Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Google has formally introduced the rollout of offline maps in Google Maps on Put on OS watches, together with the Pixel Watch 1 and a pair of, OnePlus Watch, latest Galaxy Watches, and extra. The function has been slowly trickling for a few weeks, nevertheless it ought to now be accessible to everybody and I believe it is best to put it to good use instantly, similar to I did earlier than packing for a 10-day journey to Albania.
The reality is that nobody plans to be misplaced in unfamiliar areas with no connection, however sudden issues do occur on the most sudden of occasions. I prefer to be ready, and since I dwell in a comparatively new nation and prefer to journey to much more unfamiliar locations, I depend on Google Maps lots to information me round. I additionally all the time obtain the offline map of my present metropolis to my cellphone, simply in case I’m in an space with a spotty connection. However what occurs when the cellphone’s battery runs out? Effectively, offline maps on smartwatches come to the rescue!
When your cellphone is out of attain or its battery is useless, having a backup offline map could be very useful — even on a tiny show.
If the function is offered to you, you’ll see a discover the second you open the Maps app in your watch. Go forward and scroll down, previous the latest searches, and to the underside of the choices. Proper above Settings, you’ll see a brand new Offline maps menu. Opening that reveals a brand new display the place you may handle your offline maps.
By default, nothing is downloaded to your watch, and the app explains that it’s essential to first handle offline maps in your Android cellphone. So that you begin by downloading an space on Google Maps in your cellphone and when you do, you’ll see that map pop up as downloadable on the watch, similar to you see with the Albania map beneath.
Faucet to obtain, faucet the checkmark, and also you’ll see the obtain progress. If it’s an enormous map, you would possibly need to depart your watch on a charger inside your Wi-Fi community to hurry up the method and keep away from losing battery life. As soon as the obtain is full, you’ll see the map’s full dimension together with a checkmark subsequent to it.
Now, you may faucet that map once more to delete it or simply depart it’s and return to the primary Maps app. In my expertise, downloaded maps load a lot sooner on the watch after I wished to browse round and, as you may see within the two screenshots beneath, they do work offline (stricken cloud icon on prime).
Throughout my 10 days in Albania, I used to be ready to make use of the map even when my cellphone was away or disconnected. I may zoom out and in as a lot as I wished, proper right down to road stage, test my environment in Shkoder, seek for locations in Tirana, and get driving instructions in Vlore. Having that gave me a bit of additional peace of thoughts, realizing that I may return to my lodge even when my Pixel 9 Professional XL‘s battery collapsed below the stress of 1,000,000 every day images of the attractive Albanian panorama.
The restrictions listed here are just like offline Google Maps on the cellphone. You don’t see scores or evaluations; you may’t get strolling, transit, or biking instructions; and there are not any visitors updates when driving. I do perceive the limitation behind a few of these — scores or evaluations would take lots of area, whereas transit and visitors require dwell updates — however I’m nonetheless a bit miffed that I can’t get fundamental strolling or biking instructions when offline. It shouldn’t require an web connection to inform me find out how to stroll from level A to level B.
Nonetheless, in the event you depend on Maps in your on a regular basis life, it is a welcome bonus and a nifty trick — even on a tiny show — to be sure you have a backup plan when your cellphone is out of attain, or its battery is useless.
