An approach is provided for grouping and de-overlapping items in a user interface. A display manager determines one or more items for rendering in a user interface. The display manager then causes, at least in part, a determination of one or more rendering locations for one or more representations of the one or more items based, at least in part, on location information associated with the one or more items. The display manager further causes, at least in part, a grouping, a de-overlapping, or a combination thereof of the one or more representations based, at least in part, on an overlapping of the one or more rendering locations. The display manager also causes, at least in part, a rendering of the one or more representations in the user interface based, at least in part, on the grouping, the de-overlapping, or a combination thereof.