Google Maps is the most powerful service for finding addresses and maps that you can find, so complete and functional as to make the old Tuttocittà disappear.
Whether you use Google Maps from your computer, or as an app on your mobile phone, there are many useful and important functions to know, those that are a bit hidden and also some tricks that can be used to improve the search for roads and places and to use Google Maps as a navigator.
1) To start, not everyone knows that you can search for addresses on your PC and find them on your mobile phone, which is very useful if you want to find a way before leaving home, and then follow the navigator's instructions on your smartphone.
To activate this function, you need to activate Google history from this address //myactivity.google.com/myactivity and use the same Google account on your mobile phone and computer.
Any search for addresses or places made by the browser of the PC, will be found by the Google Maps application also on the smartphone (Google Maps is also for iPhone and iPad) in the section of My Places -> Recent .
On an Android mobile phone, directions are also visible in Google Feed. If Google knows the home and work addresses, it will display the time and route you should take to go to work or go home every day, even based on traffic.
READ ALSO: Tricks and secrets of the Google Maps Navigator app on Android and iPhone
2) With Google Maps it is also possible to always have an overview of the traffic situation in real time .
This data is not available in all the cities of the world but for Italy it is among the most covered countries. To view the traffic in real time, place the mouse over the satellite symbol in the upper right corner and click on Traffic.
This feature also works in applications for Android and iPhone and also while browsing, from the Levels button.
Note that the Google Navigator applications will give directions that will also change based on the current traffic.
3) Changing a route
From the Google Maps website, if you do not like the suggested route to get to a place, you can click on a point on the map and drag it to move it and change directions. This allows you to mark a point where you have to pass and to draw your favorite road to avoid passing, for example, on a highway or to make a panoramic and tourist route.
4) Of course, on Google Maps it is possible to plan an itinerary with several stages and destinations and set stops along the suggested route.
Add new destinations to the list to go to several points and then drag and drop the letters next to each stage to order the stages. To do this, add the first stage, then touch the car icon to create a route, but before entering the navigation mode, touch the menu in the upper right corner (three vertical points) to be able to select the "Add waypoint" option from the menu.
Then touch the second destination and select the location. Multiple stages can be added and each place can be touched and dragged up or down depending on which destination you want to reach first. Google will choose the best route based on distance and speed to go to each indicated place, in the specified order.
5) With Google Maps it is possible to create a route by car but also on foot and by bicycle or by public transport .
From the buttons at the top, depending on the route chosen, you can choose to see which road is best if you walk on foot or by taking public transport such as buses and metro.
In certain cases, you can also see the special map for cyclists (see the sites with maps for cycling and cycle paths).
READ ALSO: Create routes and itineraries on Google maps
6) Creating customized maps and road maps with Google Maps, as already written, is very simple and is almost a game. This can be useful for sharing the directions for a party with friends or relatives or for saving the itineraries of a trip you are about to take. You can set a custom name for each location where you want to go to make the map more personal and remember the places based on what is in the place. In addition to the placemark, saved maps may contain lines drawn along the map. The saved maps can be viewed on the internet or even in the Google Maps Applications for Android and iPhone and iPad. You can also share saved maps with other people and also allow them to edit them.
7) Measuring distances is easy with Google Maps, both from site and app, from one point to another on the map
8) Change the information and locations of the places .
On Google Maps you can search for streets and also specific places such as a monument or commercial activity. If you find a shop that no longer exists or that the position of a restaurant is wrong, you can click on the placemark and then go to Other to change the details, information or position of the placemark.
9) Identify interesting places in a route or in an area.
If you are traveling, you can stop and check all the places to see and interesting places from Google Maps by raising the information bar at the bottom. In this regard, I also point out the Tourist Path website which always finds places to see in Google Maps, wherever we are.
10) Find the precise GPS coordinates for each point on the map.
To determine the latitude and longitude of a place, which is particularly useful for some types of GPS navigators, you can use the Latlong web application with which you just have to point the placemark and see all the coordinates below.
10) With Google Maps, for each route, you can see the petrol costs of a route also in a personalized way, depending on the car you drive.
11) You can share the position in Google Maps from the main menu of the application, to let a friend or relative know where we are at any time by following us on the map.
12) Downloading Maps and Maps Google Maps can definitely be done both on your computer and on your smartphone.
In particular we have seen:
- programs to download Google Maps;
- Google Maps offline for Android
13) Zoom in to the maximum to enlarge the image and discover more details in Google Maps.
