How many times have we managed to get to that restaurant or that post office thanks to having Google Maps installed on our smartphone. This application makes our life a simple and wonderful place where everything is at our fingertips.
And it is that Google Maps offers one of the best and most reliable browsing experiences on smartphones, whether you use Android or iOS. But the app experience is only as good as the user’s knowledge.
If you hardly know about the app, it is certain that you will be able to reach the sites. On the other hand, if you have moved well through the application or have been interested, you will know that you can do almost everything with the Google tool.
The following features of Google Maps will be useful for both familiarizing yourself with hidden privacy settings and getting the most out of the navigation and infotainment application.
Use incognito mode for searches on Google Maps
The data that Google collects about you contributes to some extent to the profiles that the company uses for advertising targeting. This is why you may want to take another step in Google Maps to disassociate some of your data from your profile.
To do this, use the Incognito mode that Google Maps introduced a few years ago. Tap the profile icon again and select Turn on incognito mode for most of your searches.
An alternative way to use the app more privately is to sign out of your account. But the drawback is that you will lose access to personal browsing data.
Finally, you can go to the Settings section and disable Save recent searches on this device as an alternative to incognito mode.
Download maps for offline use
Apart from privacy, there is another thing to pay attention to in Google Maps: coverage. You need an internet connection for directions and navigation. Even if you’re exploring a tourist destination on foot with Google Maps, you’ll need connectivity to be turned on.
If data is an issue, especially when roaming, you’ll want to download the maps for your next destination over WiFi before you leave.
Again, Go to the profile icon and tap Offline Maps. Next, customize the map you want to download. Click on Set up your own map and select the area you want to download for offline viewing before clicking the Download button.
Add multiple stops to Google Maps
While you’re in the three-dot icon menu above, check out the add stop menu. This will allow you to add multiple destinations that could be on the route to your final point of arrival. In turn, this will eliminate the need to stop the car to change destinations.
Or, even worse, tapping the app while driving to change your destination. The same menu will allow you to share directions with friends and family who may be traveling the same route.
Share your location on Google Maps
Although you may want to stop sharing your Google Maps location history with Google, sharing your real-time location with friends and family can be very helpful.
Like most features, it’s tied to your profile. Tap the profile icon, open the Share location menu, and tap Share location. You can then set the time your contacts will have access to your location and select the people you want to share it with.
Google Maps is just one way to share location with friends and family in real time, as most chat apps offer similar features.
Choose the cheapest route
Google Maps has new features that will help you save money while driving. The application will automatically offer you greener directions that you can follow to your destination.
But you may want to recheck the settings for it. Go to the three dots icon after configuring the navigation data, touch the Options menu and activate the Preferred routes menu to save fuel. Make sure you also tell the app what engine your car has.
You will achieve the same goal by going to the profile icon in Google Maps by selecting Settings and then Navigation. Look for the same menu Preferred routes of low consumption and Engine type.
The advantage of using this configuration method is that you will set default values for all your future browsing settings. So you will save gasoline on each trip. It depends on what you move per year, it can be hundreds of euros. Thanks Google Maps.
