Technology - Plus Codes

Easy-to-use addresses

Plus Codes are created with a simple code system derived from latitude and longitude, so they’re much shorter and easier to use than traditional global coordinates.

How are Plus Codes created?

Converting coordinates to Plus Codes

Plus Codes are created using latitude and longitude coordinates. These are converted from two long and complicated numbers into a single, shorter code.

Grid visualization

Plus Codes can be visualised using a grid. Each level in the grid corresponds to a pair of characters in a Plus Code. This grid can be used to build a Plus Code for a place or use it to get to a destination.

Plus Code grid top level

The initial top level grid lines are spaced at 20° intervals along longitude and latitude. Each row and column is then sequentially labelled with one of the 20 Plus Code alphanumeric characters allowing every cell to be easily referenced (for example, 9C).

Zooming into an individual cell

Zooming into an individual cell, the cell is further divided into a 20x20 grid with each column and row being sequentially labelled with one of the 20 Plus Code alphanumeric characters. This process is then repeated allowing for a zoomed in Plus Code to be created. In our example, the cell reference 9C5M8QQ7+V8R is the Plus Code for that cell.

Use Plus Codes in your applications

Developer Portal

With Plus Codes, you can build customized, versatile, and shareable addressing solutions based on a simple open source algorithm project initiated by a group of Google engineers. If you'd like to include Plus Codes in your applications, visit the GitHub developer portal.

GitHub

Developer Portal

GitHub

Plus Codes Add-ons

The Google Sheets Add-on combines Plus Codes with the power of data manipulation. It allows you to convert latitude and longitude coordinates to Plus Codes and create Plus Code-based addresses.

Install add-on

The Grid Service Add-on allows you to add the Plus Codes grid to online maps and GIS applications making it easier to discover and use.

Install service

Plus Codes Add-ons

The Google Sheets Add-on combines Plus Codes with the power of data manipulation. It allows you to convert latitude and longitude coordinates to Plus Codes and create Plus Code-based addresses.

Install add-on

The Grid Service Add-on allows you to add the Plus Codes grid to online maps and GIS applications making it easier to discover and use.

Install service

Google Maps Platform

Google Maps Platform provides your business and applications with real-world insights and immersive location experiences through geolocation APIs. We’ve added support for Plus Codes in requests of the Places API and Geocoding API, we've enabled user entry of Plus Codes into Place Autocomplete search bars, and we return Plus Codes in responses from these APIs as well. Read more about the recent integrations here; for more information about Google Maps Platform, visit the Google developer documentation page.