Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek | PrasitRodphan/Shutterstock
If you’re traveling somewhere with patchy mobile network coverage or want to cut your data costs, Google Maps can still guide you. You just need to plan ahead. Here’s how to download maps for offline use, what cached maps can do in a pinch, and what it’s like to use Google Maps without an internet connection.
Download Maps in Advance for Offline Use
The easiest way to use Google Maps without an internet connection is to download your maps in advance for offline use. You can do this on both Android and iPhone, it’s free, and there’s essentially no limit to how much you can download. It’s very convenient.
You should download your maps if you’re traveling somewhere off the beaten track, such as through rural areas wh…
Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek | PrasitRodphan/Shutterstock
If you’re traveling somewhere with patchy mobile network coverage or want to cut your data costs, Google Maps can still guide you. You just need to plan ahead. Here’s how to download maps for offline use, what cached maps can do in a pinch, and what it’s like to use Google Maps without an internet connection.
Download Maps in Advance for Offline Use
The easiest way to use Google Maps without an internet connection is to download your maps in advance for offline use. You can do this on both Android and iPhone, it’s free, and there’s essentially no limit to how much you can download. It’s very convenient.
You should download your maps if you’re traveling somewhere off the beaten track, such as through rural areas where coverage can be patchy. It’s also good when you’re going overseas and will have a limited data plan.
To download a map, tap your avatar in the top right corner of the Google Maps screen and select “Offline maps.”
You’ll see a section labeled “Recommended maps.” This automatically suggests maps for you based on your home or work addresses, regular places you visit, and upcoming travel information pulled from Gmail and other Google services. Tap the three-dot button to the right and select “Download” to grab them.
Alternatively, tap “Select your own map” to choose any other region. Locate the area you want to download, then pinch out to zoom in or pinch in to capture more space. A note at the bottom tells you how much storage your selection will take up.
Individual downloads are capped at 2GB or 120 square kilometers. However, you can save as many maps as you need. For particularly large areas of coverage, download several overlapping selections to avoid disruption.
Finally, hit “Download” to begin.
Once it’s done, your map will appear under “Downloaded maps” in the Offline Maps screen. The app will usually assign a relevant name to the download. If it doesn’t, hit the three-dot button and select “Rename” to give it a descriptive title. You can delete maps here, too, when you no longer need them.
Offline maps will refresh every 30 days when you’re connected to Wi-Fi, so they are always fully up-to-date.
Use Cached Maps
If you didn’t plan ahead or couldn’t download your maps in advance, there’s still a chance that Google Maps can help you even in an area where you don’t have a network connection.
The app stores—or caches—small areas of maps that you have recently viewed. If your connection drops while you’re driving or walking, you should be able to continue for a while before your maps disappear entirely.
It’s not a replacement for offline maps, though. Cached maps are temporary, and you have no control over what is saved or for how long you can access them. There are also limits on how you can use them. Search won’t be available, for instance, and you can’t change routes, get new directions, or access any of the app’s “live” features. But in an emergency, it can be crucial.
What It’s Like Using Google Maps Offline
Using Google Maps offline feels familiar, but it isn’t quite the full experience. It focuses on navigation, getting you from A to B. And while it does this well, you do miss out on many of the extras the app has to offer.
Offline maps are primarily designed for driving, so you don’t get walking or cycling directions, or schedules for public transport.
You also don’t get any of the features that rely on an internet connection. This means no live traffic information. There’s no re-routing to avoid jams, and the estimated travel time might be less accurate because it won’t be able to take into account any problems on the roads.
Searching is limited, so you can’t look up information about businesses. You can’t use Street View or things like satellite maps, and you can’t share your location with friends.
But other than that, it’s pretty smooth. Your little location dot on the map updates in real time because it uses GPS rather than data. You can still get turn-by-turn directions as if you were online, even in rural areas or foreign cities.
Best of all, you don’t have to choose between online and offline modes. The app will switch to offline maps whenever you don’t have an internet connection. The moment your connection returns, it will reconnect seamlessly.
Even though Google Maps needs an internet connection to use it to its fullest, the app works really well offline. It’s perfect if you’re driving through remote areas where network coverage can be patchy or when you’re traveling overseas.
You have to plan ahead to use it, though. The best approach is a hybrid one. Download the maps for the region you’re visiting so that your coverage is never interrupted, but then rely on your internet connection when it’s available to bring you the benefit of all the extras the app offers.