Tag Archives: Google Maps for Mobile

Save data and storage with new offline features on Google Maps


Along with snacks, good tunes and cries of “are we there yet?” spotty connectivity is often a feature on road trips. From today, it will be easier to prepare for those long stretches of wifi-free road while still saving on device storage and data, with the launch of  SD card support and “Wi-Fi only” mode for Google Maps on Android.


Now, in addition to saving an area of the maps for offline use later, if you have a device that supports SD cards, you can opt to save your downloaded maps to an external SD card (if your device supports them) and free up storage space for important stuff like your holiday snaps or road trip playlists. Now you’ll never have to choose between snapping more food photos or the ability to navigate offline.


You can also choose to save on mobile data by taking Google Maps completely offline. Once you’ve switched to  “Wi-fi only”, the Google Maps app will work completely offline — no Wi-Fi needed! You will still be able to use other apps and the rest of your phone as you normally would. And you might even save on battery life too. If you need to see what the traffic is like or update your offline maps, you can easily switch back to online mode by changing your setting or finding the nearest Wi-Fi.
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Posted by Sanket Gupta, Product Manager

A look back at Google Maps in 2015

2016 is just around the corner. Before we pop champagne and ring in the New Year, let’s take a look back at the enhancements we’ve made to Google Maps over the past year. From using Google Maps offline to discovering new places with Explore, we’re proud to not only get you from point A to point B quickly and easily, but to also help you explore the world around you with confidence.

Below is a list of the new features you might’ve missed, along with a handy chart showing you where you’ll find them. If you got a new phone this holiday season, now’s the time to give the Google Maps app a go.

2015 Google Maps New Features
  1. 2015 is ticking away, but you can take a look back at the places you’ve traveled with Your Timeline.
  2. Always know when your favorite stores are open with up-to-date holiday hours and alerts.
  3. Whether you’re in a parking garage with no signal or traveling in country with expensive data, search for places, get directions, and turn-by-turn navigation–all offline.
  4. Always stay on the fastest route and beat bumper-to-bumper traffic with real-time traffic updates and dynamic re-routing.
  5. Never run low on fuel with up-to-date gas prices in search results and on the map.
  6. Make quick pit stops without long detours–search for places along your route without leaving navigation mode.
  7. Find the best local spots to eat and drink with curated recommendations.
  8. Get all your travel options and compare ETAs across driving, walking, biking and transit–all on one screen.
  9. Get the scoop on when the lines are shortest and shops least crowded by checking businesses’ most popular times–by day, by hour.
  10. Get the lay of the land before you arrive by using Street View thumbnail.
  11. Never miss a bus or train with real-time transit information (schedules, fares, updates) in more than 18,000 cities across 64 countries.
  12. Get directions, turn-by-turn navigation and real-time traffic updates from your wrist with the Google Maps app on Android Wear and Apple Watch.
To see these new features in action, take a look back at our Maps Minutes Holiday Hacks series.

2015 New Features by iOS and Android Availability


Join us in a virtual toast to a New Year of helping you explore and navigate your far away travels as well as your everyday life.


Posted by the Google Maps team





Source: Google LatLong


Maps Minutes Hack #8: Set your home and work addresses for easy navigation

Part of our series on how to save time this holiday season with Google Maps.

It’s crunch time. There are holiday parties to attend and last-minute gifts to be bought and wrapped. When the holidays are only days away even the small things can make a difference. So here’s another helpful trick for how you can save a few extra minutes every time you use Google Maps for directions or navigation.

You can save your home and work addresses in Google Maps, and then select “home” or “work” rather than typing the locations every single time. Just go to “your places” on the side menu and you’ll see “home” and “work” under “labeled places”. Enter the address for each and next time you’re navigating to or from home or work, you can get your directions a little quicker and easier than before.



Every minute matters. Save more every day with Maps Minutes Hacks. Next up: how to get home fast and safe on New Year’s Eve.

Posted by Olga Suvorova, Product Marketing Manager, Google Maps

Source: Google LatLong


Maps Minutes Hack #7: No signal, no problem. Navigate your holiday travels with Google Maps offline

Part of our series on how to save time this holiday season with Google Maps.

This time of year, millions take a road trip home for the holidays or adventure to faraway places all over the world. Whether you’re traveling abroad or rediscovering your own hometown, it helps to be able to navigate quickly and easily, even with limited mobile data or a spotty internet connection.

Google Maps offline, now available on iOS and Android, can help you get the most out of your holiday travels. You can browse pre-downloaded map areas, search for places, get directions and turn-by-turn navigation–all offline. Because exploring the world shouldn’t require a data connection or excessive roaming charges.

To navigate offline, simply open the Google Maps app and save any area on the map while you have a connection. Search for a place like San Francisco or Mexico City, open the place card and tap the download button. You can adjust the size of the map area you want to download and name it. Once downloaded, that area will be automatically added to your Offline areas in the side menu.



Once you’ve saved a map area, you can search for places and get directions offline. Looking for that famous art gallery or a neighborhood watering hole? You can check out addresses, opening hours, phone numbers and even navigate there–all without internet access.

To explore and navigate the world offline, install the Google Maps app on your iPhone before your holiday journey, or open it on Android along the way.

Get the most of your holiday time with Maps Minutes Hacks. Next up: how to get around faster and safer.

Posted by Dai Pham, Head of Geo and Google Maps Marketing

Source: Google LatLong


Find your way. Even when the internet can’t find you. Google Maps is now available offline in India

You just landed at Delhi airport and need to get to your next appointment fast, but you don’t know where you’re going, your connection is spotty, and the directions are taking way too long to load. Gah!   
Travelling doesn’t need to be this stressful. From today, Google Maps can help you find directions and get where you’re going, even when you don’t have an Internet connection with the launch of new offline functions in Google Maps.

You can now download the map of an area to your phone, and the next time you find there’s no connectivity—whether you’re on a holiday in Goa or looking up for your next destination from an underground parking —Google Maps will continue to work. Once you have saved that area for offline access, you can get turn-by-turn driving directions, search for specific destinations, and find useful information about places, even when you don’t have an internet connection.

Before you head off, download maps of Delhi in Google Maps by searching for “Delhi”, and then tapping "Download". You can also go to "Offline Areas" in the Google Maps menu and tap the “+” button. Once you’ve downloaded your map, Google Maps will still work even when you’re somewhere with spotty service or no connectivity at all. When a connection is found, it will switch back online so you can easily access the full version of Maps, including live traffic conditions for your current route. Google Maps will only download areas to your device when you are on a Wi-Fi connection.


We first previewed these new capabilities during Google I/O in May, and starting rolling out these features globally last week. Today we’re gradually rolling out the first set of these improvements with the latest version of Google Maps on Android (coming soon to iOS) in India. Over time, we’ll be introducing even more offline features to help you find your way—even when you can’t find a connection.

Posted by Sanket Gupta, Program Manager, Google Maps