Select platform: [Android](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/android-sdk/cloud-customization/overlap.md.txt "View this page for the Android platform docs.") [Android 3D](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/maps-3d/android-sdk/cloud-customization/overlap.md.txt "View this page for the Android 3D platform docs.") [iOS](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/ios-sdk/cloud-customization/overlap.md.txt "View this page for the iOS platform docs.") [iOS 3D](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/maps-3d/ios-sdk/cloud-customization/overlap.md.txt "View this page for the iOS 3D platform docs.") [JavaScript](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/cloud-customization/overlap.md.txt "View this page for the JavaScript platform docs.") [Web Service](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/maps-static/cloud-customization/overlap.md.txt "View this page for the Web Service platform docs.")

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On the base map, some map features overlap each other at certain
zoom levels. When overlapping happens, you might not see a custom style appear
because another map feature style completely or partially obscures the style
you set. If the overlapping map feature is partially transparent, it changes
the color.

If you are styling a map feature, and aren't seeing your changes appear,
it may be because there is an overlapping map feature. Here are some examples:

- **Map features completely overlap** : The map feature **POI\>Nature Reserve**
  may overlap with a **Natural\>Vegetation** map feature. For example, if you
  are styling national parks, Yellowstone never shows the **Nature Reserve**
  style because the **Vegetation** map feature covers it.

  ![Yellowstone park shows the green vegetation map style instead of the chosen orange for Nature Reserve](https://developers.google.com/static/maps/images/cloud-customization/yellowstone.png)

  Another example is some parking garages have map features of parking
  and building overlapping.
- **A transparent map feature overlaps another** : If a transparent map feature
  overlaps another map features, it appears as an overlay
  at some zoom levels. For example, these two images show hospitals
  styled as red. In the first, the **Building** map feature style overlays the
  **Hospital** map feature, but is semi-transparent, so it alters the color.
  In the second image, the building map feature **Visibility** is **Off**,
  so it shows the chosen style--a solid red.

  ![Close up of a hospital showing a transparent overlay of the Building map feature](https://developers.google.com/static/maps/images/cloud-customization/building-viz-on.png)
  ![Close up of a hospital showing the Building map feature hidden and the overlay gone](https://developers.google.com/static/maps/images/cloud-customization/building-viz-off.png)

## Find map features that overlap

To figure out which overlapping map features affect your results,
take the following steps:

1. If you have an idea what the overlapping map feature is, turn
   the **Visibility Off** for your suspected overlapping map feature, and
   see if your style appears as expected.

2. Try turning off the most likely suspects, like **Building** or **Natural**.

3. If you still haven't found it, start by turning **Visibility Off** on
   the other top-level map features in turn, watching the map for when
   your styling appears as expected.

4. When you've narrowed it down to a top-level feature, test the map
   features under it to pinpoint the overlapping feature or features.

## Manage overlapping map features

Once you figure out which map features are overlapping, you have a few choices:

- **Turn visibility off on the overlapping map feature**: This change
  removes the map feature from the map.

- **Style the overlapping feature as well**: By styling the overlapping
  map feature, you change a feature other than the one you intended so that
  its styling is more compatible with the style you want to change or add.

- **Style the overlapping feature instead**: If it works for your needs,
  style the overlapping feature instead of the original map feature.

- **Leave it overlapping**: As in the hospital example above, sometimes it
  works to leave the overlay effect, rather than turn off visibility for
  all buildings.