Download areas and navigate offline

If you're going somewhere where the Internet is slow, mobile data is expensive or you can't get online, you can save an area from Google Maps to your phone or tablet and use it when you're offline.

Note: Download of offline maps isn't available in some regions because of contractual limitations, language support, address formats or other reasons.

Step 1: Download a map to use offline

Tip: You can save maps on your device or a SD card. If you change the way that you save maps, you'll have to download the map again.

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
Make sure that you're connected to the Internet and signed in to Google Maps.
Search for a place, like Southampton.
At the bottom, tap the name or address of the place tap More Download offline map. If you searched for a place like a restaurant, tap More Download offline map Download.

Save offline maps on an SD card

Offline maps are downloaded on your device's internal storage by default but you can download them on an SD card instead. If your device is on Android 6.0 or higher, you can only save an area to an SD card that's set up for portable storage. To learn how to set up your SD card, get help from your phone's manufacturer.

On your Android phone or tablet, insert an SD card.
Open the Google Maps app .
Tap your profile picture or initial Offline maps.
In the top right, tap Settings .
Under 'Storage preferences', tap Device SD card.

Step 2 (optional): Save battery and mobile data

You can set up offline maps and still use other apps with mobile data.

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
Tap your profile picture or initial Settings turn on Wi-Fi only.

Select your own map

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
Tap your profile picture or initial Offline maps.
Tap Select your own map.
Adjust the map according to the area that you want to download
Tap Download.

Use offline maps

After you've downloaded an area, use the Google Maps app just as you normally would. If your Internet connection is slow or absent, your offline maps will guide you to your destination as long as the entire route is within the offline map.

Tip: Public transport, bicycling or walking directions are unavailable offline. In your offline driving directions, you can’t get traffic info or alternative routes.

Manage offline maps

Find a list of your offline maps

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
Tap your profile picture or initial Offline maps.

You can select your own map to download or view maps that you've already downloaded.

Delete offline maps

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
Tap your profile picture or initial Offline maps.
Tap the Map that you want to delete.
Tap Delete.

Rename areas that you've downloaded for offline use

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
Tap your profile picture or initial Offline maps.
Select a Map.
At the top right, tap Edit .
Update the Map name and tap Save.

Update offline maps

Offline maps that you downloaded on your phone or tablet must be updated before they expire. When your offline maps expire in 15 days or less, Google Maps tries to update the area automatically when you're connected to Wi-Fi.

If your offline maps aren’t automatically updated, you can update them by following the steps below.

From the notification

In the 'Update offline maps' notification, tap Update now.
Tap the expired or expiring area on the list.
Tap Update.

From anywhere else

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
Tap your profile picture or initial Offline maps.
On the list, tap the expired or expiring area.
Tap Update.

Turn on automatic updates

On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
Tap your profile picture or initial Offline maps.
In the top right, tap Settings .
Turn on Auto-update offline maps.

Find maps based on your upcoming trips

You can also download offline maps based on places that you're going to in the future. These trips can come from Gmail, Google Travel and other places. You can find offline maps to download under 'Recommended maps'.

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