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The Android-only app also offers full offline access for those with spotty mobile Internet. Today’s news comes a month after Google launched its first dedicated public transport app, though it is only available in New Delhi, India. In addition to navigation, offline mode also retains key information about locations, such as opening hours and contact details for businesses, which will be helpful for tourists or business travelers. It’s worth noting here that this will require space on your device. Now, you can download regions on Google Maps over Wi-Fi, and use the app wherever your roam. While Google Maps has emerged as the default navigation map for many, its shortcomings with offline access had forced users to turn to a second service when traveling abroad or when in rural areas where 3G/4G was limited. Then when you have a connection, you’ll be switched back online again (unless you manually go offline) so you can receive live traffic alerts. With that out of the way, let's look at how to download Google Maps for offline use.A neat feature of the new Google Maps offline mode is that it will automatically detect if you have poor or no connectivity, and switch to offline mode of its own accord. If your internal storage is full, but your phone has a vacant microSD card slot, you can change the storage location and download maps on the microSD card.
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The bigger the map, the more space you will need. However, you won't have access to Google Maps features like Street View, traffic updates, public transport navigation, bicycle routes, or Google's Busy Areas feature.Īdditionally, you need free storage space on your device to download the maps. On the home screen bring up the menu at the bottom of the screen, and you will see the section titled Offline Maps. Most importantly, you will have access to navigation features when using offline maps. Before you begin, there are a few things to know. Whether you're on Android, iOS, or Chromebook, you can download Google Maps through the app to make sure you don't get lost when navigating through the boonies where the signal is sparse. Here's a quick rundown of how to download and use a map in Google Maps.
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It's also a good idea to download Google Maps offline in case you find yourself in an area with little or no coverage. If you're a frequent traveler, you'll want a good Android phone with global band support.
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