You can zoom in beyond the limit allowed in Google Maps with a simple trick. Open a map in Google Maps, zoom by clicking the + sign until you can no longer. Click on the chain button at the top of the map to extract the long link, copy it and paste it on the address bar.
In the long address, find where 41m is written, change it to 10m and press enter to load the map with a higher zoom level and maximize the image.
For example: //www.google.com/maps/place/Verstoppertjebrug, +1312+AW+Almere, +Netherlands/@52.376564, 5.198312, 10m / data =! 3m1! 1e3! 4m5! 3m4! 1s0x47c61729b68ffb07: 0x2c3f4cf2m2 ! 3d52.3765805! 4d5.1989785
14) On PC, it is possible to open Google Maps in Lite version, light, so that the site can load quickly even on old or less powerful PCs, with minimal memory consumption.
15) Street View of Google Maps .
You can see every street available in StreetVire mode by holding down on a point and then tapping on the name of the location below to find the street-level view.
16) As seen in a recent article on the recent updates of the application, among the functions of parking lots, taxis and route options in Google Maps very useful even if a little hidden. In particular, we have seen that it is possible:
17) Contribute to Google Maps by writing reviews and improving information on the places visited.
For example it is possible to write if a place is suitable for children or if they serve alcohol or if it is easy to park and so on.
To do this, you must touch the main menu in the upper left corner and enter the " your contributions " section. The system of Contributions to Google Maps is set up as a game of points, where those who add more information rise in the rankings and gain authority and influence.
18) Add a missing seat
If in the map you notice that a place is not marked, you can add it and make sure that everyone in the future will see it written on the map. To do this, touch and hold on the exact place where the missing seat is located, add the pin and then, in the options below, touch on " Add a missing seat ". You will therefore have to write your name, category, opening / closing time and other important information. The changes will be added to the contributions.
19) Seeing the history of the positions in Google Maps allows you to find every place we have been and every route taken in the past. You can find the history of the positions just go to the main menu and then touch the button at the top of the calendar to know where we were on a certain day.
20) As already written in another article, you can see the speed and speed camera limits in Google Maps by installing an external app like Velociraptor.
READ ALSO: Find roads and routes with Google Maps
Whether you use Google Maps from your computer, or as an app on your mobile phone, there are many useful and important functions to know, those that are a bit hidden and also some tricks that can be used to improve the search for roads and places and to use Google Maps as a navigator.
1) To start, not everyone knows that you can search for addresses on your PC and find them on your mobile phone, which is very useful if you want to find a way before leaving home, and then follow the navigator's instructions on your smartphone.
To activate this function, you need to activate Google history from this address //myactivity.google.com/myactivity and use the same Google account on your mobile phone and computer.
Any search for addresses or places made by the browser of the PC, will be found by the Google Maps application also on the smartphone (Google Maps is also for iPhone and iPad) in the section of My Places -> Recent .
On an Android mobile phone, directions are also visible in Google Feed. If Google knows the home and work addresses, it will display the time and route you should take to go to work or go home every day, even based on traffic.
READ ALSO: Tricks and secrets of the Google Maps Navigator app on Android and iPhone
2) With Google Maps it is also possible to always have an overview of the traffic situation in real time .
This data is not available in all the cities of the world but for Italy it is among the most covered countries. To view the traffic in real time, place the mouse over the satellite symbol in the upper right corner and click on Traffic.
This feature also works in applications for Android and iPhone and also while browsing, from the Levels button.
Note that the Google Navigator applications will give directions that will also change based on the current traffic.
3) Changing a route
From the Google Maps website, if you do not like the suggested route to get to a place, you can click on a point on the map and drag it to move it and change directions. This allows you to mark a point where you have to pass and to draw your favorite road to avoid passing, for example, on a highway or to make a panoramic and tourist route.
4) Of course, on Google Maps it is possible to plan an itinerary with several stages and destinations and set stops along the suggested route.
Add new destinations to the list to go to several points and then drag and drop the letters next to each stage to order the stages. To do this, add the first stage, then touch the car icon to create a route, but before entering the navigation mode, touch the menu in the upper right corner (three vertical points) to be able to select the "Add waypoint" option from the menu.
Then touch the second destination and select the location. Multiple stages can be added and each place can be touched and dragged up or down depending on which destination you want to reach first. Google will choose the best route based on distance and speed to go to each indicated place, in the specified order.
