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Google Maps

4 Brilliant Things You Can Do With Google Maps (Aside From Navigation)

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Google Maps can do more than get you from A to B: you can organize places into shareable lists, preview neighborhoods, save an area for limited offline use, and measure distances or work with coordinates. The features and controls vary by device, so the steps below identify the platform covered by Google’s instructions.

Google’s feature overview describes several of these tools for Android; the list instructions below are for desktop, while the offline-map instructions are for iPhone and iPad.

1. Save places in a list and share your shortlist

Lists are useful when you want to collect places around a trip or keep a set of options together. For example, you could make a restaurant shortlist, plan candidate stops, or share possible meeting spots with a group. These are ways to use the feature, not outcomes guaranteed by Google.

Create a list on desktop

  1. Open Google Maps and select Saved.
  2. Create a new list.
  3. Find a place, open its place card, and save it to the list.

Google’s desktop list instructions cover creating and managing lists. Button placement and labels may differ on other devices.

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Share or collaborate

You can share a list using a link, choose whether it is private or viewable by anyone with the link, and invite other people to edit a shared list. You can also follow another person’s list. One important exception: starred places cannot be shared. Google also supports exporting saved lists through Google Takeout.

2. Preview a neighborhood before you go

Use Explore to get a sense of what is around a selected area. Google says it can show reviews and descriptions of popular establishments and hotspots, and help you find local events, restaurants, and things to do. See Google’s Getting started with Google Maps page for its Android overview of local discovery.

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Look around with Street View

Where Street View imagery is available, it can help you inspect a place and its surroundings more closely than a standard map view. Coverage and imagery vary by location, so treat it as a preview rather than a guarantee of what a place looks like today. Google lists Street View among the features in its Maps feature overview.

3. Download a map area for limited offline use

If you expect to lose mobile data or have a weak connection, download the relevant area while you are still online. Google’s steps here apply to iPhone and iPad; the exact controls may differ on Android or desktop.

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Download an area on iPhone or iPad

  1. In Google Maps, search for a place and open its details.
  2. Choose the option to download an offline map.
  3. Alternatively, open Offline maps and select a custom area to download.
  4. Check that the area you saved covers the route you expect to use.

Google’s offline-map instructions for iPhone and iPad explain both download routes and the limitations.

Know what offline maps can and cannot do

  • For offline route guidance, the entire route must fit within the downloaded area.
  • Offline transit, cycling, and walking directions are unavailable.
  • Offline driving directions do not include traffic information or alternate routes.
  • Offline-map downloads are unavailable in some countries and regions; Google cites contractual limits, language support, and address formats among the reasons.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

4. Measure distances or use coordinates

Google Maps can measure the distance between two or more points, which can help with straightforward map-based planning. It can also find or search for latitude and longitude coordinates, useful when you need to identify or share a precise point. Google includes both capabilities in its feature overview.

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A distance measured on a map is an estimate for planning, not a survey-grade measurement. The overview confirms these capabilities but does not establish a single step-by-step control path across devices; consult Google’s current help for your platform if you need the exact controls.

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