How to Download Directions From Google Maps Before You Lose Signal
Are you going out into nature? Perhaps this is a different country or region where the Internet connection may be unstable? Before you leave home, be sure to download Google Maps for offline use. If you have offline maps, you can use them to find your way along with turn-by-turn navigation, even if your GPS can’t connect to mobile data networks.
How to download offline maps before traveling
Google allows you to pre-load maps for any region from around the world, so you don’t have to limit yourself to places nearby. You can also download multiple maps and store them on your device for a year.
Open the Google Maps app and search for the city, area, or country you’ll be visiting. Then select your option to go to the details screen.
On Android, swipe up on the menu; on iOS, swipe to the end of the options. Here click the “Download” button. If you’re viewing the details screen in full screen mode, tap the three-dot menu button in the top right corner and select the Load offline map option.
You will see a preview of what you are about to download. You can squeeze or unclench to expand the area. When you’re happy, click the ” Download ” button. If you’re using mobile data, you may be asked to confirm the download depending on your phone and app settings.
How to download offline maps for current locations or areas
While you can download directions to anywhere and from anywhere, Google Maps has a separate feature for downloading offline maps for your current region. This is useful if you’re already in the area, having trouble finding a connection, and just found a place with Wi-Fi.
Open the Google Maps app and tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Go to the “Offline maps” section and select the “Select your card” option.
Select your region, then click the Download button. In a few seconds the map will be downloaded for offline use.
To manage your offline cards, go to Profile > Offline Cards and click the three-dot menu button next to the card you want to manage. From here you can update, rename or delete the card.
Configure your Google Maps offline settings before your trip.
Now that you’ve downloaded a couple of custom maps, you should tweak a couple of settings to make the game even better. From your profile picture menu, select Offline Maps . Here you will see a list of all cards. Click the three-dot menu button on any map to be able to update or rename it. I recommend renaming the downloaded maps so they are easy to recognize.
While you’re here, take a moment to turn on the automatic update feature for Maps, as it will keep your downloaded maps up to date in the background. Tap the gear icon in the top right corner of the Offline Maps page, then turn on Automatic Offline Map Updates . You can also turn on the Auto-download recommended maps option to have Google automatically download new maps for you.
Before you leave this page, use the download settings menu to switch downloading to Wi-Fi only mode , which can help you save on data costs (especially when traveling).