Top 20 Google Maps Tips and Tricks You Should Know

1. Share Live Location

Tap your profile → Location Sharing. Share your real-time location for a set duration—great for travel or meetups.

2. Incognito Mode

Turn on Incognito from your profile to prevent searches or destinations from being saved.

3. Measure Distance

Right-click on a spot (web) or drop a pin (mobile) → “Measure distance”. You can add multiple segments to trace custom paths.

4. Save Parking Spot

After parking, tap the blue dot and choose “Save your parking”. You can add notes or photos.

5. Choose Fuel-Efficient Routes

Look for a green leaf icon when driving—meant to reduce fuel use and emissions.

6. Download Offline Maps

Open profile → Offline maps → select area. Ideal when you expect poor coverage.

7. Set Depart or Arrive ‘By’ Time

While setting directions, tap the three dots to choose “Depart at” or “Arrive by” — handy for planning.

8. Use the “Go” Tab

Quick shortcuts to saved places for fast navigation.

9. Indoor Maps

Access floor plans of malls, airports, hotels by zooming and selecting floor levels.

10. View Layers

Tap the layers icon to switch between map styles (satellite, terrain, traffic, bike lanes, air quality, wildfires…).

11. Calibrate Compass

Tap the blue dot → Calibrate if your direction arrow is off—follow the “figure 8” motion.

12. Change Driving Icon

In navigation, tap the car icon to choose a different model (red, yellow, green).

13. Search Along Route

While in navigation, tap ⋮ → Search along route to find stops like gas stations or eateries.

14. Save Favorite Places

Label locations like Home, Work, Gym by tapping “Add label” on the place’s menu.

15. Timeline & Location History

Your timeline shows places you’ve visited—great for reference or memory jogging.

16. Indoor AR “Live View”

Use walking directions with “Live View” to see overlay arrows and street names via your camera.

17. 3D Globe & Building Views

Zoom far out to sketch the world as a rotatable 3D globe; zoom in to see 3D building models.

18. Locate EV Charging & Toll Info

Google Maps guides you to charging stations and shows toll road pricing in supported regions.

19. Book Parking

In select areas (e.g., UK), users can reserve a parking spot directly within Maps via JustPark integration.

20. Use “Lens in Maps”

Use AR with Live View to identify nearby shops, transit stops, prices, and reviews—via the camera icon in search bar.

How to Use Atlas Alongside Google Maps

Google Maps is excellent for directions and real‑time navigation.

But if you want to create custom web maps, style data layers, export GIS formats, or publish interactive maps — Atlas is a great companion tool.

What can Atlas do that Google Maps can’t?

When to switch from Google Maps to Atlas?

• When you want to publish a map with your own data
• When you need GIS formats for other apps
• When you need to measure land area
• When you want to style the map for storytelling
• When you want better control over access (public, private, password)

Work faster with spatial data

Easily import data, automate analysis and build spatial apps for the web, all within a single software.

Create a free user

How it works

1. Prepare your data (CSV, shapefile, GeoJSON)
2. Upload to Atlas
3. Style your map with simple controls
4. Share via link or embed on your site

Atlas isn’t a replacement for Google Maps — it’s a tool that helps you build the custom maps that Google Maps can’t.

Together, they cover everything from directions to data-rich mapping.