Map apps have so thoroughly transformed the way we travel that it’s hard to imagine getting around without the assistance of our smartphones. With more than a billion people worldwide using Google Maps every month, the mapping app has become, by far, the most popular, both in its desktop and mobile versions. But as simple as it may be, Google Maps packs plenty of hidden features you can play around with. If you have an Android phone, the app is most likely already installed on your device (check in the bundle of Google apps), but if you don’t have it, you can still download it for free from the Google Play Store. If you’ve got an iPhone, you can find it in the iTunes Store. You can guard against this by saving part of a map for offline use on Google Maps’ mobile app. To get started, tap your avatar in the top right of your screen and then Offline maps. You can choose from suggestions (like the area around your home address or places you’ve recently looked up), or you can tap Select your own map (Android) or Custom map (iOS) to specify a section of the map yourself. As you select your tiles, down at the bottom of the screen, you’ll see how much room the offline map will take up on your phone. That data storage is the only real downside to this feature, but you can delete any of your offline maps at any time. Keep in mind that even though you can use a cached map without a data connection, you will lose certain capabilities, such as live traffic updates. To set how often the app automatically updates and clears the cache, tap the settings icon (the cog symbol) on the offline maps screen. The app will show your suitable locations near your current route, together with their star rating and how long the detour will take. Pan around the map to see more suggestions. When you choose one, tap on it and then hit Add stop. Running some errands? You can add up to nine stop-offs on a single journey and rearrange them. To do this, exit navigation mode and tap the menu button (three dots, top right), and choose Edit stops. First, search for a place by typing an address, or just plant a pin somewhere on the map with a long press on the screen. Tap the bottom of the screen to bring up the place card, slide the button row all the way to the left, and choose Label to give your spot a name. All your places will be linked to your Google account, so they will show up across platforms as long as you’re logged in. If you’ve already labeled it, try searching for the name you gave the place in Google Chrome’s navigation bar. Having a list of places you frequently visit will also make it easier to use voice commands with Google Assistant. That way, you can say “Ok, Google, take me home,” or “Take me to the gym,” instead of saying the actual addresses for those places every time you want to go there. When you place a widget, you can choose an address and a mode of transportation, as well as other route options, such as avoiding toll roads. Set the destination as “Home” and you’re good to go. It makes sense to do this with places you go to frequently, such as your home or office, but you can do this with any place you want to have a tap away. When looking up directions on the web, click the Leave now button, then Depart at to tell Google Maps when you’re planning to start your trip. Set your time and date, and you’ll get a more realistic estimate of your traveling time. If you want to make your life even easier, you can choose an arrival time and Google Maps will tell you exactly when you’ll need to leave. Simply look for a place, then tap Depart at, and Arrive by on the first navigation screen. You’ll be able to set a specific time and date, and the app will adjust route recommendations according to traffic. It might seem obvious, but keep in mind Google Maps can’t actually predict the future—it’s just using a wealth of data to make an educated guess. If you run into an unexpected crash on the road, you’re out of luck. To find the feature, tap the blue dot that represents your location on the map, then choose Share your location. Pick the contacts you want to share your whereabouts with, and for how long—from as little as 15 minutes to one day, or until you disable the feature. To check who can see where you are, tap your avatar in the top right corner of your screen and then Location sharing.
