Maybe I didn't have a clear understanding of how downloading and saving Google maps works.....While I was home, I downloaded and saved numerous maps for our trip to Ireland. I knew they would have to be "updated" prior to use. But what I didn't realize, was that they have to be updated every time you close the application. So, even if I updated the map while at our AirBnB; closed the app, and then opened it 5 minutes later outside of wifi, it needed to be updated again. And, of course, it couldn't do it because I wasn't in a wifi environment any more. Good thing we also purchased the Ireland maps for our GPS because we would have been sunk otherwise. Just a word of caution to others like me that may not have a clear understanding of how downloaded off-line maps work.
Posted by
11153 posts
Thanks for this head’s up.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
6525 posts
Odd, you should just type where you want to go in the search bar and it should go right to it.
Posted by
OP
16 posts
jaimeelsabio It doesn't work that way if you are using the maps offline. They are downloaded and saved. You do not have search capabilities in the downloaded version.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
6525 posts
Launched the app and Cleared out any old map searches then closed the app. Turned off my WiFi, relaunched the app, and entered a place name that is on a saved downloaded Sicily map and it went right to it. When I tried a name not on a saved map (London) and I got nowhere except for places in Sicily with the name London. The downloaded map doesn’t have the same detail as the online map but it went straight to a place I’m going to later this year. Maybe your device doesn’t work the same.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
I didn't have this problem either last time I used Google Maps offline. I downloaded the map ahead of time and was never prompted to update it again, until it had expired after 30 days (after my trip to Slovenia, so I deleted the map.).
So I'd say you had a specific problem with your phone, not a general issue everyone will encounter- maybe a glitch.
Did you try Google Maps "offline" at home first (downloading your home area as a test)? I will say that it doesn't work quite the same as Google Maps "regular" but still gives a lot of detail and turn-by-turn directions. I didn't really need it "offline" because I had a SIM with a lot of data, and data is cheap nowadays, but I used it offline anyway mostly to try it out.
I only downloaded one map for Slovenia - I just enlarged the area and downloaded the whole thing. I guess you were driving throughout Ireland you might have downloaded one big area but that could have taken a lot of space on your phone, not sure. I'm not sure why else you would have downloaded multiple maps.
Posted by
OP
16 posts
I wish I had tested it before we left. I had understood that it only needed to be updated after the 30 days, but that's not how it worked for me. It does sound like some glitch or weird setting on my phone. I'll have to try to again here to try and figure it out. Thanks for the help in understanding this.