Google Maps requires an active internet connection in order to work. This applies to turn-by-turn directions or when you need to look up directions to a particular place. If you know where you’re going, and you suspect that you won’t have an internet connection, you can save a map offline.
View maps offline – Google Maps
Google Maps offers offline maps. These maps are for a particular area of your choosing and you have to download them in advance i.e., before you need to use them. Offline maps are available on both iOS and Android. They are not available on the desktop.
Save maps offline – Google Maps
The first step to viewing a map offline is to save it. Remember, you must have an internet connection in order to do this.
- Open Google Maps on your phone.
- Tap your profile picture and select Offline Maps from the menu.
- Tap Select your own map.
- Position the area of the map you want to download.
- Give the map a name so that you know where it’s for.
- The map will download when you’re connected to a WiFi network.
View maps offline – Google Maps
Once a map has been downloaded, it can be viewed offline.
- Open Google Maps on your phone.
- Tap your profile picture and select Offline Maps from the menu.
- You will see a list of the maps you’ve saved offline.
- Select the map you want to use.
- Zoom in if you need to.
Map expiry and updates
The maps are not stored indefinitely however, they’re stored for a reasonably long time: one year. They will be deleted automatically after a year. If you use/open an offline map, its expiry is extended. The maps will update in the background when you’re connected to a WiFi network however, the update may not complete or it may require that Google Maps is open while the update is in progress.
To manually update an offline map, select it in the offline maps list and tap the Update button.
Conclusion
Offline maps save with street level details. You do not need to zoom in when you’re saving the map in order to get street names. The offline map won’t be able to give you turn-by-turn directions and you will need to read it yourself to figure out where to go. When you save a map, make it precise. You won’t benefit from saving extra area around a map and zooming will limit the data that you save.
