Point A (Start) -----------------------------> Point B (End) Heading: 90° (East) Steps to Calculate Headings Right-click your starting point on the map. Select from the context menu. Left-click your target destination point. A straight line will connect both points.
The compass icon sits directly above the zoom buttons ( + and - ) and the Street View Pegman. Resetting to True North compass google maps desktop
Here is how to find your bearings, rotate the map, and simulate a compass on a desktop computer. A straight line will connect both points
The Google Maps desktop compass is not a compass in the traditional sense. It is a —a graceful degradation from the complexity of 3D spatial manipulation back to the simplicity of 2D cartography. It sacrifices real-time tracking for one-click resolution, and in doing so, solves the most common desktop problem: "Which way was up again?" Next time you click it, recognize that you are not finding north; you are resetting your digital orientation to the absolute reference of the Web Mercator grid. The Google Maps desktop compass is not a
If you have rotated your map and are now lost, you don't need to hunt for a compass needle.
At first glance, the compass in Google Maps on a desktop browser seems almost vestigial—a small, red-and-white icon nestled in the corner of the screen, easily overlooked. On mobile, the compass is essential for augmented reality walking directions and orienting the device’s sensor fusion. On desktop, however, its role shifts dramatically. It is no longer a tool for finding north, but a critical UI/UX mechanism for and managing 2D vs. 3D spatial cognition .