5) With Google Maps it is possible to create a route by car but also on foot and by bicycle or by public transport .
From the buttons at the top, depending on the route chosen, you can choose to see which road is best if you walk on foot or by taking public transport such as buses and metro.
In certain cases, you can also see the special map for cyclists (see the sites with maps for cycling and cycle paths).
READ ALSO: Create routes and itineraries on Google maps
6) Creating customized maps and road maps with Google Maps, as already written, is very simple and is almost a game. This can be useful for sharing the directions for a party with friends or relatives or for saving the itineraries of a trip you are about to take. You can set a custom name for each location where you want to go to make the map more personal and remember the places based on what is in the place. In addition to the placemark, saved maps may contain lines drawn along the map. The saved maps can be viewed on the internet or even in the Google Maps Applications for Android and iPhone and iPad. You can also share saved maps with other people and also allow them to edit them.
7) Measuring distances is easy with Google Maps, both from site and app, from one point to another on the map
8) Change the information and locations of the places .
On Google Maps you can search for streets and also specific places such as a monument or commercial activity. If you find a shop that no longer exists or that the position of a restaurant is wrong, you can click on the placemark and then go to Other to change the details, information or position of the placemark.
9) Identify interesting places in a route or in an area.
If you are traveling, you can stop and check all the places to see and interesting places from Google Maps by raising the information bar at the bottom. In this regard, I also point out the Tourist Path website which always finds places to see in Google Maps, wherever we are.
10) Find the precise GPS coordinates for each point on the map.
To determine the latitude and longitude of a place, which is particularly useful for some types of GPS navigators, you can use the Latlong web application with which you just have to point the placemark and see all the coordinates below.
10) With Google Maps, for each route, you can see the petrol costs of a route also in a personalized way, depending on the car you drive.
11) You can share the position in Google Maps from the main menu of the application, to let a friend or relative know where we are at any time by following us on the map.
12) Downloading Maps and Maps Google Maps can definitely be done both on your computer and on your smartphone.
In particular we have seen:
- programs to download Google Maps;
- Google Maps offline for Android
13) Zoom in to the maximum to enlarge the image and discover more details in Google Maps.
You can zoom in beyond the limit allowed in Google Maps with a simple trick. Open a map in Google Maps, zoom by clicking the + sign until you can no longer. Click on the chain button at the top of the map to extract the long link, copy it and paste it on the address bar.
In the long address, find where 41m is written, change it to 10m and press enter to load the map with a higher zoom level and maximize the image.
For example: //www.google.com/maps/place/Verstoppertjebrug, +1312+AW+Almere, +Netherlands/@52.376564, 5.198312, 10m / data =! 3m1! 1e3! 4m5! 3m4! 1s0x47c61729b68ffb07: 0x2c3f4cf2m2 ! 3d52.3765805! 4d5.1989785
14) On PC, it is possible to open Google Maps in Lite version, light, so that the site can load quickly even on old or less powerful PCs, with minimal memory consumption.
15) Street View of Google Maps .
You can see every street available in StreetVire mode by holding down on a point and then tapping on the name of the location below to find the street-level view.
16) As seen in a recent article on the recent updates of the application, among the functions of parking lots, taxis and route options in Google Maps very useful even if a little hidden. In particular, we have seen that it is possible:
- Save the parking position;
- Know where you can park in one place;
- Book a taxi or an Uber;
- Avoid tolls, highways and ferries;
- Find information on each bus stop
17) Contribute to Google Maps by writing reviews and improving information on the places visited.
For example it is possible to write if a place is suitable for children or if they serve alcohol or if it is easy to park and so on.
To do this, you must touch the main menu in the upper left corner and enter the " your contributions " section. The system of Contributions to Google Maps is set up as a game of points, where those who add more information rise in the rankings and gain authority and influence.
18) Add a missing seat
If in the map you notice that a place is not marked, you can add it and make sure that everyone in the future will see it written on the map. To do this, touch and hold on the exact place where the missing seat is located, add the pin and then, in the options below, touch on " Add a missing seat ". You will therefore have to write your name, category, opening / closing time and other important information. The changes will be added to the contributions.
19) Seeing the history of the positions in Google Maps allows you to find every place we have been and every route taken in the past. You can find the history of the positions just go to the main menu and then touch the button at the top of the calendar to know where we were on a certain day.
20) As already written in another article, you can see the speed and speed camera limits in Google Maps by installing an external app like Velociraptor.
READ ALSO: Find roads and routes with Google Maps
