29 GOOGLE MAP TRICKS YOU NEED TO TRY

Google Maps has changed how we navigate the world. Its desktop and mobile apps have become not just a way to get from point A to B via car, public transportation, or on foot.

There are a ton of customizable tools and hidden functions already baked into Google Maps that you may not know about, such as Incognito Mode. Check out our tips for how to maximize your Google Maps power.

1. Inside Access

Maps aren’t just for the great outdoors. You can find out what’s inside malls, airports, and other big buildings by finding the location in Maps, clicking on it, and then scrolling to Directory. You’ll never wander around wondering if there’s a Cinnabon again.

 

2. COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination

Like everyone, Google Maps has made some adjustments during the pandemic. You can open Google Maps and type in “covid testing near me” to get a list of locations that perform testing along with contact info and hours.

You can also find out where to get vaccinated by typing in “vaccine,” and for many places, you can book an appointment with one click.

You can also see the number of COVID-19 cases around you and whether they are increasing or decreasing by tapping the layers icon at the top right of Maps and selecting COVID-19 Info.

 

3. Plot Multiple Locations on Google Maps

Rarely do car trips consist of going from point A to B. More often, they are something like A-to-café-to-library-to-Joe’s-house-to-B. It’s a good thing Google makes it possible to anticipate real trips.

To add multiple destinations in the Google Maps mobile app, enter your starting point and your ultimate destination, and then click the three dots in the top-right corner. This will prompt a pop-over menu with the option to “Add stop.”

Click that and you can add a route with multiple stops. You will even have the option to drag and drop stops within your itinerary. (Note that this doesn’t work when you’re using the mass transit option.)

 

4. Customize Your Vehicle Icon

screenshots of changing the car icon that shows up in the google maps app

If you’re driving, Google lets you choose what car shows up on your navigation in the iOS and Android apps. In the app, plug in your destination and start-up driving directions.

Tap the icon that shows your current location and a pop-up menu will appear with several car icon options: a sedan, a pickup truck, or an SUV.

 

5. ‘Hey Google, Where Am I Going?’

If you want to interact with Maps while you’re driving, you don’t want to actually take your eyes off the road. With “OK Google” voice commands in the Google Maps Android app, you don’t have to.

For example, if you notice you’re running low on gas, say “OK Google, find gas stations,” and it will show gas stations on the map (which you can look at when you’ve come to a red light or have pulled over).

You can also ask for things like “What’s my next turn,” “What’s my ETA,” or “How’s traffic ahead?” On Android, just set up Google Assistant and you’re good to go.

On iOS (pictured above), you tap the microphone icon on the top right, at which point you can ask your questions via voice.

 

6. Access Google Maps Offline

Today, Maps is most useful on mobile, which brings up a problem: When you are most in need of Maps, you may find yourself somewhere with limited (or—gasp—non-existent) coverage.

To help you out, Google Maps supports offline access. Type in an address or area, swipe up on the menu at the bottom of the screen, tap the ellipsis icon, and select Download offline map.

If you have enough storage on your device, the map in question will be saved. To access it later, tap your avatar > Offline maps, and you can then get information about businesses in the region and turn-by-turn directions within the downloaded section.

 

7. Change Directions Around by Drag and Drop

When finding directions on the desktop version of Maps, you can maneuver your route to go through or away from specific locations via drag and drop.

Just click and drag any part of your direct route to move around (this only works with directions for walking, driving, or biking—it won’t work with any mass transit options).

 

8. Find Directions With a Single Click

To get to where you’re going, you can type in your destination address. Or right-click where you’re going on the map and it will prompt a pull-down list, which you can use to find directions to or from that location.

 

9. Measure Any Distance

Using the aforementioned right-click tool, you can also calculate the distance of any two points on Earth. Choose “Measure distance,” which will drop a point (signified by a white dot with a bold black line), then click anywhere else on the map, and the distance between the points will be calculated. Keep clicking to add more points to the map. The total trip distance will be calculated on the main card.

