> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** This page describes visualization options for Looker. For information about Data Studio visualizations, see [Types of charts in Data Studio](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/studio/types-of-charts-in-looker-studio).

> [!IMPORTANT]
> **Important:** Starting in Looker 24.18, Map (Legacy) charts are disabled. Any map visualization that uses the Map (Legacy) chart type will be converted to use the Google Maps chart type. See the [Google Maps chart options](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/google-map-options) documentation page for information about using Looker's Google Maps chart type.

Map charts let you visualize geographic data on responsive and interactive maps, and provide significant control over the way that map points are plotted.

## Building an interactive map chart

To create a map chart, your query must include at least one of the following fields:

- A dimension based on latitude and longitude data. This is defined by a LookML developer as a dimension of [`type: location`](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-dimension-filter-parameter-types#location).
- A dimension with a map layer assigned to it. LookML developers can add a [built-in map layer](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-field-map-layer-name#built-in_map_layers) or a [custom map layer](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-model-map-layer) to a dimension using the [`map_layer_name`](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-field-map-layer-name) parameter.
- A ZIP Code dimension. ZIP Code regions are based on the 2010 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs). There may not be a one-to-one correspondence between ZIP Codes and the ZCTAs used for map visualizations. It is possible that not all points will be visualized in the map.

Limit the precision of latitude and longitude data coordinates to no more than five to six decimal places. If coordinates exceed seven decimal places, then the map will not display any data points.

To build an interactive map chart, select the **Map** visualization type in the **Visualization** bar. You can also edit your map visualization in the visualization menu. Click the gear in the upper right corner of the **Visualization** bar.

Some of the options that are listed on this documentation page may be grayed out or hidden when they conflict with other settings that you have chosen.

## Plot menu options

The **Plot** tab lets you select the way that your location data is plotted. Each choice has slightly different formatting options, as appropriate for the plot type. **Plot** options also differ depending on whether a [map layer](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-field-map-layer-name) is defined in the LookML for your dimension. Note that for ZIP Code dimensions, Looker automatically assigns a US ZIP Code map layer.

|---|---|
| For dimensions that are not associated with a map layer, Looker displays the following **Plot** options: - [Points](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#points-map) - [Automagic Heatmap](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#automagic-heatmap) - [Connect with Lines](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#lines-map) - [Connect with Areas](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#area-map) - [Heatmap Gridlines](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#heatmap-gridlines) - [Heatmap Opacity](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#heatmap-opacity) | For dimensions that are defined with a map layer, Looker displays the following **Plot** options: - [Heatmap Gridlines](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#heatmap-gridlines) - [Gridlines on Empty Regions](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#gridlines-on-empty-regions) - [Heatmap Opacity](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#heatmap-opacity) |

### Points

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/circle-points-map-visualization.png)

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/points-data-table.png)

You can plot each row in an underlying data table as a discrete point on the map.

Plotting a location dimension by itself will place points of uniform size and color. Adding a measure to the underlying data table enables the points to be scaled by color or size.

### Automagic Heatmap

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/automagic-heatmap-visualization.png)

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/automagic-heatmap-data-table.png)

You can display data in the underlying query as a heatmap grid. It works by dividing the visible map into equal squares, then calculating which values in your data fit into each square. The squares are colored according to a measure that you choose. Zooming this map in or out will prompt Looker to re-calculate the grid, so that the granularity is appropriate to the zoom level.

For this plot type to work properly, you must select both a location dimension and a measure.
> The Automagic Heatmap will re-query your data to construct the heatmap grid. A location dimension will typically show distinct points with one latitude/longitude coordinate, but when you use a heatmap, the dimension changes to the bounding boxes ("Heatmap region from ... to ..") of each square in the grid.

### Connect with Lines

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/lines-map-visualization.png)

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/lines-data-table.png)

The **Connect with Lines** map visualization takes two fields of [`type:location`](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-dimension-filter-parameter-types#location) from your query, then connects them together in the visualization. Adding a measure to the query lets you add a color scale to the lines.

### Connect with Areas

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/areas-map-visualization.png)

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/areas-data-table.png)

The **Connect with Areas** map visualization takes one field of [`type:location`](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-dimension-filter-parameter-types#location) and connects all the points in the order that you've sorted them, forming the boundaries of an area on the map. Adding a measure to the query lets you format the size and color of the individual location points bounding the area.

