Hi,
I have made already quite a few lists as a preparation for a holiday or as a wishlist, and normally one of the locations that are in the list, serve as the overall main photo of the list.
I did all the tricks and choose a photo per location etc, so everything is according requirements for a great list and is set to public…
But the question is here, can I influence the list photo itself??
Currently it is showing a strange set of colored lines…
See the screen print of it.
@LG_Kees I have the same question, and have also seen other local guides asking it. To my knowledge there is currently no way to do this - which is a pity.
Hello @LG_Kees
You can’t add a cover photo directly. However, you can choose one to appear that as a cover photo.
The cover photo is usually the first location in the list. Here, you can try the “Choose photo” option for that location and change that.
If necessary, you can change the first location by changing the order in which the places appear on the list. You can do that on the phone. Open the list, then click the three dots & then select customize list order.
In short, you can choose a photo from the one published at a place. However, you can’t select any unrelated one to appear as a cover photo.
Thanks @C_T but that is what I expected…
It seems that something else went wrong, and what I hear from Jan is that I am not the only one.
Could it be that initially during the set-up something went wrong?
I don’t want to test too much with this list, because it also the one that I provided for the 2020 application…
Hi @LG_Kees
You are right, this is a problem.
Contrary to what @C_T shared it is my experience that the cover photo for a list gets chosen randomly from the place that you edited last.
Cheers
Hi @LG_Kees
One more thing. I think we need more systematic testing on this issue. But I’m hesitant to do it because there is a considerable delay in images getting updated and displayed. In my experience, it can take up to a week for the main photo on the card for a list to show up. Testing with such a delay is beyond my patience. Sorry.
Maybe @sonnyNg ( who is working on a Sunday 
) can help us out.
Cheers
Thanks @MortenCopenhagen
Happy to test any suggestions!!
Hello @MortenCopenhagen
I differ here with due respects.
Frankly, I used the “Lists” option to contribute sparingly.
Nevertheless, today I made up my mind & published a list so that I can answer queries authentically.
There is an option to customize the sort order & also to choose a cover photo as well as in the screenshot below.
Here, I chose the photo of Lord Ganesha to appear on the top & now that’s the cover photo.
Try to figure out from which place on a list the cover picture by a list is selected. Is it related to the order of places or is it selected from the place you last edited the notes for?
When this is determined, we need to try to figure out which photo from that place gets selected. It is obviously not the one we selected for the individual place on the list. Is it one of the first/featured images from that place or is it completely randomly selected?
I tried to find the case in the Idea Exchange here on connect. I couldn’t. Maybe you can find it. Or we need to start a new one.
Cheers
Hi @C_T
It would be fantastic if the option for selecting the cower photo has been implemented. There might be a roll out delay at play here. Since I don’t see this option on my Android phone. And in the photos you just shared, I don’t see this option. Only the option to select the photo for a place on your list is visible. I see the same photo as the first item, but that could be random.
Are you using the standard, beta or preview version of Maps?
Could you share one more screenshot eliminating this doubt?
Cheers
Please share a link to your new list, now that you have chosen to hide the link to your Google Maps profile and contributions.
Thanks
The suggestion above doesn’t work for me. I dont’ recognize the image on top for the list. I checked most of the locations in the list and this seems like a kind of Google default “no-image-available” picture.
I changed the sequence of the lists a few times and selected other photos.
Something else seems wrong here and please note that is not my first list and normally it works as suggested that the first photo out of the first location is selected.
@C_T That option is not for the list cover photo. That is for that location only. Still, there is no option to choose a cover photo for the list.
@MortenCopenhagen You’re right. That is for the first place on the list.
Hi everyone,
Thank you for keeping me in the loop, @MortenCopenhagen ! : ]
It would seem that the instructions sent by @C_T would be indeed as @SaifIS described, as we may check further in the instructions page (Create a list of places > Complete your list > Select a photo for each place on the list)
It would seem that there is also an idea, Photos in Google Maps Lists which may include some main points that may align with the subject being discussed currently.
Hi @sonnyNg
Do you have an explanation why my list doesn’t show one of the photos out of the 21 locations?
What I see looks like a kind of default background picture.
I already changed sequences, changed photos per location, but nothing helps.
I scrolled through the images per location and it is definitely not a photo of a botanical garden!
Hi @LG_Kees
The explanation is, that you have reached a limit to what you currently can do with lists on Google Maps. It is not your fault. You have done all you can. To fix this, the developers behind Google Maps will need to code a solution so we can select a cover pic for lists like we can select a pic for each location on a list.
Regarding the randomly selected cover pics not showing up: In my experience, one will eventually be assigned. Sometimes with a delay of about a week or so.
All you can do now is to vote for the idea that @sonnyNg shared a link to. And hope they will fix this in the near future.
Cheers
Thanks a lot @MortenCopenhagen
I already voted for Cecilia’s idea. It seems that I just have to be more patient
Hi @LG_Kees , @MortenCopenhagen ,
Thanks for letting me know! : ]
I have checked the list as sharing the list to my mobile device and indeed for the moment as MortenCopenhagen described.
For the moment, do feel free to update the list to your taste, as if there would be any further updates, please stay tuned.
