Pre-Cache Google Maps on your Android Device
Version 6.9 of Google Maps for Android released in June 2012 did away with the Labs feature for offline maps. Instead, included is a ‘baked in’ version for viewing maps offline, but it appears to be only available for the USA. For those looking to use offline maps around the rest of the world, I’d suggest not upgrading, or looking for an older version of the Google Maps .apk file to install (not for the faint of heart).
Mapping is one of the great features of a smartphone, handheld or tablet. No more giant maps being folded wrong, ripping, or making you as a super tourist. Most smartphones even include a GPS to show you where you are, and where you are headed.
There is a drawback though. Unfortunately, roaming charges for your data plan can often cost a small fortune when out of the country, and free wifi isn’t just following you as you wander around town.
If you have an Android device, you can enable a labs feature in Google Maps called “Pre-Cache Map Area.” Once loaded, you can have maps of locations you are planning on visiting loaded on your device ahead of time. So now when you hop off that train in a new country, you’ll know where you are, and where you need to go.
Here is how you set up and use the pre-cache map feature.
First you will need to enable it through Labs
1) Open Google Maps and press Menu
2) Choose “Settings”
3) Choose “Labs”
4) Scroll down and choose “Pre-cache map area”
How to use Pre-cache map area
1) Scroll or search the map for the area you would like to cache
2) Long press the area on the map you would like (I’m choosing lovely Chiang Mai). When the balloon pops up, press it.
3) Choose “Pre-cache map area” from the menu
4) Wait while the caching takes place. It will cache an area within 10 miles of your selection
5) When finished, you will see a black square outlining your cached area. You’re set!
Now how do you delete those cached maps once you’re moved on to your next destination? Easy!
1) Click Menu
2) Choose “Cache Settings”
3) Choose “Pre-cached areas”
4) Now feel free to either rename by clicking the pencil, or delete your pre-cached maps with the big X
One of the editors of Too Many Adapters, Dustin just can’t get enough travel or technology.
When not directly feeding his above insatiable habits, you can probably find him at some far away ice cream shop taking pictures and tweeting of all the flavors to jealous followers. That, or on top of a mountain somewhere shooting panoramas with his DSLR.
At last found how to cache maps really easily ~ Many thanks. Do you know how to download whole regions say East Anglia or South Wales? It would be very useful. Robin
Aside from selecting the areas one by one, I don’t know of a way, sorry! Even then, I believe you can only cache 10 areas or so.
Let us know if you find a way, I’m sure others would be interested to know as well.
The problem is that you still can not start using the Navigation after you quit a WiFi point. Nor the Directions. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you may be guided somehow if you launch the Navigation/Direction while you have a WiFi/3G connection and never quit the Map afterwards. Not tested in Car mode, but it might work satisfactorily on Foot mode. If you are able to read a map, of course
Thanks for the comment Kor. To be honest, I’ve never used the nav before, but was planning on giving it a go on a road trip in a couple of weeks.
What phone and OS version are you using?
I’ve noticed the same thing – nav & directions will work if you start with a wifi/data connection and then lose it once you start moving, but not if you try to start when you’re within a cached map area without a data connection. Annoying to say the least, but at least you still have a map to use – when you figure out where you are to start with!
Thanks for the tip Dustin!
I know a bunch of people traveling to Portland soon that will probably love this.
Dave and I will both be at WDS in July. Look forward to meeting you there Patrice!
Unfortunately it seems like this feature was removed in the last update
I’m looking into this. I’ve heard reports that offline caching is built into the new version of Google Maps, but that it may be USA only. I’ll update the post / comments when I find out.
I did some research into moving to an older version of Google Maps, but there is no quick & simple way I’ve been able to find. You could try searching for an older version of the .apk, I’d just be weary of installing anything that you don’t trust.
I did find this site that has a repository of Android apk files if you want to give it a try. http://www.apktops.com/tag/google-maps-apk