 

10. Get Your Groceries

If you shop at Kroger or any of their other grocery stores, you can order online, get status updates on your order, share your ETA when you’re on the way to pick it up, and check-in when you’ve arrived with Google Maps.

Just click on the link in the email to add your order to Google Maps and then visit the app to see all the info.

 

11. The Peg Man

See that little yellow person in the bottom right-hand corner? That’s “Peg Man” (or alternatively “the pegman”). You can pick little Peggy up and drop him anywhere on maps and be thrown into that location’s Street View.

Once in Street View mode, he will be oriented with the current view in the embedded map window in the bottom left-hand corner.

 

12. Enhanced Walking Directions

If you’re walking around a city, and need a visual aid beyond Peg Man, Google Maps supports augmented reality walking directions in certain locales. This feature layers directional prompts atop Street View imagery to help you know which way to walk or turn.

The area itself needs to have robust Street View support; if it’s available, you’ll see a “Live View” option at the bottom of your screen when you search for walking directions.

If you don’t have an AR view yet, you can still get additional guidance by voice.

Go to Settings > Navigation > Detailed Voice Guidance, toggle it on, and the voice directions you get while walking will have more detail (like pointing out landmarks) and be more frequent.

 See Also; Google Tricks: How To Track Someone On Google Maps

13. Let Other People Drive

Ride-sharing services are a big part of the modern transportation mix, so Google added ride options from companies such as Lyft to its mobile app.

Once you enter your destination, click the icon of the little figure attempting to hail a taxi or the mass transit option. You’ll then be presented with nearby rideshare options along with the estimated time and fare. Then tap Open App to book your ride.

 

14. Find Accessible Transit Routes and Locations

Those with mobility issues can search for wheelchair-accessible transit routes by tapping Options > Wheelchair accessible when looking for train or bus directions.

When you get to your destination, meanwhile, the Accessible Places setting will offer up wheelchair accessibility information about that location.

Turn it on via Settings > Accessibility > Accessible Places. “When Accessible Places is switched on, a wheelchair icon will indicate an accessible entrance and you’ll be able to see if a place has accessible seating, restrooms, or parking,”

Google says. “If it’s confirmed that a place does not have an accessible entrance, we’ll show that information on Maps as well.”

 

15. Pay for Parking

If you’re short of a change in your car, you can feed the parking meter right from Maps. Open the app as you approach a stop and you’ll see Pay for Parking pop up.

Select it, type in your meter number and how long you’ll be at the spot, and you can pay right from your phone.

 

16. Remember Where You Parked

On Android, tap the blue location dot and select Save Your Parking, which will add a label to the Maps app, identifying where you parked.

Tap that to add details like parking garage level and spot or the amount of time left before a meter expires. You can also set meter reminders, add a photo of where you parked, and send your parking location to friends.

To find it later, tap the search bar up top and select Parking location. Or tap Driving down below, and look for Saved parking. To delete, tap Driving > Clear. Or tap “You parked here” on the map, select More Info on the bottom left, and tap Clear.

On iOS (above), tap the little blue location dot within the app when you arrive at a location. In the pop-up, tap Set as parking location. In the app, a P icon will appear alongside a note that says “You parked near here.” To get rid of it, tap the P and select Clear.

 

17. What’s the Parking Sitch?

Google Maps can provide turn-by-turn directions based on live-ish traffic data, but it can also provide you with a glimpse of the parking situation.

When you search for driving directions to a location on iOS or Android, you may see a P logo at the bottom of the screen, along with one of three designations: limited, medium, and easy.

This can help you decide how long to allocate for parking, or even if another form of transportation may be a better option.

 See Also; GOOGLE MAP DOWN: How To Fix Google Maps Not Loading/Crashes

18. View (and Delete) Your Google Maps History

Google Map Tricks; Google maintains a very detailed record of your digital activities. If you’d rather it lose your Maps data, you can erase it on desktop or mobile. On a desktop, go to maps.google.com.

Click the hamburger menu and select Your Data in Maps. You’ll end up on a Google-wide Controls page, where you can go to Location History > See & Delete Activity.

