Your car does not have a sat nav installed as standard and, at least for the moment, the idea of buying such a device does not appeal to you. So you were thinking of relying on Google Maps to use your smartphone as a navigator. Unfortunately, however, not having a particular familiarity with technological means, at the moment you are not able to take full advantage of this service. Well, I don’t see where the problem is: I’m here to give you a hand!
If you dedicate a few minutes of your free time to me, I can explain to you how to use Google Maps as a navigator and thus obtain directions regardless of the means of transport you use. Whether you want to plan a route to tackle by car or receive directions to reach a place on foot, the famous “Big G” app is just what you need: the latter, in fact, allows you to easily set a point of departure and arrival and indicates the fastest route to reach it, estimating travel times based on factors such as traffic and the presence of tolls.
In addition, with Google Maps you can download maps to your device and get directions even in offline mode. That’s exactly what you were looking for, right? Perfect, in this case I advise you to continue reading the next paragraphs carefully and put into practice the advice I am about to give you. Good continuation!
Index
- How to download Google Maps
- How to start browsing
- How to get spoken directions
- How to use Google Maps offline
How to download Google Maps
In order to use Google Maps as a navigator , you need to download and install the official application of the service on your Android or iOS / iPadOS device . If you are using an Android smartphone (or tablet) , you should find the Google Maps app already installed “as standard” , otherwise you can download it according to the usual procedure provided by your device. More info here .
Also know that you can use Google Maps even without a Google account, but to access all its features, such as the ability to download maps , you need to log in . If you don’t have an account yet, then, read my guide on how to create Google accounts .
How to start browsing
After you have downloaded Google Maps on your device, you can use it to view maps, get directions to refreshment points in your vicinity or a specific place, search for services and places, check traffic data and much more; for these occurrences, I invite you to read my guide on how Google Maps works . If, on the other hand, you are specifically interested in learning how to use Google Maps as a navigator and thus obtain the necessary driving directions to reach your destination, below I explain in detail how to proceed.
First, start the Google Maps app on the Home Screen of your device (the icon of a colored marker on a white background ), then press the button with the symbol of an arrow on a blue background located at the bottom right of the map.
Once this is done, define your starting point by choosing one of the following options, based on your specific travel needs.
- Your location– this is the standard starting point that is set automatically if you have allowed Google Maps to access your location. To reach your destination, therefore, you will get directions starting from the address where you are.
- Choose starting point– if your intention is to get directions from a different place than your position, click on the item Your position , type (or say) the address or the name of the place from which you want to start in the aforementioned field and press one of the proposed results or the magnifying glass symbol located at the bottom right.
- Choose on map– you can set a destination by choosing it directly from the map. Search for the exact point you are interested in, place the red Google Maps placeholder on it and tap on the OK item to confirm.
Next, identify your destination by typing its address or its name in the field below (you can also do it through voice commands , by pressing the microphone icon present there). If necessary, select the correct result from the list that is shown to you.
Now, also define the means of transport by pressing on one of the icons present just below: the car if you want to get directions for traveling by car; the train if you want information on how to move by public transport; the little man if you intend to make the journey on foot; the bicycle if you plan to travel by bicycle. Depending on the type of route, the application could also propose alternative solutions, such as the use of private transport services , also showing you an estimate of the relative cost.
Google Maps automatically provides the fastest route to reach the destination (showing the estimated travel times) and, if available, proposes alternative routes in gray on the map, which can be easily set with a tap on the element itself.
If you want to avoid paying tolls , taking ships and traveling on the highway , or want to try to save on fuel , you can set up some filters to get a customized route. To do this, press the icon of the three vertical dots present at the top right next to the starting point, then tap on the Route options item and enter the check mark in the boxes relating to the items of your interest, choosing from Avoid motorways , Avoid tolls , Avoid ferries and Choose less fuel-efficient routes(the latter also allows you to select the type of engine of your vehicle).
