How do you GPS drive with an offline google map?

December 10, 2019 5:32 PM

So this weekend I went for a Japanese road trip and used Google Maps as my GPS as I usually do. Except on the way there my provider cut my data due to a mixup. "No problem," I thought, "I have the map saved offline." Except it was. GoogleMaps didn't provide update my location while we were moving. Only whenever I stopped and put in the route again. So in the future, how DO I use GM in this way? Or CAN you?
posted by rileyray3000 to Travel & Transportation (8 answers total)

The way you thought it would work is the way it always works for me. Pretty much every time I go camping I'll download the area in Google Maps ahead of time and will be able to navigate on it without any problem. Make sure to turn off features like 'battery saver' as that will stop your phone from updating its location and also have 'location services' turned on.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:00 PM on December 10, 2019 [1 favorite]

According to this support article about offline mode, it should work the way that you expect it to, so I'm not sure what went wrong. Maybe check your location settings to make sure you have that enabled?

Also, you mentioned road trip, so I assume you were using driving directions, but do note that it doesn't do walking, cycling or transit directions in offline mode.
posted by Aleyn at 6:04 PM on December 10, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Well I might have had battery saver on on my iPhone but I don't think so. It was plugged in.
posted by rileyray3000 at 6:08 PM on December 10, 2019

When I went to japan a couple of years ago, offline Google maps weren't available due to a rights issue. Maybe that's what affected you?

I found this Google support discussion from earlier this year that has more info.
posted by vespertinism at 6:54 PM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]

Yes, Google Maps is not available offline in Japan.
posted by Umami Dearest at 7:14 PM on December 10, 2019

Google Maps has supported offline in Japan since November. (Article in Japanese)

It sounds like the map was visible so the offline tiles were working but the blue dot didn't track your location along the route?
posted by lantius at 7:44 PM on December 10, 2019

Not a solution for Google maps, but you can get the free HERE We Go app, download maps for Japan (or wherever you'll be) and use it for offline navigation.
posted by brianogilvie at 2:21 AM on December 11, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: "It sounds like the map was visible so the offline tiles were working but the blue dot didn't track your location along the route?"

Yeah that's basically it. When I stopped it hadn't shown any movement. So I'd cancel the drive, I'd re-enter the route and it'd show I HAD moved and my new shorter route.
posted by rileyray3000 at 2:41 PM on December 11, 2019