You’ll get a map with a timeline of your activity. On the bottom right of the map, you can click the trash can icon to permanently delete all of your location histories.

On mobile, go to Settings > Maps History > Search Your Activity > [three-dot menu] > Delete Activity By, where you can delete by date or just choose to delete everything at once. Hit Delete.

Weirded out by Google’s oversight? Here’s a more detailed guide on how to get Google to stop tracking you.

19. Master Navigation: 

Master Navigation is another way of navigation. Master Navigation shows the navigation according to your transit. Moreover, Master navigation also shows the distance and time taken by each transit.

 

20. Use Your Voice – Google Map feature:

You can use your voice for navigation when your hands are busy moving the steering wheel.

Now, whenever you want to use voice navigation just tap the microphone symbol located near the search bar. Then say your location. Afterward, it will show you the navigation with audio, you can mute and unmute the audio.

 

21. Avoid Tolls:

Google Map Tricks; How great would that be if you can save a few bucks because of Google Maps? Google Maps can help you save those bucks by giving you route options accordingly like avoiding tolls ferries.

 

22. Add Multiple Stop – Google Map:

Google Map Tricks; Just imagine you are traveling back to your home from your site and you have to go to your office. One of your friend’s homes is on your way, but they are poll apart.

Now, what will you do?

Simply open your Google Maps and tap the directions icon, fill up your current and destination location.

Before starting your Navigation tap on the three vertical dots at the top right of the screen and there you can see the “add stop” option.

Add as many stops as you want and google maps will make a route for you.

23. Indoor Navigation: 

Google Map Tricks; Indoor navigation helps you in navigating inside the building or premises. Google Maps will now give you directions to the floor or to any shop or office that you are looking for on the premises.

For using Indoor Maps all you  have to do is

1. open Google maps on your phone.
2. Search for any location which you want to visit. For example; in any mall
3. lookup for the floor or the shop which you want to visit. For ex: Madame.
4. so just tap the location and zoom in at the Mall and it will show you the inside direction to the places.

 

24. Keyboard’s Shortcuts :

 Google maps not only shows the shortcuts for the locations and routes. But it can also be controlled with Google Map keyboard shortcuts while you are using it on Web platforms.

You can use your Keyboard’s keys to navigate from one place to another. It can also scroll the map in all the directions and for performing the other functions of Google maps.

So, you can use :

Page Up key or ‘W’ button – move camera upwards i.e towards the sky.

Left arrow key or ‘A’ button –  Rotate the left camera to 45 degrees

Page Down key or ‘S’  button – move camera downwards i.e towards the ground.

Right arrow key or ‘D’ button – Rotate the Right camera to 45 degrees.

Double Left click: Zoom out the Google map.

(+) Plus and (-) key: Zoom in and out of the map respectively.

Scroll wheel: Use mouse scroll to Zoom in and Zoom out in Google Map.

Double Right-click: Moreover you can Zoom In on the map.

 

25. Footnotes section of Google Map :

Google Map Tricks; While there are a few things for you in the footnote of Maps when you operate it on the web platforms. You can see the terms and conditions of Google Maps. Adding to it You can also send feedback on the Maps.

You can use these features in the mobile application as well. For using these features in the mobile application, tap the hamburger and scroll it down. Right there you will find these options.

 

26. Gestures :

Google Maps also has some gestures like :

Zoom In and Zoom Out by double-tapping.

Map toolbar such as direction key, hamburger button.

Scrolling the Map

Compass icon for Navigation

My location button.

 

27. Nation Specific Information:

    Google Map Tricks; Google maps can help you find nation-specific information. You can search for any country and then it will show you the nation-specific information like the language. Also, the domains would end with the nation-specific code.

 

28. Areas Google Maps Knows about:

Google maps also provide you with the areas which google maps knows. It will also show you the ratings, and reviews from the Local guides and from the people who have visited there.

 

29. Upcoming Events: Google Maps will find you your upcoming events.

Google Map Tricks; With the help of your Gmail Calendar and Google Calendar Google Maps will fetch the information and will let you know about the upcoming future events in the line.