The quickest way to add a stop is to start typing its name. anim8map suggests matching locations as you type — click the one you want to add it to your route.

A few things to keep in mind:

1. Cities, countries, and well-known landmarks are all supported and will typically appear near the top of the suggestions.
2. The same destination may appear multiple times — for example, in different languages or regional spellings. Select the correct entry so your animation renders accurately.
3. You can search in your own language. Typing "München" instead of "Munich" will still show relevant suggestions.

Double-check the suggestion before clicking, especially for destinations with common or ambiguous names.

If a destination doesn't appear in search — or if you need to pinpoint an exact location that isn't a named place — enter it using geographic coordinates.

anim8map accepts coordinates in the format <latitude>, <longitude>

For example, to add Machu Picchu: -13.1631, -72.5450

You can find coordinates for any location using Google Maps (right-click on a spot and select the coordinates that appear) or any similar mapping tool. This is especially useful for off-the-beaten-path destinations, mountain passes, or remote beaches that don't have a searchable name.

By default, anim8map calculates the most direct route between your stops. If you want the animated path to follow a specific road, detour through a particular city, or avoid a certain area, you can add intermediate waypoints to shape the route exactly the way you traveled it.

Waypoints work just like regular stops but are treated as routing hints — the animation path passes through them without pausing or displaying a label marker. This keeps your video clean while still giving you precise control over how the route is drawn on the map.

On desktop: Look for the Adjust route button positioned to the right of the waypoint name in your itinerary list.

On mobile: Tap the three-dot menu icon to the right of the location name. This will reveal additional options, including the ability to adjust the route.

You can add multiple waypoints between any two stops. The route will pass through all waypoints, in the order you add them.

Waypoints are particularly useful when:

• Your route crosses a border or mountain pass that the automatic routing doesn't follow correctly.
• You drove a scenic coastal road but the direct path would cut inland.
• You want to show a detour or side trip without adding it as a labeled destination in the animation.

When adding a destination — whether by name or by coordinates — you can give it a custom label. This is the text that appears on your travel animation video, so it's a great way to personalize your map or provide context for your viewers.

For example, instead of the default place name you could label a stop "Our first night in Italy" or "The trailhead — Day 3". Custom labels are especially useful for coordinate-based stops that don't have a built-in name.

On desktop: Look for the Edit label button positioned to the right of the waypoint name in your itinerary list.

On mobile: Tap the three-dot menu icon to the right of the location name. This will reveal additional options, including the ability to edit labels.

For a full walkthrough of label options and styling, see our dedicated guide: Customize Labels in Your Travel Animation.

We're constantly improving anim8map's destination database, but occasionally a popular location may be missing from the suggestions, or a destination may not render quite right in the animation.

In the meantime, use the coordinates method described above as a workaround — it gives you precise placement regardless of what's in the database.

Please reach out to us and let us know which destination is causing trouble. We'll look into getting it fixed or added for you and future users.

Now that you know how to add stops, enter coordinates, fine-tune your route with waypoints, and add custom labels, you have everything you need to map out any journey — from a weekend road trip to a round-the-world adventure.

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