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You can use Google Maps without mobile data or Wi-Fi after downloading the area you need. It can show your own GPS position and provide driving directions within the downloaded area. Downloading the map is the part you must do while connected.
The important limit is what “offline tracking” means. Seeing your own position on your phone is different from sending a live location to someone else. Offline maps also do not provide walking, cycling or public-transport directions.
What works in Google Maps offline?
| Feature | Without an internet connection |
|---|---|
| View a downloaded street map | Yes, within the area stored on the device |
| See your own GPS position | Yes, when location access and satellite reception are available |
| Get driving directions | Yes, when the whole route is covered by the offline map |
| Get walking, cycling or transit directions | No |
| Check live traffic or alternative routes | No |
| Send someone your live location | The downloaded map does not send location updates; sharing needs a connection or a separately supported service |
Google documents the navigation limits in its Android offline-maps guide and iPhone and iPad guide.
1. Download the area before you leave
- Connect your phone to the internet and open the Google Maps app.
- Tap your profile picture or initial, then Offline maps.
- Choose Select your own map.
- Move and resize the selection to cover the area you need.
- Tap Download and wait for it to finish.
On Android, sign in to Google Maps first. On iPhone and iPad, leave Incognito mode before downloading. A place’s information card may also offer More > Download offline map.
2. Open the map and check the whole driving route
Open Google Maps and enter your destination as usual. Choose driving directions. The roads between your starting point and destination must be covered, not just the hotel or city at the end.
To review stored areas, return to Profile picture > Offline maps. Check the map boundary before a long drive. Saving a place, keeping a route on screen or taking a screenshot is not the same as downloading its surrounding map.
3. Use GPS without confusing it with live location sharing
GPS uses signals from satellites, so losing mobile data does not automatically stop the phone locating itself. Maps still needs permission to use your location. Reception can be poor indoors, underground or where the sky is obstructed.
A blue dot is not always an exact position. Google’s location-accuracy guide explains the uncertainty circle. If the dot or direction remains wrong, our Google Maps calibration guide covers permissions and compass checks.
A downloaded map does not broadcast your position. Normal Google Location Sharing requires an internet connection. On supported Pixel phones, carriers and regions, Google also offers one-time location updates over satellite to people you already share with. That separate feature is not continuous tracking supplied by an offline map.
4. Update downloaded maps before they expire
Check the expiry information under Offline maps. While connected, select an area and tap Update. The settings for this screen also include automatic updates.
Do not assume a map stays usable indefinitely or that it has updated while the phone was offline. Check it before each trip, particularly if you have not opened Maps for a while.
5. Test your setup and keep the key addresses
- Test before traveling. Turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data temporarily, leave location enabled and try a driving route inside the downloaded area.
- Keep an offline address note. Save your accommodation address, meeting point and other essentials somewhere you can open without a connection.
- Check storage and power. Make room for the download and plan how you will charge the phone.
- Check your travel mode. If you need offline walking or cycling directions, choose an app that specifically supports them and test it in advance.
For other navigation choices on iPhone, see our Apple Maps, Google Maps and Waze comparison. Check each app’s current offline support for your destination and travel mode.
Download preferences control map downloads and updates; they are not a guarantee against all roaming charges. Other apps can still use mobile data. Use your phone’s network controls when you want to stop cellular data use.
If a download or offline route is not working
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| The download is unavailable | Some countries and regions do not support downloads. Also check the app, account/Incognito state, connection and free storage. |
| The map opens but directions fail | Choose driving and check that the whole route is within the downloaded area. |
| The area is expired | Reconnect and update it before relying on it. |
| The blue dot is missing or inaccurate | Check location permissions and satellite reception; a map download alone cannot fix a location problem. |
Frequently asked questions
Can you use Google Maps without data or Wi-Fi?
Yes, for supported offline features after the area has downloaded. A map you have only viewed online is not a substitute for a completed offline download.
Does Google Maps track my location offline?
It can follow your own GPS position on a downloaded map. That does not mean another person can watch your movement or that every location-history feature is available.
How do I access maps I have downloaded?
Tap your profile picture or initial, then Offline maps to review the saved areas. Use the main map and directions screen for navigation.
Can I download a specific route in Google Maps?
Download the area containing the entire drive. Saving a destination or a route alone does not make every road along that journey available offline.
Does Google Maps provide offline walking directions?
No. Offline driving is supported, but walking, cycling and public-transport directions need a connection. Being able to see a downloaded street map does not enable those directions.
Can I share my live location without internet?
An offline map alone cannot send updates. Normal Location Sharing needs internet. A supported satellite-sharing feature has separate hardware, carrier and regional requirements.
How long do Google Maps offline downloads last?
Check the expiry information for each area in the app. Update it while connected before it expires and before an important trip.
Can I download or update a map while already offline?
No. Downloading fresh map data and updating an area require a connection. Prepare while you have reliable internet access.
Is Google Maps offline a way to track a missing person?
No. Downloading an area does not reveal someone else’s location. Location Sharing is a separate feature, and a displayed shared location may be old when updates cannot be sent.