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Google Maps for Android is changing in several overlapping steps—not through one redesign that arrived for everyone at once. Place pages have been seen with a new bottom action carousel, while newer Gemini features and a more visual navigation experience are rolling out separately. What you see can depend on your app build, account, location, and device.
The changes at a glance
| Change | What it affects | Availability and status |
|---|---|---|
| Material 3 Expressive place-page layout | Actions and tabs on place pages | Observed in a Google Maps beta in 2025; not a universal rollout |
| Gemini-assisted navigation | Route-related questions, recommendations, and landmark-based guidance | Announced in November 2025; availability varies by region and platform |
| Ask Maps | Conversational place discovery and trip planning | Announced in March 2026, initially for Android and iOS in the United States and India |
| Immersive Navigation | The active turn-by-turn navigation screen | Announced in March 2026; began rolling out in the United States to eligible devices and vehicle platforms |
| Timeline storage changes | Location-history data and migration | A separate privacy and data-storage change, not just a visual redesign |
These are distinct changes with different rollout schedules. A new place page does not mean your navigation screen has changed, and an AI feature may not appear just because you updated Maps.
What changed on Google Maps place pages?
A Google Maps beta observed in September 2025 showed key place actions—including Directions, Start, Ask, Call, Save, and Share—grouped in a persistent carousel near the bottom of the screen. Tabs such as Overview, Reviews, Photos, Updates, and About were also repositioned above image previews. The change was reported in beta version 25.37.x, so it should be understood as an observed, limited rollout rather than a feature every Android user received. 9to5Google’s report on the beta layout
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Keeping frequently used actions low on the screen can make them easier to reach with a thumb, especially on a tall phone. The trade-off is that a persistent row takes up space, potentially leaving less of the map or place information visible. Controls may also move between contexts, so a button missing from its old position may have been relocated rather than removed.
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Is the redesign part of Android 16?
Android 16 is associated with Google’s broader Material 3 Expressive design direction, but that does not make every Maps change Android 16-only. Google Maps is updated as an app through Google Play, independently of major Android system updates. A Maps interface change can therefore reach supported devices running different Android versions, while availability still varies by rollout and device. Google’s Material 3 Expressive announcement
Your Android version and manufacturer interface can affect how an app looks and behaves, but neither guarantees a particular Maps layout. The Maps app build, country, language, Google account, and server-side eligibility can also matter.
Navigation is changing separately from browsing
Google’s Immersive Navigation, announced on March 12, 2026, is a redesign of the active navigation experience—not the place-page layout. Google describes richer 3D visuals, smart zooming, transparent buildings, and more contextual information around complex turns. The aim is to help drivers understand the surrounding road layout and where a turn leads, rather than relying only on a route line on a flat map. Google’s Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation announcement
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Google also announced landmark-oriented guidance, in which directions can refer to recognizable nearby places. Extra context may be more helpful at a complicated city junction than on a straightforward highway, but it may add little on a simple route. A more detailed screen is not automatically easier for every driver: keep your attention on the road and treat visual or spoken guidance as assistance, not a substitute for road signs and safe judgment.
Navigation can look different on a phone, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, or a vehicle with Google built-in. These are separate interfaces and may receive features on different schedules. The March 2026 announcement said Immersive Navigation was beginning to roll out in the United States to eligible Android and iOS devices and supported in-car platforms; that is not a promise of immediate availability on every phone or dashboard.
What are Gemini navigation and Ask Maps?
Google announced Gemini-assisted Maps navigation on November 5, 2025. The announced use cases include asking about places along a route, finding or checking EV chargers, sharing an ETA, and getting recommendations hands-free. Landmark-based directions are another part of the effort. Google described a rollout on Android and iOS in regions where Gemini was available, with availability depending on the feature and platform. Google’s Gemini navigation announcement and rollout information
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Ask Maps is a conversational way to ask about places, activities, and trip planning. Google says it draws on information from hundreds of millions of places and community contributions, and that recommendations can be personalized using places you have searched for or saved. It is not simply a restyled search box, nor does it replace conventional search or route planning. Google initially announced Ask Maps for Android and iOS in the United States and India; access can still vary during rollout.
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Why two Android phones may look different
- Staged rollout: Google can enable a feature for some users before others, including through server-side changes that do not arrive with a visible app update.
- Beta versus stable: A beta build may show an experimental layout that is not in the stable app or may change before broader release.
- App and Android versions: Older builds may lack changes, but installing the latest version does not ensure eligibility for every feature.
- Region, language, and account: New tools may be limited by location, language, or account eligibility.
- Different screens: The phone app and a car display do not necessarily share the same layout or release schedule.
- Tests and changes over time: A feature can be tested, expanded, adjusted, or withdrawn, so screenshots from another user may not match your app.
That is why updating Maps can be sensible but cannot force a server-controlled feature to appear. Reinstalling the app is not a guaranteed way to join a rollout either.
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Check your Maps and Android versions
- Open the Google Play Store, search for Google Maps, and install an update if one is offered.
- In Maps, tap your profile picture or initial and open Settings. Look for version information; its exact location can vary by build.
- To check Android, open your phone’s Settings and look under About phone for Android version. Manufacturers use different menu labels.
- Restart Maps after an update. If the expected feature is still absent, it may not yet be available for your account, region, or device.
If the new layout is confusing or behaving badly
First distinguish a missing feature from a malfunction. If an expected button is absent, look through the place page, its action carousel, and any overflow or context-specific controls; the feature may have moved or may not be enabled for you. If Maps is freezing, displaying incorrectly, or failing to respond, try these steps:
- Install available Maps updates, then restart the app and phone.
- If the problem continues, clear the Maps cache using your phone’s app settings. Avoid clearing storage unless necessary: it can remove locally stored app data or require you to sign in again.
- If you joined the Maps beta and prefer a stable release, leave the beta through its Google Play listing and install the stable version when it becomes available. Beta changes may take time to disappear.
- Send specific feedback through the Maps app so Google can identify the problem.
- Use standard search and route controls where available if you do not want to use Gemini features. You can also choose the phone or in-car interface that is clearest and most reliable for your situation.
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Google announced a move toward storing Maps Timeline data on the user’s device rather than centrally with the Google Account, along with new controls and backup behavior. That is a change to location-history storage and privacy—not simply a new home-screen design. Google’s Timeline and Location History announcement
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Because device storage changes what happens when you replace, reset, or lose a phone, review the backup and transfer prompts in your own Maps build before moving devices. Do not assume all historical Timeline data will transfer automatically, or that a Timeline change necessarily means the data was deleted. Check the account and device prompts available to you.
Did Google remove offline maps?
The design changes described here do not establish that offline maps have been removed or redesigned. Offline maps are a separate function; a changed Maps home screen does not by itself mean they are gone. Their controls can move between versions, so check your installed app rather than relying on an older screenshot.
Google Maps Platform changes are for developers
Google also changes map styling and controls in the Maps Platform and Maps SDK for Android. Those updates concern developers building apps with Google’s mapping tools; they are not evidence that the consumer Google Maps app on your phone received the same redesign. See the Google Maps Platform map-style announcement and Maps SDK for Android release notes.
What to expect
Expect Google Maps for Android to evolve feature by feature. The relocated place actions, Gemini assistance, Ask Maps, and Immersive Navigation are separate changes with different availability. If your app differs from a screenshot, check your version and interface first—but remember that updating cannot guarantee access to a gradual or region-limited rollout.
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