---
title: Converting a user’s location to a descriptive placemark
framework: corelocation
role: article
role_heading: Article
path: corelocation/converting-a-user-s-location-to-a-descriptive-placemark
---

# Converting a user’s location to a descriptive placemark

Transform the user’s location that displays on a map into an informative textual description by reverse geocoding.

## Overview

Overview You can show a user’s location on a map in order to orient them to elements of your app that use map content. For instance, a user’s current location can be a point of reference for retrieving search results or calculating directions. Additionally, you can display location information outside of the map, such as a search field pre-filled with the user’s current city or street address. To provide this information in your app, configure your map view to display the user’s location, and then translate the location to informative, user-friendly data. Display the user location annotation To provide user-friendly place information, configure your map view to display the user’s current location by enabling showsUserLocation. After enabling this property, the map delegate begins receiving updates to the user’s location, represented with a MKUserLocation object, through mapView(_:didUpdate:). Geocode the user location annotation CLPlacemark objects represent user place names, and include properties for street name, city name, country or region name, and many other location identifiers. When mapView(_:didUpdate:) receives updates on the user’s location, convert the MKUserLocation object to a CLPlacemark by reverse geocoding the location property with a CLGeocoder. Readable descriptions of the user’s location are available as properties on the placemark, such as the city information stored in the locality property. important: Geocoding requests are rate-limited for each app. Issue new geocoding requests only when the user has moved a significant distance and after a reasonable amount of time has passed. func mapView(_ mapView: MKMapView, didUpdate userLocation: MKUserLocation) {         guard let newLocation = userLocation.location else { return }                  let currentTime = Date()         let lastLocation = self.currentLocation         self.currentLocation = newLocation                  // Only get new placemark information if you don't have a previous location,         // if the user has moved a meaningful distance from the previous location, such as 1000 meters,         // and if it's been 60 seconds since the last geocode request.         if let lastLocation = lastLocation,             newLocation.distance(from: lastLocation) <= 1000,             let lastTime = lastGeocodeTime,             currentTime.timeIntervalSince(lastTime) < 60 {             return         }                  // Convert the user's location to a user-friendly place name by reverse geocoding the location.         lastGeocodeTime = currentTime         geocoder.reverseGeocodeLocation(newLocation) { (placemarks, error) in             guard error == nil else {                 self.handleError(error)                 return             }                          // Most geocoding requests contain only one result.             if let firstPlacemark = placemarks?.first {                 self.mostRecentPlacemark = firstPlacemark                 self.currentCity = firstPlacemark.locality             }         }     } See also Related Documentation Converting between coordinates and user-friendly place names

## See Also

### Geocoding

- [Converting between coordinates and user-friendly place names](corelocation/converting-between-coordinates-and-user-friendly-place-names.md)
- [CLGeocoder](corelocation/clgeocoder.md)
- [CLPlacemark](corelocation/clplacemark.md)