Google Maps is the preferred navigation app on Earth – however most customers have by no means regarded below the hood to unlock the app’s hidden skills.
For instance, you’ll be able to share your location with pals, pinpoint the place you parked your automotive (and the way lengthy is left on the meter) and get an outstanding augmented actuality view the place you see instructions overlaid over digicam photographs.
You’ll be able to even see the place your kids are 24 hours a day within the Android app (with slightly assist from Google’s Household Hyperlink service).
Google Maps first launched in 2005 for desktop solely, and is now utilized by greater than a billion folks each month — it was downloaded 24.7 million instances in 2022 within the U.S., making it by far the preferred navigation app.
Listed below are among the coolest ideas and methods to get probably the most out of the appliance:
There are many cool hidden options in Google Maps
Flip your digicam into an augmented actuality map
For those who dwell in sure cities, together with Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco or London, you’ll be able to see an ‘augmented actuality’ view with map data overlaid over your digicam.
For those who’re misplaced, this makes it a lot simpler to work out which strategy to go.
To activate it, open Maps, then faucet the digicam icon: hey presto, you’ll see navigation overlaid over your digicam’s picture.
Share your location and ETA
For those who’re assembly somebody in a park or someplace unfamiliar, this trick is a godsend.
Merely faucet on the little blue icon on the map that exhibits your location, then choose ‘Share Your Location’.
You then get an choice to share it instantly with contacts, or share it to apps.
You’ll be able to share your location with pals (Image Rob Waugh)
You’ll be able to select to set a timer or go away the shared location on till you flip it off.
For those who’re navigating someplace, you can even share your ETA and the place you might be: simply faucet the bit on display displaying how lengthy till you arrive, after which choose ‘Share Journey Progress’.
Keep in mind the place you parked the automotive
It can save you the place you parked your automotive (and even save a reminder of how a lot time you might have left on the clock).
To do that, faucet the blue icon on the map that exhibits the place you might be, then choose ‘Save Parking’.
Faucet once more, and you’ll decide to avoid wasting your notes on the parking spot and the time left on the meter.
Hold monitor of your children 24/7
For those who use the Household Hyperlink app (you’ll want to put in it on each your baby’s cellphone and your individual and you will additionally each must have Google accounts), you’ll be able to see the place your kids are on Google Maps (they seem as a gray dot).
It really works in each Android and iPhones.
To activate it, open the Household Hyperlink app, faucet Location and ‘Arrange location.’
Open the Household Hyperlink app. Faucet Location. On the prime proper, faucet Extra Extra after which Location settings.
Choose the choice See your baby’s location and swap on. Your baby will now seem as a gray dot in Google Maps.
Make a journey down reminiscence lane!
If you need an actual report of the place you’ve been, you’ll be able to go to Google Maps timeline – it may be helpful (for instance) if you wish to know precisely if you acquired someplace.
It’s additionally a helpful strategy to preserve monitor of how lengthy you’ve jogged, or what number of miles you might have pushed.
This characteristic solely works should you’ve enabled Timeline (and should you’re anxious about privateness, you’ll be able to disable it at any time).
To see your timeline, choose your account icon on the prime proper and choose Your Timeline. You’ll then be capable to undergo day-to-day.
Save information whilst you’re overseas or off-grid
It can save you information by downloading maps (Image Rob Waugh)
If you already know you’re going someplace the place you’ll need to pay for information – or someplace the place cellphone protection is patchy – you’ll be able to pre-download the maps you want.
To do that, simply faucet your icon within the prime proper, then select ‘Choose Your Personal Map.
You’ll be able to then drag or zoom to regulate the world you wish to obtain.
Add additional locations to your journey
You’ll be able to add stops if you begin up Google Maps navigation (Image Rob Waugh)
For those who’re on a automotive journey, you’ll be able to add a number of locations from the get-go, reasonably than doing a collection of smaller journeys.
In Google Maps, faucet the three-dot menu within the prime proper nook after you’ve entered your place to begin and ending level in navigation.
This affords the choice to ‘add a cease’.
Navigate inside buildings
Many massive buildings corresponding to airports and buying malls allow you to navigate inside them: simply faucet on the placement, then scroll to Listing.
You may also get augmented actuality views in lots of U.S. malls together with in Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose.
