We can’t ignore the fact that Google Maps has changed the way we used to travel. It helps us to know our travelling time by calculating the congestion on our selected route. Whether we are travelling within a city or from one city to others, we are becoming habitual of using Google Maps on a daily basis. But most of us are unaware of the full extent of the services that Google Maps provide to us. Here, we have curated a list of the tasks Google Maps can do for us.
You can use Google Maps for the following Features:
1. Customise your route by avoiding tolls
With Google Maps, you can customise your route according to your need. While travelling, you may want to avoid tolls or highways. To avoid the highway tolls, follow these steps:
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Search for your destination or tap it on the map.
- In the bottom right, tap Directions.
- At the top, tap Driving.
- In the top right, tap on the 3 dots
- Go to Route options.
- Turn on Avoid tolls or Avoid highways.
2. Share your real-time location with others
With Google Maps, you can share your real-time location with your family and friends. However, Google Maps gives you the flexibility to stop sharing your location at any time.
Steps to share your location with others:
- Open Google Maps.
- In the top left, click on the three lines.
- Click on location sharing.
You can choose the time for how long you want to share your location with any particular person. After the selected time, the person will not be able to see you on the Maps.
3. Contribute to Google Maps and earn points
To earn the points on Google Maps, you need to Sign-up as a local guide. You will get points for contributing content to Google Maps. You can collect points to increase your level and get Local Guide benefits.
You can get points in nine ways:
- Review a place
- Rate a place
- Add photos to a place
- Answer questions about a place
- Edit a place’s information or Edit a road on the map
- Add a missing place
- Check facts about places nearby
- Respond to Q&As
- Tag a dish
4. Add a missing place
You can publicly add places, like a business or landmark, to the map. To add a missing place, name, location, and category of the place are required. Other attributes aren’t required but might help to speed up the review process. After adding a place, it may take some time to review the info before updates are made.
To add a missing place, follow these steps:
- Open Google Maps.
- Search for an address.
- Click Add a missing place.
5. Save the map and use it offline
If you’re going at a place where the Internet is slow, you can’t get online or mobile data is expensive, you can save an area from Google Maps to your phone or tablet and use it when you’re offline.
Steps to download a map:
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Search for a place, like Gurgaon.
- At the bottom, tap the name or address of the place.
- Tap Download.
- If you searched for a place like a restaurant, tap three dots on the top right corner> Download offline map> Download.
Note: Offline maps options aren’t available in some regions because of language support, contractual limitations, address formats, or other reasons.
6. Know your Travel History
You can view and manage your Location History information through Google Maps Timeline. In Timeline, you can edit some specific entries from your Location History, delete any information from ranges in time, delete any day or delete all of your Location History data. Your Timeline is always private, so only you can see it.
Steps to know your Google Maps history:
- Open Google Maps
- Tap on the three lines shown on the top left of the screen.
- Go to “Your Timeline”
- Choose a day, month and year.
- The travels for that day will be shown.
- You can add a place or delete the day by tapping the three dots on the top right corner.
Note: As of now, the Timeline is not currently available in South Korea. You can turn on or pause Location History from within your Activity Controls and can delete your Location History data here.
7. Save your parking locations
With Google Maps, you can save your parking location so that you can remember where you left your car.
Steps to save you’re parking location:
- Open Google Maps.
- Tap the blue dot that shows your location.
- Tap Save your parking.
In addition to saving your parking location, you can also move your parking location, add notes about it and share your location with others. Your parking location will be saved in Google Maps until you remove it. You can also activate the notifications for parking information, like where you parked and for how long.
8. Leave and reach any destination on time
With Google Maps, you can set a reminder to leave for your trip. Plan your next trip with Google Maps, so that you can leave and arrive on time.
Steps to set a timer:
- Open Google Maps.
- At the top, type a destination.
- In the bottom right, tap the blue circle. It’ll show a car, bus, bike, a person waving, or a person walking.
- Choose how to get there.
- On the top right, tap on the three dots.
- Tap “Set a reminder to leave”.
- Choose the option:
- When to leave: Tap Depart.
- When to arrive: Tap Arrive.
- Set a date and time.
- Tap “Set a Reminder”.
9. Save your favourite places
With Google Maps, you can save your favourite places so that you can find them later quickly.
Steps to save a place:
- Open Google Maps.
- Search or click for a business, place, or a set of latitude and longitude coordinates.
- Click Save.
You can see you’re saved places by following these steps:
- Open Google Maps.
- In the top left, click on the three lines (Menu).
- Go to your places
- Click on saved (To see the labelled places, click labelled).
10. Add multiple destinations
With Google Maps, you can add stops between your source and destinations. However, the directions to multiple destinations, or waypoints, aren’t available for public transit or rides.
Steps to add multiple destinations:
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Search for your destination or tap it on the map.
- In the bottom right, tap Directions.
- In the top right, tap the 3 dots.
- Tap Add stop.
- When you are finished, tap done.
