The Computer Today website highlights ten useful Google Maps tips that will help you use it more effectively and get the most out of this powerful navigation tool.
1. Number of indications
If you think the volume of the map directions is too low or too high, you can always modify it. To do this, you simply return to the navigation settings and select one of the three available options: Low, Normal, and High.
2. Check traffic
If we want to know the traffic conditions before going anywhere, we use maps. To do this, we simply click on the “Layers” icon, which is located in the upper right of the screen, just below our profile photo. When we press the button we can select “Transportation” in the map details.
On the map, we will see a green line indicating no traffic jam, a yellow line indicating moderate traffic jam, and a red line indicating traffic jam.
3. Fixed North on the map
You may have noticed that some of them have lost their view to the north, meaning they don’t show us very well. To prevent this from happening we have to go to Settings and then Navigation Settings, the next step is to click on Keep Map North Up.
4. Create a list of favorite websites
We can create different lists on Google Maps of our favorite places, places we haven’t been to yet, or other places that come to mind. The point is, these lists will help us save information that may be relevant to us in the future, keeping it organized. We can manage the lists already created by the application by default or create new ones simply by going to the Saved tab.
5. The coordinates of any point on the map
If you click anywhere on the map, Google Maps will give you the precise coordinates of that specific location. To do this, you just need to press anywhere continuously until you see the red icon. To see the point’s coordinates and other data, you can simply open the drop-down menu at the bottom.
6. Change the icon of our location
You already know that when we start a route, the indicator we have is a circle with another blue circle in the middle. This is something we can modify. While you’re on the route, click on the default symbol and you’ll see a drop-down menu at the bottom that allows you to select a vehicle icon. You will have multiple options to choose your favorite one.
7. View route radar
One way we can plan before going on any trip in Google Maps is to see where the radars we want to find during the trip are. It’s as simple as generating a route and seeing on a map the locations of the different radars we can find. This way we know where its location is that requires more attention, although Google Maps is known to tell us when we are close to the DGT radar.
8. Distance between two points
It indicates how to get from one place to another by route, whether on foot or by bike, when we are looking for a connection between two places. It is possible to use Google Maps to calculate the straight line distance between two places, but in this case it must be its computer version.
We right-click the starting point and select the “Measure Distance” option in the pop-up menu. Now we turn to the second point. At that point, Google Maps will tell us the distance between the locations we selected on the map.
9. Driving mode
Since Android Auto is no longer available as a mobile app, Google has added a driving mode to Maps.
This Google Assistant driving mode is automatically activated and can be seen in the bottom bar during the route.
10. Stealth mode
If we don’t want everything we do to be recorded, we have to use Google Maps incognito mode. To activate this mode we simply click on our profile photo and look for the “Activate incognito mode” menu.
Using these tips, you’ll be able to get the most out of Google Maps and improve your navigation and exploration experience. These features will let you get the most out of this popular mapping app, from adjusting directional volume to using incognito mode for added privacy. Don’t hesitate to apply these tips when using Google Maps!