7 Hidden Google Maps Features You Should Start Using Today
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Google Maps offers a range of features beyond basic navigation, including offline maps , translation, parking assistance, multiple stops, Google Earth integration, food ordering, and toll avoidance, designed to enhance user experience and convenience. Many users are unaware of the full potential of this widely used app. These features can assist users in various situations, from navigating without internet to ordering food directly from the app.
Google Maps allows users to download maps for offline use. This feature is useful when users are in areas without internet access. To download a map, search for a location, scroll to the end of the navigation bar, click on “More” (three horizontal dots), and then click on “Download offline map”. Users can access downloaded maps by tapping on their avatar (top right) and opening “Offline maps”.
The " Translate " feature in Google Maps helps users understand names and addresses in different languages. To access this feature, open the desired location in Maps. Next to the name and/or address, a speaker icon will appear. Tapping the icon translates the address and provides the option to listen to it in both the local dialect and the user's preferred language.
Google Maps includes a feature to save parking spots. This helps users remember where they parked their vehicle, especially in large parking areas. Once parked, tap on the user's location (blue dot on the map). Then, click on the “P” icon labeled “Save Parking” on the navigation bar. This saves the location for easy access. Users can swipe up to share the location, add a note, and set an alarm if the parking has a time limit. To return to the vehicle, tap on the parking location and select “Directions”.
The "Add stop" feature allows users to plan routes with multiple destinations. This is useful when dropping off friends or running errands at several locations. To use this feature, input one route from one location to another. Then, tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner and choose the “Edit stops” option. This allows users to add stops one-by-one and reorder them by pressing and holding the two horizontal lines next to the location and dragging and dropping the options.
Google Maps integrates with Google Earth . This allows users to see a location, its surroundings, and nearby areas. After looking up a location, a small photo-like icon with a circular arrow will be visible. Tapping this icon displays the Google Earth scan of the location. Users can scroll around by swiping and move along the road by tapping the arrows.
Users can order food directly from Google Maps. After finding a place to eat, users can order from external apps or websites through Maps. To access this, look up the place on Google Maps and open the menu by scrolling up on the horizontal line. There will be an option called “Place an order”. Tapping on that will give delivery options, and then users can choose their preferred option. Note: This option does not appear for every restaurant.
Google Maps offers an option to avoid tolls. This feature helps users find toll-free routes. After entering a route, tap the three dots and then the “Options” button. From there, users can turn the “Avoid tolls” button on, avoiding any tolls from the route. While this can give longer, more time-consuming routes, it also removes, or minimises, tolls.
“Offline maps. This feature can make an important map easily accessible, at all times.”
“To download a location, first search it on Maps. Scroll to the end of the navigation bar, click on “More” with three horizontal dots, and click on “Download offline map”."
“To access these downloaded maps, you can tap on your avatar (top right), and open “Offline maps”."
“Translate locations When travelling to new places, understanding names and addresses of various locations is often challenging due to the language barrier. Google Maps solves this with its “Translate” feature.”
“To access this, open the place you’re looking to translate in maps. Then, next to its name and/or address, a speaker icon will appear. Tapping it will translate an address instantly, and give the option to listen to it in both the local dialect, and your preferred language.”
“Save parking Remembering where you have parked your vehicle is tricky, especially in multi-level or large parking areas. To help you get back to your vehicle, Google Maps has a feature to “save” your parking spot.”
“Once you are parked, tap on your location, which usually appears as a blue dot on the map. Then, click on the “P” icon called “Save Parking” on the navigation bar. This saves the location to your maps for easy access. After setting it, you can swipe up, where you can share the location, add a note, and even set an alarm in case the parking has a time-limit. When you want to get back to the vehicle, tap on the parking location and tap the “Directions” option, and Maps will provide you with the directions back to your vehicle.”
“Add stops Imagine you’re heading out with friends and are responsible for dropping each of them home. You want to figure the order you want to drop them. Manually entering each of their locations and comparing will be a lengthy process. To get around this, you can use the “Add stop” feature.”
“In this feature, you can enter every location in the same route, and reorder them as per your preference. To use it, first input one route from one location to another. Then, in the top right, tap the three vertical dots and choose the “Edit stops” option. This will allow you to add stops one-by-one, and access them as part of the same route. To reorder them, press and hold the two horizontal lines next to the location, and drag and drop the options.”
“Google Earth Google Maps has a Google Earth link of the location as part of the interface itself. This can show you the location, its surroundings, and lets you see things within its vicinity as well. After looking up the location, a small photo-like icon will be visible above it, with a circular arrow as well. By tapping this icon, the Google Earth scan of the location will show up. On this, you can scroll around by swiping, and even see along the road by tapping the arrows to move.”
“Order food Hunger can often get the better of you, and after finding a place to eat on Google Maps, you’re ready to order. Rather than finding it on delivery apps, Google Maps allows you to order on external apps or websites straight from Maps itself. To access this, first look up the place on Google Maps. Then, open the menu by scrolling up on the horizontal line. There, there will be an option called “Place an order”. Tapping on that will give delivery options, and then you can choose your preferred option. Note: This option does not appear for every restaurant”
“Avoid tolls Some routes can be extremely toll-heavy. There are always alternate routes, and Maps has the option to find a toll-free route for you, if possible. While this can give longer, more time-consuming routes, it also removes, or minimises, tolls. After entering a route into Google Maps, tap the three dots, and then the “Options” button. From there, you can put the “Avoid tolls” button off, avoiding any tolls from the route.”
