Replace Bing Maps on Facebook with Google Maps

Martin Brinkmann
Dec 7, 2012
Updated • Jun 3, 2019
Companies, Facebook
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Update: Facebook started to use Nokie's Here mapping service in 2015 on mobiles and is using it on desktop devices as well. The extension to replace the current mapping provider with a browser extension reviewed below is no longer available as the browser extension has been removed.

The only option right now is to copy the address and paste it on the website of the mapping service that you want to use.  End

When you look up a public event, or a location on Facebook, you get a maps view that is pulling data from Microsoft's Bing Maps service. While that is great and all most of the time, there are probably some users on Facebook who would prefer to have the location displayed on Google Maps instead.

Maybe because they are used to working with Google Maps all the time, or maybe because they believe that Google Maps provides them with the better results.

While you could copy and paste the address of the place into Google Maps manually that you have open in another browser tab or window, Chrome users may instead try the new Facebook Panda extension for the web browser. The sole purpose of the extension is to exchange the Bing Maps code on Facebook with Google's Map code instead.

Once you have installed the extension in Chrome and visit Facebook, or reload an existing page that is open, you will notice that the map gets automatically replaced. It is an automatic process and you do not have to do anything at all to make that happen.

Here is the Bing Maps version on Facebook using Microsoft's mapping service to display locations and places on the social networking site.

bing maps facebook

And this is the replaced Google Maps version that you get after the installation of Facebook Panda in Google Chrome.

google maps facebook

You may notice the details that Google Maps is offering that Bing does not. While this may not be always the case, it may make sense to compare results in locations of importance to you to make an educated decision if you want to keep using Bing Maps on Facebook or switch to Google Maps instead.

The extension is unobtrusive and while you may notice a small delay before the new map is loaded, it is usually nothing that will keep you from making use of it. While we are at it: which mapping service do you prefer and why?

Summary
Replace Bing Maps on Facebook with Google Maps
Article Name
Replace Bing Maps on Facebook with Google Maps
Description
A review of the browser extension Facebook Panda -- now no longer available -- which changed the map provider of Facebook to Google Maps automatically.
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Publisher
Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. SimonJPA said on January 8, 2015 at 4:25 pm
    Reply

    HI,

    Before it did show the Bing Map.

    Then I did install the extension successfully.

    It did start to show Get Directions from the top the page on Facebook until the bottom.

    I’m using Google Chrome version 39.0.2171.95 m.

    Now it’s like my browser is going to crash because it’s using too much memory.

    So I had to remove the extension.

    If anyone knows a way to do this with or without this extension, just comment here.

    Thanks,

  2. Desh said on October 29, 2014 at 2:52 pm
    Reply

    Doesn’t work, nothing changed at all, waste of time!

  3. Henrik said on May 8, 2013 at 9:21 am
    Reply

    I’m experiencing the same as Dal. When Facebook Panda is enabled, the “See more” links doesn’t work.

  4. Dal said on January 3, 2013 at 4:52 am
    Reply

    Hi, the “See more” function (when my friend’s status is too long, it will shows “See more”) is fail when I enable Facebook panda 1.1 in FireFox 17.01.

  5. Yoshiyah said on December 8, 2012 at 3:14 pm
    Reply

    I like Bing Maps better. It has higher resolutions.

    1. John said on October 28, 2015 at 7:35 pm
      Reply

      That’s Awesome. There is nothing better than looking up a location on a map and finding that it is off by MILES…….except to have the same thing in HD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      Bing maps would not be so bad but they are full of errors and when you point them out they are ignored for YEARS. Google maps fixes stuff way faster.
      This is coming from a Microsoft fan.

    2. Joe said on September 25, 2013 at 5:42 pm
      Reply

      Then why are you here?

  6. Steve Yu said on December 8, 2012 at 9:43 am
    Reply

    Is it just me or what? The extension didn’t work. I still see Bing Maps instead of Google Maps.

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on December 8, 2012 at 9:52 am
      Reply

      Steve it worked fine for me during tests yesterday.

      1. Steve Yu said on December 8, 2012 at 10:55 am
        Reply

        Hmm.. this is weird. The Facebook Panda icon should appear when log into Facebook. But I didn’t see one.

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