### Heatmap Gridlines

For heatmap visualizations, you can add a border around each of the gridlines used for the heatmap.

### Heatmap Opacity

For heatmap visualizations, you can specify the opacity of the colors used in the heatmap. Enter a number between 0 and 1, where 0 means no color and 1 means totally opaque.

### Gridlines on Empty Regions

If the **Heatmap Gridlines** option is turned on, and you are plotting a dimension that has a defined [map_layer_name](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-field-map-layer-name), you can enable the **Gridlines on Empty Regions** toggle to display an outline around the map regions that have no associated data.

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/vis-map-empty-regions.png)

## Map menu options

### Map Style

![Example screenshots of the map styles Light, Dark, Satellite, and Traffic.](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/explore-map-styles-514.png)  

*Map styles clockwise from top left: Light (No Labels), Dark, Satellite, Traffic (Day)*

**Map Style** lets users change the type of background map, and whether map labels (like cities and streets) should be displayed. This option features a drop-down menu with a list of choices:

- **Light:** Subtle, light-colored map designed to provide geographic context while highlighting your data.
- **Light (No Labels):** Same as **Light**, except the map omits labels such as city names.
- **Dark:** Subtle, dark-colored map designed to provide geographic context while highlighting your data.
- **Dark (No Labels):** Same as **Dark**, except the map omits labels such as city names.
- **Satellite:** Map displaying global satellite and aerial imagery.
- **Satellite (No Labels):** Same as **Satellite**, except the map omits labels such as city names.
- **Streets:** General-purpose map that emphasizes legible styling of road and transit networks.
- **Outdoors:** General-purpose map tailored to hiking, biking, and other outdoor uses.
- **Traffic (Day):** Light-colored map emphasizing transit networks and roads, including current traffic information.
- **Traffic (Night):** Dark-colored map emphasizing transit networks and roads, including current traffic information.

### Map Position

You can change the center point and zoom level of a visible map:

- *Fit to Data*: Automatically centers and zooms the map such that all the data points of your query are visible.
- *Custom* : Lets you manually set a *Latitude* , *Longitude* , and *Zoom Level* (higher numbers create a closer zoom level):

  If you drag and zoom the map itself to arrive at the view you'd like, these values are automatically filled in when you choose *Custom*.

This option is unavailable when the [Automagic Heatmap](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#automagic-heatmap) plot type is selected.

### Map Scale Indicator

You can enable a map scale and set the units that the scale uses by choosing from the following options:

- Off
- Metric (m, km)
- Imperial (ft, mi)
- Metric and Imperial

### Allow Panning

You can determine whether users can reposition the map by dragging it. This feature is allowed by default.

### Allow Zooming

You can decide if a (+/-) button should display in the upper left of the map visualization, allowing users to zoom in and out. This feature is on by default.

### Show Full Field Name

You can determine whether to show the view name along with the field name in map tooltips, which display when users click on map data points.

### Show Legend

You can determine whether a map legend displays in the lower right of a visualization. The legend shows the color scale that you are using, if you've added a measure to your visualization.

The **Show Legend** option is available for the following [**Plot** options](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#plot_menu_options):

- [**Automagic Heatmap**](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#automagic_heatmap) mode
- [**Points**](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#points) mode, when [**Marker Color Mode**](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#marker_color_value) is set to **Based on Value**

### Show Region Field in Tooltip

When this feature is enabled, the region name is included in the tooltip of the map. By default, the tooltip includes only the measure values. To see the tooltip, click on a region or point on the map visualization.

If your Looker developer has defined [drilling options](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-field-drill-fields) for the dimension, you can click the region name to drill further into the data.
> Tooltips on map charts look and function slightly differently when viewed on [dashboards](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/viewing-dashboards). For more information, see the [Viewing map charts in dashboards](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#viewing_map_charts_in_dashboards) section on this page.

### Draw Map Labels Above Data

When this feature is enabled, the map labels, such as region names, appear on top of the heatmap.

