How to find your GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude)

Whether you are dropping a pin for a tow truck, reporting a trailhead, or just curious where you actually are, your GPS coordinates are the most precise way to describe a spot on Earth. Here is what they mean and how to read yours right now — no app install required.

What GPS coordinates actually are

Every point on the planet can be named with two numbers: latitude and longitude.

• Latitude measures how far north or south you are, from -90° at the South Pole to +90° at the North Pole. The equator is 0°.
• Longitude measures how far east or west you are, from -180° to +180°, measured from the Prime Meridian that runs through Greenwich, London.

Written together, latitude always comes first: 40.7128, -74.0060 is in New York City. A positive longitude is east of Greenwich; a negative one is west.

Find your coordinates in three steps

The fastest way is to let your device's own GPS do the work:

• 1. Open the map. Open My Location in any browser — phone or desktop.
• 2. Allow location access. Tap Show my coordinates and approve the browser's permission prompt. Your position is shared with the page, never with us.
• 3. Read and copy. Your latitude, longitude, and a reverse-geocoded address appear instantly, ready to copy with one tap.

Copy them in the format you need

Coordinates come in two common notations. You can copy either:

• Decimal degrees (DD): 40.712800, -74.006000 — compact and what most apps and APIs expect.
• Degrees, minutes, seconds (DMS): 40°42'46"N 74°00'22"W — what you often see on paper maps and aviation/marine charts.

Not sure which to use, or how to convert one to the other? See our guide to decimal degrees vs DMS.

Find the coordinates of any other place

You are not limited to where you are standing. Click or tap anywhere on the map to read the latitude and longitude of that exact point — handy for marking a campsite, a parking spot, or a meeting point you want to send to someone.

Why accuracy varies

On a phone outdoors, a real GPS fix is usually accurate to a few metres. Indoors, or on a desktop without GPS hardware, your browser falls back to a coarser estimate based on Wi-Fi and your network, which can be off by a block or more. If a reading looks wrong, step outside and try again for a sharper fix.

Save it or share it

Once you have a spot, you can save it to a personal map with a name and note, or share your live position through a private link. For everything the app can do, see the features page, or just open the map and tap once.