APIs

Use of our brand elements (such as our product names and logos) by developers is dictated by our Google APIs Terms of Service, as well as by any additional terms of service for the specific API you’re using. You’ll need to follow the guidelines here and in any related documentation, so read on.

How the use of Google Translate API is cited on Twitter.

Do you need to submit a request?

You don’t need our permission to reference how your application interacts with our product, as long as you follow the guidelines found on this page and in any related documentation. These guidelines apply to all uses of Google brand elements (our products, logos, and trademarks) in apps or products using our APIs.

Naming your app/product

The name of your app, product, or company should be wholly your own. Don’t use any Google product names as part of your name, and don’t modify any of our trademarks.

close Don’t use our names in your name

Don’t use any Google product names, or confusingly similar names, as part of your company name, product name, domain name, or social media profile.

close Don’t use elements of our names

Don’t remove, distort or alter any element of Google Trademarks, such as by modifying the Google Trademark through hyphenation, combination, or abbreviation. Don’t shorten, abbreviate, or create acronyms out of Google Trademarks.

Describing your app or product

You’re welcome to say that your app works with, works for, uses, or was built with the Google product or service that you used.

Be precise and detailed when talking about how our products work together. And be honest about the level of integration, interaction, or compatibility of your product with ours. Don’t use any Google product names as a verb, in possessive form, or in a way that could imply Google’s sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement.

done Use plain and precise language

Use straightforward language to describe how your product works with Google.

close Don’t overstate your relationship

Don’t use vague, confusing, hyperbolic, or absolute language, and don’t use “powered by” to describe how Google technology is used in your product.

close Don’t use lockups in sentences

Don’t use the Google logo or Google Product lockups in a sentence, unless provided to you as an approved byline attribution graphic, and don’t display any Google product names using any different stylization, color, or font from the surrounding text.

Designing your logo or icon

Your product logo or icon should be wholly your own. Don’t use any Google product icons, logos, or trademarks as part of your icon or logo.

close Don’t use our icons or names

Don’t use or incorporate Google icons, logos, or trademark names. Don’t use modified versions of Google’s icons, logos, or trademark names.

close Don’t mimic our look

Don’t mimic or replicate Google’s icons or logos. Don’t mimic Google’s color palette in your own logo or icon.

Using our names or icons

If your app or product integrates with a Google product, you may include the name or icon of the Google product to accurately refer to the product. When doing so, please follow these rules.

Using Google product names

done Refer to the Google product in full

Use the full name of Google products in buttons or text. When a button contains a product name, ensure the words “Google” and “[Product]” are on the same line.

done Use verbs to make actions clear

Ensure any actions related to the Google product are clear to the user by beginning actions with verb phrases.

Using our icons

done Convey what will happen

Use a small depiction of the relevant Google product icon within your application for informational purposes to convey what action will be taken or to indicate connection to the product.

close Don’t use icons in place of names

Don’t use an icon in the middle of a phrase in place of the product name, such as “Save to [Google Drive icon]” – although you may use a relevant icon before a phrase that indicates an action, such as [Google Drive icon] Save to Google Drive“.

done Use approved icons

Use the colored version of our Google product icons. You can also use a monochromatic version, if available and necessary, but don’t make your own version.

close Don’t modify icons

Don’t make alterations to the icon, other than changing the size.

Advertising guidelines

You may use our product names or icons in your marketing materials, such as websites, social media posts, or display ads, in order to reference how your app interacts with our products.

You don’t need to request permission to use these elements in your materials as long as you follow the guidelines on this page and in our Brand elements section. Our trademark rules and terms also apply.

There may be certain restrictions around using our trademarks in Google Ads text. Refer to our Advertising Policies help page for more information, or reach out to your Google contact or customer service to request that your Ads account be granted approval to use the relevant trademark in your ad text.

Using screenshots

You may use standard, unaltered screenshots of Google products and services for illustrative or informative purposes related to your app or service.

For example, if you’re showing how to set up your app to connect to a Google service, you may use screenshots of the relevant Google product in your materials, such as websites, videos, advertisements, or documentation.

You may make light annotations on such screenshots to make directions clear to the user, but please don’t add or change any other elements.

Using our elements is okay, but make sure to attribute that they came from Google.

If you’re using our trademarks, please include a legal line in the footer or other appropriate area of your product, website, or other materials:

[Product name] is a trademark of Google LLC.

Refer to our Trademark List for the proper names of our trademarks.

Further resources

Need more help or product-specific guidelines?

Not what you need?

View all of our guidance on using Google brand elements