Google Maps allows users to download maps for offline use. This feature is useful when users are in areas without internet access. To download a map, search for a location, scroll to the end of the navigation bar, click on “More” (three horizontal dots), and then click on “Download offline map”. Users can access downloaded maps by tapping on their avatar (top right) and opening “Offline maps”.
The " Translate " feature in Google Maps helps users understand names and addresses in different languages. To access this feature, open the desired location in Maps. Next to the name and/or address, a speaker icon will appear. Tapping the icon translates the address and provides the option to listen to it in both the local dialect and the user's preferred language.
Google Maps includes a feature to save parking spots. This helps users remember where they parked their vehicle, especially in large parking areas. Once parked, tap on the user's location (blue dot on the map). Then, click on the “P” icon labeled “Save Parking” on the navigation bar. This saves the location for easy access. Users can swipe up to share the location, add a note, and set an alarm if the parking has a time limit. To return to the vehicle, tap on the parking location and select “Directions”.
The "Add stop" feature allows users to plan routes with multiple destinations. This is useful when dropping off friends or running errands at several locations. To use this feature, input one route from one location to another. Then, tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner and choose the “Edit stops” option. This allows users to add stops one-by-one and reorder them by pressing and holding the two horizontal lines next to the location and dragging and dropping the options.
Google Maps integrates with Google Earth . This allows users to see a location, its surroundings, and nearby areas. After looking up a location, a small photo-like icon with a circular arrow will be visible. Tapping this icon displays the Google Earth scan of the location. Users can scroll around by swiping and move along the road by tapping the arrows.
Users can order food directly from Google Maps. After finding a place to eat, users can order from external apps or websites through Maps. To access this, look up the place on Google Maps and open the menu by scrolling up on the horizontal line. There will be an option called “Place an order”. Tapping on that will give delivery options, and then users can choose their preferred option. Note: This option does not appear for every restaurant.
Google Maps offers an option to avoid tolls. This feature helps users find toll-free routes. After entering a route, tap the three dots and then the “Options” button. From there, users can turn the “Avoid tolls” button on, avoiding any tolls from the route. While this can give longer, more time-consuming routes, it also removes, or minimises, tolls.
“Offline maps. This feature can make an important map easily accessible, at all times.”
“To download a location, first search it on Maps. Scroll to the end of the navigation bar, click on “More” with three horizontal dots, and click on “Download offline map”."
“To access these downloaded maps, you can tap on your avatar (top right), and open “Offline maps”."
“Translate locations When travelling to new places, understanding names and addresses of various locations is often challenging due to the language barrier. Google Maps solves this with its “Translate” feature.”
“To access this, open the place you’re looking to translate in maps. Then, next to its name and/or address, a speaker icon will appear. Tapping it will translate an address instantly, and give the option to listen to it in both the local dialect, and your preferred language.”
“Save parking Remembering where you have parked your vehicle is tricky, especially in multi-level or large parking areas. To help you get back to your vehicle, Google Maps has a feature to “save” your parking spot.”
“Once you are parked, tap on your location, which usually appears as a blue dot on the map. Then, click on the “P” icon called “Save Parking” on the navigation bar. This saves the location to your maps for easy access. After setting it, you can swipe up, where you can share the location, add a note, and even set an alarm in case the parking has a time-limit. When you want to get back to the vehicle, tap on the parking location and tap the “Directions” option, and Maps will provide you with the directions back to your vehicle.”
“Add stops Imagine you’re heading out with friends and are responsible for dropping each of them home. You want to figure the order you want to drop them. Manually entering each of their locations and comparing will be a lengthy process. To get around this, you can use the “Add stop” feature.”
“In this feature, you can enter every location in the same route, and reorder them as per your preference. To use it, first input one route from one location to another. Then, in the top right, tap the three vertical dots and choose the “Edit stops” option. This will allow you to add stops one-by-one, and access them as part of the same route. To reorder them, press and hold the two horizontal lines next to the location, and drag and drop the options.”
“Google Earth Google Maps has a Google Earth link of the location as part of the interface itself. This can show you the location, its surroundings, and lets you see things within its vicinity as well. After looking up the location, a small photo-like icon will be visible above it, with a circular arrow as well. By tapping this icon, the Google Earth scan of the location will show up. On this, you can scroll around by swiping, and even see along the road by tapping the arrows to move.”
“Order food Hunger can often get the better of you, and after finding a place to eat on Google Maps, you’re ready to order. Rather than finding it on delivery apps, Google Maps allows you to order on external apps or websites straight from Maps itself. To access this, first look up the place on Google Maps. Then, open the menu by scrolling up on the horizontal line. There, there will be an option called “Place an order”. Tapping on that will give delivery options, and then you can choose your preferred option. Note: This option does not appear for every restaurant”
“Avoid tolls Some routes can be extremely toll-heavy. There are always alternate routes, and Maps has the option to find a toll-free route for you, if possible. While this can give longer, more time-consuming routes, it also removes, or minimises, tolls. After entering a route into Google Maps, tap the three dots, and then the “Options” button. From there, you can put the “Avoid tolls” button off, avoiding any tolls from the route.”
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