How to Use the Smart Chips Feature in Google Docs to Embed Google Maps

The Problem with Hyperlinks

If you are writing an itinerary in Google Docs for an upcoming corporate retreat, or preparing a real estate portfolio containing dozens of property addresses, the standard workflow is to highlight the text of the address, press Ctrl+K, and paste a massive, ugly Google Maps hyperlink into the document.

While this works, it is a terrible user experience. When a reader clicks the link, they are forcefully navigated away from your document into a new browser tab. They lose their place in the text and have to juggle multiple windows just to see where a restaurant is located.

Google Docs recently introduced Smart Chips. This feature allows you to embed a fully interactive, miniature Google Maps interface directly into the text of your document. The reader can view the location, get directions, and see a preview image without ever leaving the Google Doc.

Step 1: Using the @ Menu

Smart Chips are powered entirely by the “At” symbol (@) on your keyboard.

1. Open your Google Doc.
2. Click wherever you want the map to appear and type the @ symbol.
3. A massive drop-down menu will instantly appear on your screen, containing options for People, Dates, and Files.
4. Ignore the menu options and simply continue typing the name of the place or the physical address directly after the @ symbol (e.g., @Eiffel Tower or @1600 Pennsylvania Avenue).

As you type, Google’s backend servers will actively search Google Maps. The drop-down menu will filter down and present a “Places” category containing matching map locations.

Step 2: Inserting the Smart Chip

Once you see the correct location appear in the drop-down menu, use your arrow keys or your mouse to click on it.

The text you typed will instantly transform into a gray, pill-shaped button containing a small Map pin icon and the name of the location. This is the Smart Chip.

Step 3: Interacting with the Map Preview

The true magic of the Smart Chip happens when a reader interacts with it.

If a user hovers their mouse cursor over the gray pill, a large interactive pop-up card will appear directly above the text. This card contains:

• A live, miniature Google Map showing the exact street location.
• The official star rating of the business.
• A photo preview of the storefront or location.
• The full, standardized physical address.

If the user wants to navigate there, they can click the blue Open in Maps button on the card, or they can click the Directions icon (the small blue diamond with a white arrow) to instantly generate a route from their current location.

Converting Existing Text into Smart Chips

If you have an old document that already contains hundreds of plain-text addresses, you do not have to delete them and retype them using the @ menu.

Simply highlight the existing address (e.g., “Empire State Building”), right-click the highlighted text, and select Insert Smart Chip. Google Docs will automatically convert the highlighted text into an interactive Map chip, instantly modernizing your legacy documents.