This feature is recommended with higher [heatmap opacity](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#heatmap_opacity) values. If your heatmap is opaque, and this feature is disabled, the map labels will be obscured by the heatmap colors.

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/explore-viz-map-labels-54.png)

## Points menu options

These options are unavailable when the [Automagic Heatmap](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#automagic-heatmap) plot type is selected.

### Type

![Example screenshots of the point type options Circle, Icon, None, and Both.](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/point-type.png)

*Point types clockwise from top left: Circle, Icon, None, Both*

For maps of plot type [Points](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#points-map), [Lines](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#lines-map), and [Area](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#area-map), **Type** specifies the type of point displayed on the map visualization:

- Circle
- Icon
- Both
- None

### Icon

You can choose an icon to display on all map markers in the visualization.

The icon choices include the following:

- Airplane
- Car
- House
- Person
- Restaurant
- Tree

### Radius

If you used a [Type](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#type) of **Circle**, you can set the size of that circle:

- **Proportional to Value:** Adjusts the relative size of the circles according to measures you've added to your query. When you choose this option you can set a **Minimum Radius** and **Maximum Radius** of the circles, which will correspond with the lowest and highest value in your data. You can also toggle between a **Linear** and **Logarithmic** scale when the circles are being sized.

- **Equal to Value:** Adjusts the radius of the circles to the actual measure values in your underyling query. This likely only makes sense if you are plotting distance data --- for example, if your measure contained the size of a territory.

- **Fixed:** Lets you set a fixed radius to apply to all map markers. The default value is 500.

### Radius Units

You can set the units that are used in the [Radius](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#radius) section to meters or pixels.

### Marker Color Value

You can set the color of the map markers in an interactive map:

- **Based on Value** : Colors are dynamically assigned to markers based on the values of your underlying query. To configure the colors in the legend for this option, see the [Value Colors](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#value-colors) option.
- **Custom** : Lets you set a single color to use for all map markers. The color value can also be formatted as an RGB hex string, such as `#2ca6cd`, or as [CSS color names](https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/css_colors.asp), such as `mediumblue`.

## Value menu options

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** The **Value** menu disappears if the [Marker Color Value](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/map-options#marker-color-value) for map points chart is set to "Custom."

### Value Colors

You can set the color of map points or define the range of colors to be used if you are color coding according to a measure.

You can input a list of hex strings, such as `#2ca6cd`, or [CSS color names](https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/css_colors.asp), such as `mediumblue`. The colors you input first are associated with the lowest values.

### Quantize Colors

When turned on, **Quantize Colors** changes the color scale from a smooth gradient to only the specific colors you've set.

The image on the left depicts the legend when **Quantize Colors** is off, and the image on the right depicts the legend when **Quantize Colors** is turned on:

![When Quantize Colors is disabled, the color scale is a smooth gradient. When it is enabled, the color scale uses discrete colors.](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/quantize-colors-v2.png)

### Reverse Color Scale

When turned on, **Reverse Color Scale** switches the colors that indicate high and low values on the chart, reversing the color gradient.

### Minimum Value/Maximum Value

You can set the minimum and maximum values of the color range. This lets you color code all points below a certain threshold with the lowest color and all points above a certain threshold with the highest color.

By default this field is left blank, and the minimum and maximum values applied on the legend are the minimum and maximum values from your query.

## Viewing map charts in dashboards

When you view map charts in [dashboards](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/viewing-dashboards), tooltips function slightly differently than they do when you view map charts as Looks or as Explores.

![](https://docs.cloud.google.com/static/looker/docs/images/map-viewed-on-dash-next-720.png)

In dashboards, the [tooltips](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/viewing-dashboards#drilling_into_data_points) appear on hover, rather than on click. Viewers of a dashboard can see content placed in a tooltip with the [`html` parameter](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/reference/param-field-html#exploring_data_with_the_html_parameter), but if any interactive content is included as part of the `html` parameter --- such as links --- viewers cannot click on it.

If you click [**Explore from Here**](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/viewing-dashboards#tile_three-dot_menu) on a map chart dashboard tile, or if you [open the edit window](https://docs.cloud.google.com/looker/docs/editing-user-defined-dashboards#editing_a_tiles_query_or_look) for a map chart tile, you will see the Look and Explore version of the map chart.