Google Maps is one of the most reliable and most used navigation services available, however, everything has its faults. One of the most significant issues is the service works best when you have a solid data connection, something which is not a guarantee always. You can use Google Maps offline, however, this great feature is useless without proactive measures.
You will have to download the area of interest before you can take advantage of Google Maps offline mode. You have to download the map area before you leave the comfort of the internet.
Fortunately, the Google Maps offline area you can download is huge; you have the ability to cache all of San Diego, Tijuana, as well as the LA area with a single download. Downloading the offline maps will consume a lot of data, so be ready to sacrifice plenty of storage space. They can take nearly 1.5 GB, depending on the area. If your device has microSD card support, you can then transfer data to your SD card. To do so, visit Menu > Offline Areas > Settings > Storage Preferences, then switch from Device to SD card
It is also important to note these offline maps generally expire after about 15 days unless you re-connect to a data connection. As the world changes pretty much daily, maps are dynamic, thus requiring updating. For example, Businesses might close, others open, streets are built, others may be changed, etc. Google requires you to have an updated version of your maps even when offline. Thus, the time limit.
If you want to keep your maps offline indefinitely, visit the Google Maps offline settings, then activate automatic updates. This will ensure your offline maps are updated as needed. You can also set them to only be updated when using Wi-Fi, ensuring your mobile’s gigabytes.
When offline, the application will not have everything Google Maps has in its online counterpart. There won’t be information such as bike routes, walking directions, traffic details, lane guidance, etc. that make Google Maps stand out. Almost everything would be working as expected. You can search for addresses, find businesses, you can also quickly navigate to them.
How can you store offline maps in Google Maps?
- Open the Google Maps app from your home screen.
- Tap on your profile picture, this can be found in the top-right.
- Tap on Offline maps.
- Google offers recommendations, if your desired area is not recommended, tap on Select your map.
- You can pinch-to-zoom in and out, to make the download area larger or smaller. Select the area you have to download.
- After you make your selection, tap the Download button in the lower-right.
OR
- From your Home screen, tap on Apps.
- Tap on Maps.
- Tap on the Search bar, then enter your desired destination.
- Tap on destination found at the bottom.
- Tap on the Menu icon (three dots).
- Tap on Save offline map.
- Tap on Save.
- If wanted, type in a name for the map, then tap on Save.
You have the ability to navigate as well as find directions without requiring a data connection after the download. A point to remember, not every feature will be there, as mentioned before.
Do I have any Alternatives?
Maybe you are taking a quick trip and don’t need the entire area saved? There is a temporary way to utilize Google Maps offline. First, start navigating when you have an active data connection. Maps will automatically download the info required to reach your destination, then it will stay active despite you going offline in the process. This process is entirely independent of the maps you download. After you configure the route, Maps will hold the data until you reach your destination. OR. Till you turn off Maps.
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