The Google Maps app on iOS now allows you to save maps of places so you can view them offline. We show you how it works.
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Using Google Maps Offline Maps
A month after the Android version of Google Maps was able to save maps offline, this is now also possible on iOS. At least, Google is rolling out to users, so if you don’t see the feature yet, please be patient. In any case, make sure that you have the latest version of Google Maps on your iOS device by diving into the App Store.
Google goes further than usual with offline maps. Not only can users simply view the environment, they are also given the opportunity to use the navigation, for example. In addition, Google Maps also provides information about local businesses, such as restaurants, even if you are not connected to the internet. You can then see opening times, as well as contact information and reviews.
That is how it works
To use the offline maps of Google Maps, you can go through the following steps:
- Open the Google Maps app, enter a place name at the top of the search bar and tap ‘Search’;
- The location will immediately appear, tap the city name at the bottom;
- You will now be presented with more information including ‘Save’, ‘Share’ and ‘Download’, choose the latter;
- Choose to download the offline area and the map will be downloaded.
Because of all the extra features, the cards are quite hefty (up to a few hundred MB), but they only stay on your device for a month. Before you download a map, you can already see how much space it will take up. After the one month period, the area will expire and will be automatically deleted. Handy, because you never have to worry about forgetting to remove a card, which means that you will be limited in your storage space.
→ Download Google Maps from the App Store (for free)