Remote mountain areas, foreign travel, busy cities—wherever the mobile network is suddenly lost, many travelers are in trouble. The journey becomes more complicated when the navigation stops at that very moment. But not many people know, Google Maps has a built-in feature that can guide you without internet—offline maps.
According to Google's official guidelines, by pre-downloading maps of specific areas, you can easily access navigation anytime, anywhere—even when mobile data is turned off. Because after downloading the map, the app relies directly on the phone's GPRS, not the data.
How to use Google Maps without internet
1. Open the Google Maps app and tap on your profile icon.
2. Select the 'Offline Maps' option.
3. Go to 'Choose Your Own Map' and zoom in on the area as needed.
4. Then click on 'Download' and the map of that area will be saved on the device.
Turn-by-turn navigation is available for cars with downloaded maps, although traffic updates, alternative routes or public transport information cannot be viewed offline.
Offline maps are automatically updated when WiFi is turned on. But it is safer to check manually once before traveling.
When are offline maps most useful?
1. In remote or mountainous areas
2. In the countryside
3. To save on data roaming costs when traveling abroad
4. In crowded markets or underground parking
5. If the network fluctuates
Even if the internet is off, the phone's GPS is always active, so navigation can be done perfectly with the previously downloaded maps.
How to prepare before traveling
1. Download the map on WiFi connection before the journey.
2. Save a larger area including the hotel, surrounding area and potential itinerary.
3. Check if the offline map is updated regularly.
4. Keep the phone charged—GPS uses more battery.
5. Save map to SD card if necessary, it saves internal storage.
A few more tricks to use offline maps effectively
1. Works better offline if the route is previewed online.
2. Rename individual maps—eg “Sylhet Trip” or “Dhaka North”.
3. Download if you have strong Wi-Fi, reducing the risk of incomplete maps.
4. If you mark 'Saved Places' beforehand, they can be viewed offline.
5. GPS signal is best received in open air.
Because of which you can get into trouble
1. If the size of the downloaded area is not large enough
2. When the map expires
3. If the phone storage is low
4. GPS is weak in tunnels or enclosed spaces
5. When trying to access live features like traffic or bus-trains
These problems are usually solved by updating the map or downloading a large area map.
The offline feature of Google Maps is undoubtedly a big advantage for travelers—one that many still don't use. Downloading maps in advance without relying on the network makes any trip hassle-free. There is no fear of losing your way without internet if you have the right preparation.
