How to Download a Map for Offline Use

  1. 1

    Tap your profile picture in Google Maps

    Open Google Maps. Tap your profile photo or initial in the top right corner.

  2. 2

    Tap Offline Maps → Select your own map

    Tap Offline Maps in the menu. Tap Select your own map at the bottom of the screen.

  3. 3

    Adjust the box to cover your area

    A box appears on the map. Pinch to zoom and drag to move the box over the area you want to download. The file size is shown at the bottom — larger areas require more storage. A city area typically takes 100–500MB.

  4. 4

    Tap Download

    Tap Download. Google Maps saves the area to your phone. You can name the map for easy identification. Download over WiFi to avoid mobile data charges.

Using the Offline Map

Once downloaded, the offline map works automatically when you lose internet — Google Maps switches to the cached map seamlessly. You can turn on Aeroplane Mode and navigate normally within the downloaded area. Voice turn-by-turn directions work offline. Searching for specific addresses works offline if they are within the downloaded region.

Managing Offline Maps

Profile → Offline Maps shows all downloaded areas. Tap any map to update it (maps expire after 30 days), rename it or delete it. Download maps before trips to areas with poor coverage: road trips, overseas travel, hiking areas, or anywhere with unreliable mobile signal.

Offline maps vs live navigationOffline maps do not update for road closures, accidents or real-time traffic. Live traffic, public transport directions and Street View require an internet connection. For driving navigation in familiar conditions, offline works perfectly. For public transport overseas, download the local transit app which often has better offline capability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Offline maps expire after 30 days by default. Google Maps sends a reminder before expiry. You can manually update a map at any time (Profile → Offline Maps → tap the map → Update). Enable automatic updates in Offline Maps settings so maps refresh over WiFi automatically.
Yes — download the map before you leave (on your home WiFi). You can download maps for any region in the world. This is particularly useful when travelling internationally to avoid roaming charges while navigating. Download the city and surrounding areas you plan to visit, ideally the day before your trip.