Among the many GPS navigators that can be used for free, one of the most appreciated by all smartphone users (without distinction, therefore also on the iPhone) is definitely Google Maps, which takes advantage of the great experience gained in the field of making maps (and road footage with Google Cars) and the information collected every day by Google to provide a browsing experience difficult to obtain with other free products (perhaps only a few paid apps come close to this quality). But if we are a beginner with a smartphone and we do not know how to look for directions to find a place or a street, we can use all the valuable advice we have collected in this complete guide to Google Maps .
Traveling by car, on foot or by public transport has never been easier!
READ ALSO -> 20 Most useful and hidden Google Maps functions
Google Maps can be downloaded as a free app on practically any smartphone, even if not very recent; the links to install it on our device can be found here -> Google Maps (Android) and Google Maps (iOS).
On Android devices it is often pre-installed together with a whole series of Google apps (just just keep it updated), while on iOS devices it must be installed separately since Apple also offers its integrated navigator (discreet but not absolutely up to par).
Below we will find all the most common indications to use Google Maps as if we were novice users, so we can quickly respond to all the difficulties encountered on first use.
1) Search for a place or address
Let's see first of all the simplest thing to do, namely how to search for any address or place we want to reach.
We open the app and use the top bar Search here .
We can type in this bar the name of a city, a complete address or the name of a specific point of interest (such as a monument or a square, but also a shop or restaurant). Once you have found the point to reach, simply click on Directions to start calculating the route to be followed.
If satisfied with the result, click on Start to start the real navigation! You will see a blue arrow-shaped indicator appear, which will follow your movements (it is regulated by the GPS and the location system included in your smartphone).
In order to find the right road we carefully follow the color that fill the road to follow (blue), together with the indications of the turns (above, complete with the exit number of the roundabouts and distance) and the indications of the guide voice, which will will allow you to drive or turn without even looking at the display (very useful when you have to drive without distractions).
Along the way we could also find indications for other alternative roads, which we can choose to use alternatively (especially if they indicate a time equal to or less than that obtained with the main road).
The adjustments for the voice guidance and for secondary information offered by Maps can be made in the Settings menu of the app, where we can choose, for example, to no longer hear voice guidance except to report warnings and dangers.
A practical tip : if we don't know how to reach a specific city, we always take the indications for its railway station or the main square, so as never to make mistakes and not find ourselves in the suburbs or abandoned areas.
2) Choose the type of vehicle
When we choose a destination and click on Directions, we will be offered at the top the possibility to choose the type of vehicle to be used for creating the route, based on how we want to move.
The first item available (usually already selected) is for those traveling by car, while the second item (in the center) shows the routes that can be used by entering public transport (tram, train, bus, plane etc.); the last item on the right shows the recommended route if we want to continue on foot.
Depending on the selected destination, other types of selectable route may appear, such as passes through car sharing and other similar services (taxi, Uber etc.).
3) Evaluation of the traffic along the route
We are afraid of encountering traffic along the chosen or suggested route ">
Estimated speed is usually present near traffic signs, with often very slow trends (below 30 km / h for massive traffic jams).
In this case it is Google Maps itself to recalculate the route and find new less-trafficked routes (always if available), so as to almost always avoid unsustainable traffic situations.
4) Look for points of interest in the area
Want to find an ATM, a restaurant or a filling station in the area?
We can use the quick buttons present as soon as the app opens, so as to highlight on the map the specific points of interest for our needs.
If the point of interest is not among those present as quick buttons, we can always use the search bar at the top to start the search for anything we need at that moment.
5) Get additional information on a point of interest
How do we know the prices, reviews and opening hours of a shop, restaurant, bar or any shopping center ">
Definitely a very convenient way to find out any useful information on the place we are going to reach, with the possibility of calling for reservations directly within the app (using the Call button).
6) Download the maps offline
Even if Google Maps gives its best when it is connected to the Internet, we can still download the maps for a route to an area of our interest in the internal memory of the mobile device, so that we can use the navigator offline.
To download offline maps of a specific route, just click on the download arrow that will appear when we insert routes compatible with offline navigation.
If we intend to download larger areas on the device, just expand the left sidebar of the app, then click Offline maps and then select Select your map .
With two fingers on the screen we can choose an area to download locally, up to a maximum of 50 x 50 square kilometers.
There are no limits to the amount of areas you can download (even 100 if you need it), the only limit is physical (i.e. the internal memory of the device).
The downloaded maps will automatically update as soon as we have an Internet connection and we can manage them from the same Offline Maps menu, deleting the ones we no longer need.
7) Conclusions
Google Maps is the GPS navigator that everyone must try at least once on their smartphone .
It offers precise indications to get practically everywhere, offers truly innovative features when we have to discover new points of interest and can become a precious travel companion for new destinations and cities.
The ability to download offline maps is very useful in areas where we will not have data coverage, but we always recommend using the Internet to take full advantage of all the functionality of Maps (reduced to a minimum when we use offline maps instead).
READ ALSO: Create personal maps and maps with Google Maps
