Launch the Native Map App from Xamarin.Forms
The native map app on each platform can be launched from a Xamarin.Forms application by the Xamarin.Essentials Launcher class. This class enables an application to open another app through its custom URI scheme. The launcher functionality can be invoked with the OpenAsync method, passing in a string or Uri argument that represents the custom URL scheme to open. For more information about Xamarin.Essentials, see Xamarin.Essentials.
Note
An alternative to using the Xamarin.Essentials Launcher class is to use its Map class. For more information, see Xamarin.Essentials: Map.
The maps app on each platform uses a unique custom URI scheme. For information about the maps URI scheme on iOS, see Map Links on developer.apple.com. For information about the maps URI scheme on Android, see Maps Developer Guide and Google Maps Intents for Android on developers.android.com. For information about the maps URI scheme on the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), see Launch the Windows Maps app.
Launch the map app at a specific location
A location in the native maps app can be opened by adding appropriate query parameters to the custom URI scheme for each map app:
if (Device.RuntimePlatform == Device.iOS)
{
// https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/featuredarticles/iPhoneURLScheme_Reference/MapLinks/MapLinks.html
await Launcher.OpenAsync("http://maps.apple.com/?q=394+Pacific+Ave+San+Francisco+CA");
}
else if (Device.RuntimePlatform == Device.Android)
{
// open the maps app directly
await Launcher.OpenAsync("geo:0,0?q=394+Pacific+Ave+San+Francisco+CA");
}
else if (Device.RuntimePlatform == Device.UWP)
{
await Launcher.OpenAsync("bingmaps:?where=394 Pacific Ave San Francisco CA");
}
This example code results in the native map app being launched on each platform, with the map centered on a pin representing the specified location:
Launch the map app with directions
The native maps app can be launched displaying directions, by adding appropriate query parameters to the custom URI scheme for each map app:
if (Device.RuntimePlatform == Device.iOS)
{
// https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/featuredarticles/iPhoneURLScheme_Reference/MapLinks/MapLinks.html
await Launcher.OpenAsync("http://maps.apple.com/?daddr=San+Francisco,+CA&saddr=cupertino");
}
else if (Device.RuntimePlatform == Device.Android)
{
// opens the 'task chooser' so the user can pick Maps, Chrome or other mapping app
await Launcher.OpenAsync("http://maps.google.com/?daddr=San+Francisco,+CA&saddr=Mountain+View");
}
else if (Device.RuntimePlatform == Device.UWP)
{
await Launcher.OpenAsync("bingmaps:?rtp=adr.394 Pacific Ave San Francisco CA~adr.One Microsoft Way Redmond WA 98052");
}
This example code results in the native map app being launched on each platform, with the map centered on a route between the specified locations:
