How to download Google Maps

Google Maps is a terrific tool when you have to go to a place you don’t know well. It would be an ideal travel companion even in the car, but often you do not have the Internet connection necessary to consult it with your smartphone or tablet or laptop. In these cases, the best solution could be to view the maps, save them and print them to take them with you in paper form or, perhaps, download them locally on the device in use, in order to then consult everything offline. Yes, but how do you do it?

I’ll give you the answer, with the instructions contained in this guide of mine focused, in fact, on how to download the maps of Google Maps. If you are interested in this (and at this point I guess so!), Take a few minutes of free time all for yourself and read what is reported below. In the following lines you will find in fact indicated how to succeed in the enterprise by resorting to the use of special third-party tools as well as exploiting an ad hoc functionality attached to the official big G app dedicated to GPS navigation.

Then? May I know what are you still doing standing there? Get comfortable and immediately start focusing on the information below. In the end, I am sure, you will be able to tell yourself very happy and satisfied with what you have learned. Are you ready? Yes? Great. Ban the chatter and proceed.

Index

• Download the maps of Google Maps on Windows
• Download Google Maps maps on macOS
• Download Google Maps from Android and iOS
• Google Maps workarounds to download maps

Download the maps of Google Maps on Windows

Are you interested in understanding how to download Google Maps on your PC? I immediately inform you that to do this you must necessarily use an “unofficial” tool: Google Maps Saver. The web version of Google Maps, which is the only one accessible from desktop, does not include any function to download offline maps.

Instead, with this software, free and running on Windows operating systems, you can perform the operation in question in a very simple way, by saving the big G maps in the form of images, so that you can consult them directly from your computer, without having to necessarily be connected to the Internet, or you can print them freely, without wasting ink and having only the part of the map that really interests you. Great, don’t you think?

To use the program, the first step you need to take is to connect to the Google Map Saver website and click on the blue DOWNLOAD GMS button located in the middle of the page. In the new page that opens, click once again on the DOWNLOAD GMS button at the bottom, in order to download the program on your PC.

When the download is complete, open the .exe file you just obtained, click on the Run button to authorize the execution of the program and you will immediately find yourself in front of the main screen of Google Map Saver. The software, in fact, does not need installations in order to function properly.

Now, to be able to save the maps of Google Maps with Google Map Saver, all you have to do is follow the instructions illustrated in the first screen of the program. Then type the name of the city and country whose map you want to save in the Location / POI field (eg Rome, Italy ) and specify the size that the saved map must-have in the Resolution field (leaving on Window Size, a map will be saved as large as the window displayed on the desktop).

Now indicate the magnification level of the map in the Zoom field, the type of map to be displayed in the Map Type field (choose Map for the simple map, Satellite for viewing from the satellite without directions, Hybrid for satellite viewing with directions or Terrain for a more detailed simple map) and click on the GO! to view the map.

At this point, wait a few seconds for Google Map Saver to load the Google map you requested, if you want to navigate to a specific point of the latter you want to save and, when it becomes available, click on the Save Capture as button to save the map displayed on your PC. In the window that opens, select the folder in which to save the map, click on Save and that’s it.

Note that by default the program saves maps in JPG format. If you want, however, you can also choose other image formats by scrolling the drop-down menu located next to the button to save the map.

Download Google Maps maps on macOS

Do you own a Mac? In this case, the tool to download the Google Maps that I told you a moment ago is not suitable. To succeed in your intent you must turn to an alternative resource:  MySatellite.

This is a paid application (costs just under $ 10) but possibly also usable in a free trial version (the one I used to write this step) that works on all versions of macOS and mediate which is possible save offline the maps of the famous Google home service and consult them without necessarily having to be connected to the Internet. It should be noted that, unlike the resource I have already told you about in the previous lines, it also allows you to download the maps of other renowned services belonging to the category, such as those of Bing Maps and Yahoo Maps.

You ask me how to use it on your Apple-branded computer? I’ll point it out to you right away. First, connected to the application website and click on the TRIAL  Version item on the left in order to start downloading the app.

Once the download is complete, extract the ZIP archive obtained in any location on your Mac, move the MySatellite application inside it to the Applications folder of macOS and open it by right-clicking on it and choosing Open twice in a row (so to go around the limitations imposed by Apple on unauthorized developers.

Once the application window is displayed on the screen, copy and paste the geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) of the Google Maps area you want to download in the appropriate fields on the left, choose the type of map you want to download using the menu Select map type drop-down: which is at the bottom and indicates whether you want to save the map as an image or as a Java map (for mobile devices) from the Select map target: menu below.

Therefore, adjust the zoom level of the map using the appropriate cursor on the right side (help yourself by looking at the preview image below) and to conclude, or to download the maps of Google Maps on your Mac, press the Download map button below To the right. So there is nothing left to do but indicate the location on your computer to save. That’s all.

Download Google Maps from Android and iOS

If, on the other hand, you want to download the maps of Google Maps on your smartphone or tablet, I am happy to inform you that to perform this operation you do not need third-party tools: just take advantage of the official Google Maps app made available directly Google for Android and iOS.

In fact, you must know that the big G application dedicated to navigation integrates a special function that, in fact, allows you to locally download the maps of interest so that they can be consulted from the screen of the smartphone or tablet in use, without the need for no Internet connection, for a maximum period of 30 days (after which they are automatically deleted if not updated). Let’s see immediately how we need to proceed, precisely.

First of all, if you have not already done so, download and install Google Maps on your device by tapping, directly from the smartphone or tablet screen, on the relevant link that I have provided you just now. Then press the button to download the app to the window that appears. Then open the application by pressing on its icon that has been added to the home screen of the device.

Now, grant Google Maps permission to access your geographic location (if required) and log in to your Google account (always if required) then press the search field at the top, type the name of the place you want to download the map (eg  Naples, Italy ) and select the relevant suggestion from the list. Once the reference map is displayed on the screen, stop on the name of the place at the bottom and then press the Download button.

Then select the area to download by moving the rectangle that appeared on the screen on the map and then press the Download button at the bottom right. Finally, choose whether you wish to receive a notification or not at the end of the map download procedure and wait patiently for the download to be started and completed. You can follow the progress of the operation through the appropriate screen that will be shown to you later.

Once the download is complete, you can view the area of ​​the downloaded map offline by carrying out a normal search on Google Maps, which in this case will however be accessible without burdening the data connection and even when your device is offline.

If you then want to rename the downloaded map, you can do it by pressing the button with the three lines horizontally located in the upper left part of the app screen, then take the Offline Maps item in the menu that opens, pressing on the reference element, then on the pencil at the top right and finally typing the name you prefer.

I also point out that from the same screen you can also update the downloaded map by pressing the Update button or you can delete it by tapping on Delete.

Note:  Offline map download is not available in some regions due to contractual limitations, supported languages, address formats, or other reasons. In addition, offline maps allow you to get directions for getting around by car, but not by bike, on foot, or by public transport. It should also be taken into account that the road signs do not include traffic information, alternative routes or the indication of the lanes in which to position. It is also not possible to change routes to avoid, for example, toll booths or ferries.

Google Maps workarounds to download maps

To conclude, as they say, I want to point out some alternative solutions to Google Maps that you can adopt to download the maps locally on your devices, in case the above solutions were not able to satisfy your needs.

Therefore, you will find listed below those that in my humble opinion represent the best services and the best maps programs usable offline as well as the best apps for smartphones and tablets for navigation that natively offer the map export function and which you can therefore take advantage of. for your purpose, provided you like the idea of ​​not relying on big G.

• OpenStreetMap( Online ) – Online service which, as easily deduced from the name, is open source in nature. It works well or badly in a similar way to Google Maps via the Web but, unlike the latter, it integrates a function that allows you to export the displayed map area to your computer or mobile device.
• Microsoft Maps(Windows) – This is the “standard” map service available on Windows 10. The maps offered are, of course, those of Microsoft and it is useful for the purpose in question as it integrates a function through which it is possible to export the area displayed in PDF format (or to print it).
• Map Snapshot( macOS ) – Paid application (costs € 4.49) available only for macOS that integrates a proprietary map system and which, as easily understood from the name itself, allows you to capture screenshots of the geographical areas of interest by making the saving in JPG or PNG format. You can also select the type of map to be displayed.
• Apple Maps(macOS) – This is the map system integrated in macOS (as well as on iOS devices). It offers an excellent navigation system and also includes a special function that allows you to print or save the displayed map area in PDF format.
• HERE WeGo( Android / iOS ) – This is the former Nokia Maps, which has now become an independent project with constant updates. It works in a similar way to the Google Maps app for mobile devices. It deserves to be mentioned in this guide as it also integrates offline maps of the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia and over 100 other countries around the world. Just download what you need and that’s it.
• CityMaps2Go( Android / iOS ) – Application designed mostly for travelers that allows you to download offline maps of any location in the world and access them without an Internet connection. In the download it is also possible to include detailed information on points of interest, attractions and everything on the map.