Google Maps tests ‘Dock to bottom’ feature on desktop for better quick location access

Google Maps is testing a new “Dock to bottom” feature on desktop that appears to work like a favorites bar for your most visited locations.

Spotted by Search Engine Roundtable (via XDA), it seems that Google is testing a new “Dock to bottom” toggle that will appear alongside a location card and adds a small docked icon in the larger map view for quick access. When looking at multiple locations or planning trips this could be a big timesaver as you won’t need to search again for a commonly accessed location.

It is very reminiscent of the dock in ChromeOS with the added ability to remove the location at any point. Clicking a location using the “Dock to bottom” feature will quickly open that Maps location. However, this report suggests that the feature is very sporadic and is not widely available.

It seems as though this “Dock to bottom” toggle has been appearing randomly for users online with little way to replicate it. With that in mind, it’s unclear just how widely the feature is being tested or if it might expand beyond Google Maps on desktop to mobile devices. As a quick access tool, this would be a great help, and it’s one such option being trialed that seems very interesting. You can see it in action below: