for an extended period, like for a day trip or a weekend getaway.
Shuttle (Bus) Icon: This icon represents Uber Shuttle services, which offer shared rides on fixed routes, often at a lower cost than individual rides. This option might be available in select areas.
Transit (Mini Bus) Icon: This icon integrates public transportation information into the Uber app. You can see nearby bus and train schedules, plan your journey combining Uber rides with public transit, and even purchase transit tickets in some cities.
Group Ride (car with 2 people) Icon: This icon lets you invite friends to join your ride and split the fare. It simplifies group travel and makes it easier to share costs.
Reserve (Calendar) Icon: This icon lets you reserve rides in advance for a specific time. Unlike scheduling a ride, which might still be subject to driver availability, reserving a ride often guarantees a driver for your requested time (though this can depend on the specific terms of the reserved service).
Courier Icon: (Covered on Home Screen as well) As mentioned earlier, this icon lets you send packages via Uber.
Store Pickup Icon: This icon lets you order items from stores through the Uber app and have them delivered to you. It expands Uber’s services beyond food delivery to include retail and other goods.

Note: The availability of these services can vary depending on your location. Some services, like Transit or Shuttle, might not be available in all cities.

3. Uber Activity Screen Symbols Meaning

The Activity tab in the Uber app is where you can review your past trips, upcoming rides, and other account activity. Here’s a breakdown of the icons and elements you might see on this screen:

Vehicle (Van) Icon: This section displays your scheduled or reserved rides. If you have any upcoming trips, they will be listed here with relevant details. Since your screenshot shows “You have no upcoming trips,” there are no specific icons to describe this state. However, when you do have upcoming trips, you might see icons related to:
Two Horizontal Lines with Dot Icon: This icon (the one with the sliders or lines, as shown in the screenshot) lets you filter or sort your past trips. You might be able to filter by date range, trip type, payment method, or other criteria.

Car type: Indicating the type of vehicle booked (e.g., a standard car, an SUV).
Date and time: Showing the scheduled pickup time.
Location pins: Displaying pickup and drop-off points.

The screen can be useful for expense tracking, reviewing past trips, or resolving any issues with fares or rides.

4. Uber Account Screen Symbols Meaning

The Account tab in the Uber app is your central hub for managing your profile, settings, and other account-related information. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find on this screen:

Profile Picture: At the top, you’ll see your profile picture (or a placeholder if you haven’t uploaded one). Tapping on it may allow you to edit your profile details.
Star Rating Icon: This star rating is an average of the ratings you’ve received from drivers.
Help Icon: This icon (the life ring) takes you to Uber’s help and support section. You can find answers to frequently asked questions, contact customer support, or report issues related to rides or deliveries.
Wallet Icon: This icon (the card with a dot) leads to your Uber Wallet. Here, you can manage your payment methods (credit cards, debit cards, etc.), view your Uber Cash balance, and access other payment-related features.
Activity (Note)Icon: (Covered on Home Screen as well) As we discussed earlier, this icon takes you to your trip history and other activities.

5. Uber Ride Booking Screen Symbols Meaning

This screen appears when you’re ready to book a ride, allowing you to specify your pickup and drop-off locations, choose a ride option, and add extra details to your trip. Here’s a breakdown of the icons and elements you’ll typically see:

Back Arrow Icon: This icon in the top left corner takes you back to the previous screen, which is likely the home screen where you initiated the ride request.
Pickup (Drop-Down Arrow) Icon: This icon opens up a menu to select when you need a ride with two options “Now” and “Later”.
For me (Drop-Down Arrow) Icon: This is where you can switch your ride. Tap on it to book a ride for yourself or any other contact and also create a group ride.
Plus Icon (Add a Stop): This icon lets you add additional stops to your ride. Tapping it will add another destination field, allowing you to pick up or drop off people at multiple locations along the way.

6. Uber Ride Confirmation/Booking Screen Symbols Meaning

This screen appears after you’ve entered your pickup and drop-off locations and chosen a ride option. It confirms the details of your ride and allows you to finalize your booking. Here’s what the icons and elements mean:

Pickup Location Pin (Grey Circle with Black Dot Icon): This icon marks your chosen pickup location on the map. Its round shape distinguishes it from the destination marker.
Drop-off Location Pin (Grey Square with Black Dot Icon): This icon marks your chosen destination on the map. Its distinct shape (often a square or a flag) differentiates it from the pickup marker.
Compass Icon (Recenter): This icon, usually located near the pickup point or your current location, allows you to re-center the map on your current location. Tapping it ensures that the map is oriented correctly with your current view.
Green Coupon Icon: You might see a green icon near the estimated price indicating that a discount has been applied.

