5 keys to use Google Maps that you should know

Today, even the most clueless person with the worst sense of direction can navigate the streets of a city without any problems. And no need to learn to read maps. With the convenience of taking your mobile out of your pocket and opening an application like Google Maps. So that you become an expert in maps and routes on your trips, we suggest 10 keys to using Google Maps that you should know. A very necessary special, especially now that we are at the gates of a well-deserved vacation.

If by chance you did not have the Google Maps application downloaded, you must access the Android application store to get it. You should know that the application is totally free.

5 keys to use Google Maps that you should know

Download zones and navigate offline

There are parts of the world where roaming is still a reality. If it occurs to you to take out your mobile in those areas, prepare your pocket, as the rates are usually very high. Although there are operators that have already eliminated roaming even in the US, it never hurts to be able to download the map of the city you are going to travel to. So, when you're there, you can browse it without your data rate suffering.

To download zones and navigate offline, you will need to do the following.

• Open the Google Maps application on your phone.
• Make sure you are under a WiFi connection and that you are signed in with your Google account in the app.
• Search for a specific place on the map, for example Los Angeles.
• Click on the place and a full screen will open with various options.
• Look at the last one: 'Download'. Press and the download of the complete map of the area will begin.

To download a map to an SD card

• Insert a SD card into your phone. Make sure your terminal has a card slot.
• Opens the Google Maps application.
• Opens the application menu: Look at the top left, the menu with three lines.
• At the top right, next to 'Offline Maps', tap the gear icon.
• Under 'Storage Preferences', choose 'Device' and then 'SD Card'.

Use offline maps

Once you're at your vacation spot and want to access your maps offline, you'll need to do the following:

• Enter the menu with three lines that you will find at the top left of the app screen.
• Choose 'Offline Maps'.
• Here you can see all the maps you have downloaded to view without Internet.
• If you want to make sure that Maps only uses downloaded maps, go to the offline maps settings. On this page, go to the settings to save mobile data while using Goggle Maps. Here, check ‘WiFi Only’.

Save the location of your parked car

If you're one of those people who never remembers where you left your car parked, you'll love this Google Maps tutorial. Do not stop paying attention because it can save you more than one scare.

To save the location of your parked car, follow the steps below.

• Open the Google Maps application on your mobile phone.
• Touch the blue dot. This point is exactly where you are now. That is why you should do this procedure as soon as you get out of the car.

• On the drop-down screen, the point 'Save parking' will appear. You just have to press this option and, automatically, it will have been saved as parking location.
• To later locate the parking location point, all you have to do is press the search bar. Next, a series of places will be displayed, among which the car park appears.

Share your location in real time with other users

To be able to share your real-time location with other users through Maps you must do the following.

With contacts who have a Google account

• Enter the menu at the top left of the application, the one with three lines. Note that, among the different options that you see available, is the option to 'Share Location.' Click here.
• An informative window will appear telling you that you are going to share your location in real time with your family and friends. They, in turn, will be able to share it with you. Click on 'Start' or on the icon that you can see at the top right.
• In the window that appears, you can configure the time you want to share the location, select the contacts you want to share it with.
• At the end, click on 'Share'.

With contacts who do not have a Google account

• Enter the Maps menu
• Press 'Share location'.
• In 'Get Started', look below and tap the 'More' icon.
• Choose 'Copy to clipboard'.
• Now you just have to paste the URL and share it with the contact you want.

Use Street View on Google Maps

A good way to locate a place where we have to go is by looking at it directly on the street where it is located. To do this, you must follow the following steps.

Use Street View on your computer

• Search for the place you want to visit on the Google Maps page
• Drag the orange doll to the place you want to see. Look at the following screenshot to locate said doll.
• Another way to access Google View is by clicking on the photo of the place.

Use Street View on mobile

• Opens the Google Maps application on the Android phone.
• Search for a site within the app in the search bar.
• Or, if you prefer, press and hold on the screen until you place a red 'pin'.
• Click on the photo that appears at the bottom left of the screen.
• Once in the street, you can navigate through it by sliding your finger across the screen.

Add your favorite places

Whether you are organizing a trip, and you want to have saved all the places you want to visit, or if you simply like to have a list with your favorite places, this will be very useful for you.

If you want to save your favorite places on Google Maps, just follow the steps below.

Save a place from Maps on PC

It is very simple. You just have to enter the Maps page and click on 'Save'. It's that simple.

Save a site in the Android application

• Opens the Google Maps application.
• Open the chosen site and dial 'Save'.
• You can then save the site to lists you've created or create a new one now.

If we press the menu with three dashes and then we go to 'Your sites', we can locate all our favorite sites at a single glance .