No internet? Download Google Maps for offline use

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How often do you rely on Google Maps to navigate an unfamiliar road? Have you ever needed directions while driving, but cannot get any reception?

In the US, you won’t always have good service or internet at all, especially in national parks or during long stretches of highway in remote areas. No internet means you can’t add a stop, such as a gas station or market, to your route. No internet means you can’t find a new route if you get lost. No internet means you can’t go anywhere other than your current destination. You’re locked into the route you’re going — and that’s it.

If you’re traveling in an area you don’t know very well and want to get there without a problem, internet is almost necessary for all the reasons I mentioned above.

that’s it, unless you have offline maps.

If you’re planning a trip or heading somewhere where the internet may not be strong or accessible, you need to know how to download a map of the area on Google Maps.

Here’s what you need to know.

Want to check out other Google Maps tips and tricks? Check it out how to blur your house in google maps and three Google Maps features you’ll definitely want to know about.

How to download Google Maps offline

First, you won’t download all of Google Maps in its entirety. Instead, before your trip, you’ll want to download a specific area, which could be a city, county, or region where you’ll be spending time and may not have service on your phone.

To download a Google Maps map offline, open the Google Maps app on iOS or Android and tap your profile picture in the top right (you must be signed in to your Google Account for this to work). In the menu that appears, tap Offline maps > Choose your own map.

Offline maps feature in Google Maps — You can download multiple Google Maps areas offline.

Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

Use your fingers to place the card you want to download within the border of the rectangle. Use one finger to move around the map and two-finger pinch to zoom in and out. As you move around the map, you’ll see how much storage space the download will take up on your phone. Once you’re happy with the area, tap Download.

Note: Alternatively, you can enter a city or other area in Google Maps and then press Download button that appears in the download window to download the map offline, but this only works on iPhone.

You must be connected to Wi-Fi to download the map. If you want to download over a cellular network, go to Offline maps page, tap the gear icon at the top right, tap When to download offline maps and select Via Wi-Fi or mobile network. Once your card has been downloaded, you will be sent back to Offline maps page where you can see all your offline maps.

Selecting the map you want to download offline in Google Maps — You can only download a map that is a maximum of 250 MB (what will appear on the selected map as roughly the size of Maine).

Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

Now you’ll be able to use Google Maps even when you’re offline in the area you’ve downloaded — and only in that area. You won’t get super-accurate travel times or alternate route options because traffic and other road issues aren’t accounted for, but you’ll get a general idea of how long your trip should take. Public transport, cycling and walking directions are also not available offline – only driving directions.