7. Uber Ride Option Capacity Icons Meaning

People Icon with a number: When you’re choosing a ride on the Uber app, you’ll notice small icons next to each ride option that indicate the passenger capacity of that vehicle type. These icons help you select the right ride based on how many people will be traveling with you.

Note: While the number provides a good guideline, it’s worth remembering that these are suggested capacities. Luggage and other factors might make a vehicle feel more crowded even if you’re within the stated passenger limit.

8. Uber Trip History Fare Icon Meaning (for Drivers)

When viewing your trip history or earnings as an Uber driver, the blue lightning bolt or “zap” icon next to a fare amount signifies Surge Pricing or Boost earnings. It indicates that the fare for that particular trip was affected by dynamic pricing due to high demand (surge) or that the trip qualified for a Boost promotion.

Surge Pricing: During periods of high demand, Uber’s surge pricing kicks in, increasing fares to incentivize more drivers to get on the road. The lightning bolt icon indicates that the fare you earned for that trip included a surge multiplier.
Boost Earnings: Uber sometimes offers Boost promotions in specific areas or during certain times. Boosts can multiply your earnings on eligible trips. The lightning bolt icon can also indicate that a trip was boosted.
Payment Timing (Boost): Boost earnings are often handled differently than regular fares. They are typically paid out weekly rather than being available for immediate cash-out. The lightning bolt serves as a visual cue to distinguish these earnings.
Regular Fare vs. Surge/Boost: The absence of the icon usually indicates that the fare was a standard fare, without any surge or boost applied.

Key Difference from Rider Perspective:

It’s important to note that when a rider sees the lightning bolt, it usually means a discount or adjustment. When a driver sees it, it almost always means surge or boost. The context of the screen (driver earnings vs. rider trip history) is crucial for interpreting the icon’s meaning.

9. Meaning of the Dot on the Uber Map (for Drivers)

In the context of the Uber driver app, the dotted line with a dot represents the route to the drop-off location of the driver’s current ride. It does not indicate the pickup location for the next ride.

Here’s a breakdown:

The Dot: The dot marks the destination of the driver’s ongoing trip. It shows where they will drop off their current passenger.
The Dotted Line: The dotted line illustrates the navigation route from the driver’s current location to that drop-off point.
Relevance to Accepting Requests: Uber drivers can often accept new ride requests while they are still completing a trip. The dotted line and dot help the driver visualize where they will be after finishing their current ride, allowing them to assess if accepting your request is feasible in terms of proximity and timing.
Driver’s Perspective: This information is crucial for drivers to manage their time effectively and minimize downtime between rides. It allows them to strategically position themselves for the next pickup.

In summary, The highlighted dotted line and dot on the Uber driver map indicate the route and destination of the driver’s current trip, helping them plan for their next pickup after completing the ongoing one.

10. Meaning of White vs. Red Passenger Icons in Uber Shared Rides

In Uber’s shared ride options, the passenger icon with a number next to it indicates the number of riders currently in the vehicle or expected to be picked up.

White Passenger Icon: A white passenger icon indicates that the riders shown are already in the car. These are passengers who have been picked up and are currently sharing the ride.
Red Passenger Icon: A red passenger icon means that the rider (or riders) indicated are yet to be picked up. They are part of the shared ride but are still waiting to be collected.

For Example: If you see a white passenger icon with a “2” next to it and a red passenger icon with a “1,” it means there are two passengers already in the car, and one more is expected to be picked up.

By understanding the difference between the white and red passenger icons, you can get a better sense of the progress of your shared ride and what to expect in terms of additional pickups.

11. Understanding Uber’s Map Colors, Dollar Signs, and “Hot Spots”

Many new Uber drivers have questions about the meaning of the map colors and dollar signs they see in the app. A common scenario, like the one posted on Reddit, involves seeing a “grey-blue” area with dollar signs, often in a different part of the city, and wondering if it signifies higher earnings. The short answer is: that it’s not always a guarantee.

Uber explains in the app what the dollar signs mean. They’re claiming it’s been a good area in the past at that specific time, but that doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to be good right now.” This is a crucial point. The dollar signs, and even the grey-blue color, are indicators of past activity, not necessarily current conditions.

These map indicators are designed to show areas where Uber has historically seen higher demand at that particular time of day. Think of it as a historical “heat map.” It’s not a real-time surge indicator. While there might be a surge in those areas, it’s equally possible that the demand has shifted, and the area is no longer as busy as it once was.

That’s it, folks! We hope this guide has helped you decipher the various symbols and icons you’ll encounter in the Uber app. You can check out these below links for more icon explanations for other popular apps.