Google Maps offline on Android

Download of google maps offline on android may become necessary while travelling/camping with limited mobile network, when frequently travelling within same locality/city or better still to save your mobile data plan by downloading from free Wi-fi network ;-).

While Gmaps are used mostly online but saving small area of Google Maps offline will later allow you to travel using Android GPS, without internet connection! While a GPS is not mandatory but without it Cached Google map may not be of much use !

Steps to download google maps offline :

  1. Connect your Android phone to Internet via Wifi or internet data service (2G/3G)
  2. Open Google Maps on your android phone
  3. Enable GPS on your android phone
  4. Type location/city(hereafter called POI:Point of interest ;-)) you want to download and search it.
  5. Once Map shows that location zoom in/out for concerned area. Alternatively select route to get area from your present location to POI.
  6. Remove POI name and clear search bar
  7. There shall be an option now (somewhere at bottom) Make this map area available offline click on that.
    In certain old version if you do not find this option type Ok Maps and click search
  8. A message Pre-loading map... % will indicate google map getting cached for offline use.
  9. If map is successfully downloaded you should see message The on-screen map area has been cached. If there is some error please check Offline Google maps limitation

The cached files gets stored on your SD card at
/SD card/Android/data/com.google.android.apps.maps/cache/
but you cannot use it directly. Let see how to use this downloaded Google map offline.

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