Select platform: [Android](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/android-sdk/hiding-features.md.txt "View this page for the Android platform docs.") [iOS](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/ios-sdk/hiding-features.md.txt "View this page for the iOS platform docs.") [JavaScript](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/json-styling-overview.md.txt "View this page for the JavaScript platform docs.")
As well as changing the style of features on the map, you can also hide them
entirely. This example shows you how to hide business points of interest (POIs)
and public transit icons on your map.
Styling works only on the `kGMSTypeNormal` map type.
## Applying styles to your map
To apply custom map styles to a map, call `GMSMapStyle(...)` to create a
`GMSMapStyle` instance, passing in a URL for a local JSON file, or a JSON
string containing style definitions. Assign the `GMSMapStyle` instance to the
`mapStyle` property of the map.
### Using a JSON file
The following examples show calling `GMSMapStyle(...)` and passing a URL for a
local file:
The following code sample assumes your project contains a file named
`style.json`:
### Swift
```swift
import GoogleMaps
class MapStyling: UIViewController {
// Set the status bar style to complement night-mode.
override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {
return .lightContent
}
override func loadView() {
let camera = GMSCameraPosition.camera(withLatitude: -33.86, longitude: 151.20, zoom: 14.0)
let options = GMSMapViewOptions()
options.camera = camera
let mapView = GMSMapView(options: options)
do {
// Set the map style by passing the URL of the local file.
if let styleURL = Bundle.main.url(forResource: "style", withExtension: "json") {
mapView.mapStyle = try GMSMapStyle(contentsOfFileURL: styleURL)
} else {
NSLog("Unable to find style.json")
}
} catch {
NSLog("One or more of the map styles failed to load. \(error)")
}
self.view = mapView
}
}
```
### Objective-C
```objective-c
#import "MapStyling.h"
@import GoogleMaps;
@interface MapStyling ()
@end
@implementation MapStyling
// Set the status bar style to complement night-mode.
- (UIStatusBarStyle)preferredStatusBarStyle {
return UIStatusBarStyleLightContent;
}
- (void)loadView {
GMSCameraPosition *camera = [GMSCameraPosition cameraWithLatitude:-33.86
longitude:151.20
zoom:12];
GMSMapViewOptions *options = [[GMSMapViewOptions alloc] init];
options.camera = camera;
GMSMapView *mapView = [[GMSMapView alloc] initWithOptions:options];
mapView.myLocationEnabled = YES;
NSBundle *mainBundle = [NSBundle mainBundle];
NSURL *styleUrl = [mainBundle URLForResource:@"style" withExtension:@"json"];
NSError *error;
// Set the map style by passing the URL for style.json.
GMSMapStyle *style = [GMSMapStyle styleWithContentsOfFileURL:styleUrl error:&error];
if (!style) {
NSLog(@"The style definition could not be loaded: %@", error);
}
mapView.mapStyle = style;
self.view = mapView;
}
@end
```
To define the style options, add a new file to your project named `style.json`,
and paste the following JSON style declaration to hide business points of
interest (POIs) and public transit icons:
Show/Hide the JSON.
```
[
{
"featureType": "poi.business",
"elementType": "all",
"stylers": [
{
"visibility": "off"
}
]
},
{
"featureType": "transit",
"elementType": "labels.icon",
"stylers": [
{
"visibility": "off"
}
]
}
]
```
### Using a string resource
The following examples show calling `GMSMapStyle()` and passing a string
resource:
### Swift
```swift
class MapStylingStringResource: UIViewController {
let MapStyle = "JSON_STYLE_GOES_HERE"
// Set the status bar style to complement night-mode.
override var preferredStatusBarStyle: UIStatusBarStyle {
return .lightContent
}
override func loadView() {
let camera = GMSCameraPosition.camera(withLatitude: -33.86, longitude: 151.20, zoom: 14.0)
let options = GMSMapViewOptions()
options.camera = camera
let mapView = GMSMapView(options: options)
do {
// Set the map style by passing a valid JSON string.
mapView.mapStyle = try GMSMapStyle(jsonString: MapStyle)
} catch {
NSLog("One or more of the map styles failed to load. \(error)")
}
self.view = mapView
}
}
```
### Objective-C
```objective-c
@implementation MapStylingStringResource
// Paste the JSON string to use.
static NSString *const kMapStyle = @"JSON_STYLE_GOES_HERE";
// Set the status bar style to complement night-mode.
- (UIStatusBarStyle)preferredStatusBarStyle {
return UIStatusBarStyleLightContent;
}
- (void)loadView {
GMSCameraPosition *camera = [GMSCameraPosition cameraWithLatitude:-33.86
longitude:151.20
zoom:12];
GMSMapViewOptions *options = [[GMSMapViewOptions alloc] init];
options.camera = camera;
GMSMapView *mapView = [[GMSMapView alloc] initWithOptions:options];
mapView.myLocationEnabled = YES;
NSError *error;
// Set the map style by passing a valid JSON string.
GMSMapStyle *style = [GMSMapStyle styleWithJSONString:kMapStyle error:&error];
if (!style) {
NSLog(@"The style definition could not be loaded: %@", error);
}
mapView.mapStyle = style;
self.view = mapView;
}
@end
```
The following style declaration hides business points of interest (POIs) and
public transit icons. Paste the following style string as the value of
the `kMapStyle` variable:
Show/Hide the JSON.
```
@"["
@" {"
@" \"featureType\": \"poi.business\","
@" \"elementType\": \"all\","
@" \"stylers\": ["
@" {"
@" \"visibility\": \"off\""
@" }"
@" ]"
@" },"
@" {"
@" \"featureType\": \"transit\","
@" \"elementType\": \"labels.icon\","
@" \"stylers\": ["
@" {"
@" \"visibility\": \"off\""
@" }"
@" ]"
@" }"
@"]"
```
## JSON style declarations
Styled maps use two concepts to apply colors and other style changes to a
map:
- **Selectors** specify the geographic components that you can style on the map. These include roads, parks, bodies of water, and more, as well as their labels. The selectors include *features* and *elements* , specified as `featureType` and `elementType` properties.
- **Stylers** are color and visibility properties that you can apply to map elements. They define the displayed color through a combination of hue, color, and lightness/gamma values.
See the [style reference](https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/ios-sdk/style-reference.md.txt) for a detailed description of the
JSON styling options.
## Maps Platform Styling Wizard
[](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com)[](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com)[](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com)[](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com/) [](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com/) [](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com/) [](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com/) [](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com/) [](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com/) [Create
custom styles for the Google Maps Platform APIs](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com)
Use the [Maps Platform Styling Wizard](https://mapstyle.withgoogle.com) as a quick way
to generate a JSON styling object. The Maps SDK for iOS supports the
same style declarations as the Maps JavaScript API.
## Full code samples
The [ApiDemos repository](https://github.com/googlemaps-samples/maps-sdk-for-ios-samples) on GitHub includes
samples that demonstrate the use of styling.