Where would we be without Google Maps?
Well, we’d probably be here, but it might have taken us a bit longer to find
it. Google’s mapping service is just ten years old, but it’s transformed the
way we travel - and with a few top tips, you can get even more from your maps.
Here are our favorite Google Maps tips and tricks.
Choose your transport
Google Maps has four different modes of transport, which you can access by tapping the icon at the bottom right of the screen. Its image depends on what’s currently selected: if it’s set to driving you’ll see an icon of a car, if it’s public transport you’ll see a train, if it’s walking you’ll see a person and if it’s cycling you’ll see a cyclist. Once you’ve tapped the icon you can change the mode by tapping the appropriate icon at the top of the screen.Avoid annoyances
In the same screen, tapping Options enables you to set additional criteria such as avoiding toll roads, your preferred kind of public transport and whether you’re okay with lots of different bus or train transfers.Check public transit schedules
Another favorite feature: if you’re travelling by public transit, Maps shows you arrival and departure times for the various forms of transport available.Plan ahead
If you’re going to be away from a data signal - or roaming in a country where accessing it costs a fortune - you can save your maps for offline use. When you search for a particular location, click on the appropriate search result and then click on the icon with three vertical dots. You’ll now see the option to Save Offline Map. The same trick can also help boost your battery by enabling you to turn off the cellular radio without disabling navigation.Share a location
Sharing a location works in the same way as saving an offline map, but instead of that option you tap Share instead. That brings up the Share screen, enabling you to share via Bluetooth, by email, to Google Drive…See it in Street View
Street View hasn’t disappeared in the Google Maps app: it’s just moved a bit. To see the Street View, search for a location, click on the appropriate search result and then scroll down. You should now see two images, with Street View on the left. Tap that to enter Street View, and double-tap to bring up the menu and get back out againUse gestures
You already know that you can zoom in and out of maps by pinching and zooming, but you can also do it with a single digit - which is handy if you’re holding onto a handlebar with your other hand or just can’t be bothered using both hands. Double-tap the screen but don’t lift off your finger or thumb after the second tap. Slide up to zoom out and slide down to zoom in.You can also tilt the map by sliding with two fingers - up for more tilt, down for less - and rotate the map by turning two fingers in a circular motion. In many urban areas the flat map will become a 3D model when you tilt it.
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