Google Maps for Android has a few tricks you can try out right from your phone.
Google highlighted a new feature called “Download Map Area” that’s super handy for anyone who wanted to use Google Maps when they’re offline.
Download map area
When you’re visiting an unfamiliar location, Google Maps for mobile is great for getting an idea of how close you are to your destination. But what if you don’t have a data signal, or you’re abroad and don’t have a data plan? We say that if you use Google Maps for mobile, you’ll never need to carry a paper map again.
The “Download map area” lab in Google Maps 5.7 for Android is a step in making that statement true even when you’re offline.
- To activate the feature, you’ll first have to visit the Labs section of the Maps application, which you can access using the Menu button.
- Enable the Download Map Area option, and from then on when you browse to a Place page and hit the ‘More’ button, you’ll see an option to locally store a map of the surrounding area.
To access Labs on your phone, press your phone’s menu button once in Google Maps, choose “More” and select Labs. On a tablet, click the menu button in the upper-right corner of Maps. The “Download map area” lab requires Android 2.1+ and the latest version of Google Maps.
For more details: visit Official Google Mobile Blog
