You’ve finally moved. The boxes are mostly unpacked, the coffee machine is plugged in, but there’s one nagging problem that keeps sending your pizza delivery to your old apartment three miles away. It’s frustrating. You open your phone, muscle memory kicks in, and you hit the "Home" button only to see your old driveway staring back at you. If you're wondering how do I change home address on Google Maps, don't worry. It's actually one of the most common tweaks people have to make, yet the menu is buried just deep enough to be annoying.
Google Maps isn't just a digital paper map; it's a predictive engine. It learns your habits. It tells you when to leave for work based on traffic. If that "Home" label is wrong, the whole ecosystem of your Google Assistant, your Nest devices, and your timeline starts to feel a bit glitchy.
Changing it takes about thirty seconds if you know where to tap.
The fastest way to update your home on mobile
Most of us live in the app. Whether you’re on an iPhone or an Android, the process is nearly identical because Google keeps its interface consistent across platforms.
Open the app. Look at the bottom bar. You’ll see a tab labeled "Saved" (it usually has a little bookmark icon). Tap that. Once you're in there, you’ll see a section titled "Your lists." Right at the top, there’s usually a button for "Labeled." This is where Google hides your "Home" and "Work" tags.
Tap the three little dots next to "Home."
A menu pops up. Select "Edit home." Now, you can either type in your new street address or, if you’re currently standing in your new living room, you can choose "Select on map" and drop the pin exactly where your front door is. This is actually a pro tip. Sometimes Google’s geocoding puts an address at the street curb, but if you have a long driveway or live in a massive apartment complex, manually dropping the pin ensures the blue line actually leads to your parking spot.
Why your computer might be easier for big moves
Sometimes typing on a tiny screen is a nightmare, especially with complex apartment numbers or new developments that Google hasn't fully indexed yet. Using a desktop browser gives you a bit more precision.
Go to maps.google.com. Click the "hamburger" menu (those three horizontal lines) in the top left corner. Click on "Your places" and then "Labeled." You’ll see "Home" right there. Click the "X" to clear the old one, or just click the address to type over it.
The beauty of doing this on a computer is that you can see the satellite view much more clearly. If you live in a rural area where the "official" address might be half a mile from your actual house, dragging that icon on a 27-inch monitor is way more satisfying than squinting at a phone screen.
Dealing with the "Old Address" ghost
Ever changed your address but Google still suggests your old place? It’s a ghost in the machine. This usually happens because your "Home" label is updated, but your "Personal Results" or "Web & App Activity" still has the old location cached.
Google’s servers are massive. Synching isn't always instantaneous across every single service. If you’ve updated the label but your "Time to Home" notification still shows the old route, try clearing your application cache. On Android, you go to Settings > Apps > Maps > Storage > Clear Cache. On iPhone, you basically have to offload the app or just wait 24 hours for the cloud to catch up.
Also, check your "Work" address while you're at it. Often, when people move, their commute changes. If you don't update both, Google’s "Commute" tab will give you useless data.
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What if the address itself is wrong?
There is a huge difference between changing your home and fixing a mistake on the map itself. If Google thinks your street doesn't exist or has the wrong name, "How do I change home address on Google Maps" becomes a much bigger question.
In that case, you aren't editing a label; you're suggesting an edit to the global map. You have to tap "Contribute" at the bottom of the app, then "Edit Map," and finally "Fix an address." Google’s team (and their AI) will actually review these. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of weeks to go live. Don't expect it to happen overnight. They have to verify you aren't just some prankster trying to rename "Main Street" to "Cool Guy Lane."
Privacy and the "Home" label
Some people hate having their home labeled. I get it. If you’re worried about privacy, you don't have to have a home address set. You can just delete the label entirely. However, you lose out on features like "Hey Google, take me home" or getting automatic traffic alerts before you head out for the day.
If you share your location with friends or family via Google Maps, they can see your "Home" icon if you’ve labeled it. Keep that in mind. If you’re in a situation where you need to keep your specific location private, it’s often better to set your "Home" to a nearby landmark—like a grocery store or a gas station a block away—rather than your exact front door.
Common hiccups and how to jump over them
Sometimes the app just hangs. You hit "Save" and nothing happens. Usually, this is a connectivity issue or an outdated version of the app. Always check the Play Store or App Store for an update before you start digging into complex fixes.
Another weird one: Multiple Google accounts. If you have a work Gmail and a personal Gmail logged into your phone, make sure you’re editing the right one. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner of the Maps app to see which account is active. If you update your home on your work email but use your personal email for navigation, you're going to be very confused when the old address keeps popping up.
Moving forward with your new location
Now that the address is updated, take advantage of the "Areas of Interest" around your new spot. Google Maps will start suggesting restaurants and shops near your new home address once it realizes you live there.
- Check your "Commute" settings: Go into the app settings and tell Google what time you usually leave. It will use your new home address to ping you if there’s an accident on your new route.
- Update your "Offline Maps": If you moved to a new city, delete your old offline maps and download a fresh square around your new house. It saves data and ensures you can get home if your signal drops.
- Set up "Routines": If you use Google Home/Nest, go into the Home app and ensure your "Home" address there matches what you just put into Maps. This ensures the weather reports and "Good Morning" routines are actually accurate to your new zip code.
Fixing your home address is really about making the technology work for you instead of against you. It’s one of those small digital chores that makes daily life feel just a little bit smoother.
Next Steps for Success:
Verify the change across all devices by asking Google Assistant, "How long will it take to get home?" If it gives you the correct time for your new location, the sync is complete. If it still references the old city, go to your Google Account settings under "Personal Info" and manually update your "Places" there to force a top-down sync across the entire Google ecosystem.