Google Maps is one of the best and most popular navigation app services, but it is not without its flaws. One of the main complaints is that it works best with a reliable data connection, something we don’t always have out of town. Fortunately, Google Maps can be used offline, but this great feature becomes useless without some proactive procedures. The moment your phone reads “No Service”, Google Maps suddenly goes down. That is unless you have saved your maps for offline access. However, after reading today’s article “How to use Google map offline”, you can store large areas of the map as a guide, even when you do not have coverage.
The process is identical on both iOS and Android. Before we dive into the process, take a moment to visit the App Store on your iOS device or the Play Store on your Android device and check for any updates available for Google Maps. The methods mentioned in this article work on updated versions of Google Maps.
After verifying that you have the latest version, launch Google Maps on your respective device and find the area you want to save for offline access.
Google Maps will display the area it finds, with the name displayed at the bottom of the screen. You will need to download the area of interest before you can take advantage of Google Maps offline. This is what we mean when we say that things should be done “proactively”. The map area must be downloaded before leaving the safety of your city’s secure connection.
You will then be prompted to adjust the area that will be saved by panning and zooming, making sure to pay attention to the size limit alert at the top of the screen. Of course, there is a huge amount of information when downloading almost two cities and everything in between. Be prepared to sacrifice a lot of storage space for your maps. These can take up to 1GB, depending on the area. Plus, you’ll get a glimpse of local weather conditions, images, hotels, shops, restaurants, and navigation options. You’ll even get a ride estimate to that location based on your current location.
Touch the name. Then, tap on the three-dot icon at the top right corner of your screen. Select and then save an offline map. However, there is a way to download this data to an SD card, which is a relief. Just go to Menu > Offline areas > Settings > Storage preferences and change “Device” to “SD card”.
If the mapped area is considered too large, you will need to zoom in and repeat the process for the skipped area. Once you’re satisfied, tap Save and give the offline map a name. To access your saved maps, swipe the menu drawing and select My Places from the list of options. Scroll to the bottom of the page, where you should find the offline maps still stored on your device.
Please note that saved maps will only remain on your device for 30 days. This is mainly because the world changes almost daily. The maps are dynamic and require updating. What happens when a new street is added or an old one is closed? Maybe a new restaurant opened in town. Google wants you to have an up-to-date version of your maps when you’re offline. Presumably after that, the app will delete a saved map to free up space on your device.
You can also do auto update with google map today. Just go to the Offline Maps settings and turn on automatic updates. This will ensure that your offline maps are regularly updated when they expire. You can even choose to only update when using Wi-Fi, making sure your precious gigabytes don’t go to waste.
Things to consider when using Google Maps offline
There are drawbacks to offline Google Maps. Here are some things that are missing from the offline maps that are available on Google Maps live:
• Public transportation routes are not available on offline maps.
• Bike and walking routes are not available.
• No live traffic will be used.
• Travel estimates will not be as accurate.
• Routes cannot be modified (avoid is not an option).
Conclusion
Other tools are available for offline maps. Some like maps.me or apple maps etc. that allows you to download everything at once, while others offer downloads from cities, states, and countries. If you are a hunter or exploring off the grid areas, these maps may be a better option. Hope you like reading “How to use google map offline”. However, for most travel and tourism needs, Google Maps does an excellent job of showing you what’s around you, how long it will take to get there, and now you can even use these maps if you don’t have data or only have one. slow connection.