The contextual menu displayed by pressing the aforementioned button with the three horizontal dots also allows access to other interesting functions. Among these, I would like to point out the option Set departure and arrival time , useful for obtaining an estimate of travel times at different times and days.
If, on the other hand, before reaching your final destination you need to make some intermediate stops , press the Add stage item , then search for the place in question using the new field (as shown above) and use the symbol of the two horizontal lines placed on the right to move the item to the position you consider most suitable for the itinerary you need to follow. At the end press the word End to save the route.
Once you have set up your route and completed the customization of the itinerary, you are ready to set off. Then press the Start button to activate the navigation and you will get the driving directions you need. Obviously, as you can easily imagine, if you have chosen a different starting point or selected a different time from the current one, you will only be able to access the preview of the route by pressing the button of the same name.
Once the navigator has been started, at the top of the screen you can see the street you are traveling on, while a little further below you will see the following directions. At the bottom, however, the estimated travel time , the arrival time and the missing kilometers to reach the destination are shown.
While browsing, you can press the magnifying glass icon if you need, for example, Petrol Stations , Restaurants , Grocery Stores , Bars or if you want to perform a new search. By pressing the volume icon instead, it is possible to deactivate / activate the voice prompts or set the Alerts only mode , while by tapping the button with the cartoon symbol you will be able to add a report ( Accident , Slowdown , Work in progress , etc.) useful for other users.
I also point out that in the Auto mode it is possible to integrate listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts through apps such as Spotify , YouTube Music and Audible : just press the symbol of the four squares at the bottom right and select the desired resource from the following menu .
The navigation can be stopped at any time by pressing the [X] symbol at the bottom left and confirming the intention with a tap on the word Exit navigation in the notification that appears.
How to get spoken directions
As mentioned above, while browsing with Google Maps you can get voice directions , especially useful if you are driving. If you have started navigation but cannot hear the voice assistant, it is most likely because you have to activate the relative function which, as I showed you in the previous chapter , is accessible by pressing the speaker symbol located at the top right of the navigation.
If, however, you also want to manage other navigation preferences related to audio , start Google Maps, press on the image of your profile located at the top right and tap on the Settings item , then press the Navigation Settings option in the context menu that is shown to you.
Now, in the Sound and voice section , tap on one of the options available between Audio disabled , Alerts only and Audio reactivated , while under the heading Volume indications set the audio volume by choosing between the options Low , Normal and High .
Furthermore, here you will have the possibility, using the appropriate selectors below, to activate voice playback via Bluetooth and during phone calls , enable the playback of warning audio signals , set some specific functions of the Voice Assistant in Auto mode and define the services . default audio streaming for use while traveling.
How to use Google Maps offline
Among the most interesting features of Google Maps it is certainly worth mentioning the possibility of obtaining driving directions even when an Internet connection is not available. In order to use Google Maps offline , however, you must first download the map of the area of your interest on your device.
Before traveling, therefore, make sure you have an Internet connection available and start the Google Maps app, then search for the place you need the map as illustrated in a previous chapter . Once this is done, scroll up the panel with the search result located at the bottom to view the relevant information sheet, then press the symbol of the three vertical dots located at the top right and touch the item Download offline map .
Next, use two fingers to expand or narrow the radius of the area you need, check the space needed for its download in the notification below, then press the Download button and wait for the operation to be completed in the background. You can consult , update or delete offline maps by accessing the homonymous section from the context menu that opens with a tap on your profile picture : just touch the symbol of the three vertical dots next to it and use the appropriate options therein.
If you want to manage the map download preferences , press once again the image of your profile and select, this time, the Settings item , then press the Offline map settings function and choose whether to enable the automatic update of offline maps and the download automatic of the recommended maps by acting on the respective buttons. The function below, on the other hand, will allow you to choose whether to download only in Wi-Fi or even via mobile network .
If any steps are not clear to you, you can learn more by reading my guide on how to use Google Maps offline . If, on the other hand, you are looking for alternative solutions to download Google maps , I suggest you consult the tutorial just linked.
