no internet? That’s fine, you can still use Google Maps on your phone
Two weeks ago, my friends and I got lost while returning to our cabin in Mariposa, near Yosemite National Park. a Big blizzard The Sierra Nevada mountain range has just been swept away, and many busy highways, streets, and smaller roads have been closed. We wanted to save time on our drive, so we decided to take a shortcut (bad decision) – and of course we quickly realized we were going in the wrong direction. On top of that, neither of us had service, so we couldn’t even use Google Maps to find our way back.
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In the end, after hours of trying different routes, we managed to get to our cabin, but we could have avoided all of these problems by simply downloading offline Google Maps (and also by not using this “shortcut”). Even without Internet service, Google Maps can still help you navigate where you need to go – you just need to download the right map.
If you’re planning a trip somewhere where internet might not be available, you should download an offline map (or several) on Google Maps. Here’s what you need to know.
Want to check out other Google Maps tips and tricks? paying off How to blur your house on google maps And Three new Google Maps Features you definitely want to know.
How to download google maps offline
First, you don’t need to download the entire Google Maps. Instead, before your trip, you’ll want to download a specific area, which could be a city, county, or area where you’ll be spending time and may not have service on your phone.
To download a map in Google Maps offline, open the Google Maps app on iOS or Android and tap your profile picture in the top right (you must be signed into your Google account for this to work). In the list that appears, tap Offline Maps > Select your own map.
You can download multiple Google Maps areas offline.
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Use your fingers to place the map you want to download within the boundaries of the rectangle. Use one finger to move around the map and pinch to zoom in and out. As you move around the map, you’ll see how much storage the download will take up on your phone. Once you are happy with the area, click Download.
NB: Alternatively, you can type another city or area into Google Maps and press Download which appears in the offline map download dropdown, but this only works on iPhone.
You must be connected to Wi-Fi to download the map. If you want to download via cell phone, go to file Offline maps page, click the gear icon at the top right, and then click When to download offline maps and choose via Wi-Fi or mobile network. Once you download your map, you will be taken back to a file Offline maps page, where you can see all of your offline maps.
You can only download a map with a maximum size of 250MB (what will appear in the selected map is about a Mine size).
Nelson Aguilar/CNET
You will now be able to use Google Maps even when you are offline in the area you downloaded – and only in that area. You won’t get very accurate travel times or alternative route options because traffic and other road problems don’t count, but you will get a general idea of how long your trip should take. Public transit, cycling and walking directions are also not available offline – driving directions only.
You’ll know you’re using your offline map when you see a little cloud icon with a line across it in Google Maps.
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If you want more tips about Google in general, be sure to read on Google Home settings you need to change ASAP and this is A deep dive into Google’s Pixel 7 and what settings to customize.