10 Google Maps settings I immediately change on every new phone - and why

This is simply a large 1 for anyone who's privacy-conscious, which I am, aft years of editing and penning articles astir security.

Location past saves wherever I spell connected a regular basis. Literally everywhere. That's utile if I similar having a idiosyncratic question log oregon being capable to rapidly notation past trips. But I don't. Google Maps doesn't request to support a moving diary of each store, doctor's office, oregon edifice I've visited. It feels excessively nosy, and disabling it doesn't negatively impact my experience.

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All my determination past information is maintained successful what Google calls the Timeline.

To negociate it, I unfastened Google Maps, pat my illustration icon, and take "Your Timeline." From there, I tin reappraisal my saved places, trips, and routes by day. I tin delete a afloat time via the pencil icon oregon region a azygous halt from the three-dot menu. For much control, I tin spell to "Settings," unfastened "Location and privacy," and crook disconnected Timeline completely. Guess which 1 I do.

Google loves to way my enactment crossed its services truthful it tin supply faster search, amended recommendations, and personalized results. But let's beryllium real: It besides helps Google people maine with hyper-specific ads.

To bounds however overmuch of my enactment Google tracks, I commencement with a mounting called "Web and App Activity." It saves my Google app activity, including Maps searches, directions, and visits. I tin negociate it from my Google account's "Activity Controls" page, wherever I tin crook it disconnected oregon filter by Google app and day to delete definite activity.

I tin besides entree this mounting from the Google Maps app. Just unfastened it, pat the illustration icon, prime Your information successful Maps, and look for Web and App Activity. But here's the catch: It affects each Google apps, adjacent Search.

If that feels similar excessively much, which it can, since adjacent I'll admit immoderate tracking is helpful, I thin to disable 2 Maps-specific settings instead: "Personalized Recommendations" and "Maps History." In Maps, I pat my illustration icon, unfastened "Settings," spell to "Location and privacy," and look for some options to power them off.

Tip: Disabling "Web and App Activity" automatically disables "Personalized Recommendations" and "Maps History."

OK, since I'm successful the heavy of relationship settings, I'll urge 1 much that's worthy disabling, oregon astatine slightest considering. I mentioned this earlier, but Maps enactment tin provender into Google's larger advertizing profile, truthful I similar to crook disconnected advertisement personalization to bounds however overmuch my searches, routes, and determination impact the ads I see.

To bash this, I unfastened my Google account's Ad Center, look for the "Personalized ads" button, and power it off. Since this is simply a Google account-specific setting, I don't person to bash it each clip I re-download Maps.

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Tip: Like my Google app activity, I tin entree my personalized ads settings from the Google Maps app itself. I conscionable unfastened it, pat my illustration icon, prime Your information successful Maps, and look for the "Personalized ads" section.

This is my past privateness suggestion. Let's accidental each my recommendations supra dependable similar excessively much. Or possibly it doesn't fuss you if Google Maps saves your hunt history, navigation routes, oregon determination data, oregon if it maintains a Timeline and uses your enactment to personalize your acquisition (and ads) successful Google Maps.

Cool. But what if you privation to spell determination undetected, adjacent for a moment, for immoderate reason? Maybe you're picking up a day barroom oregon contiguous for your spouse and don't privation them to accidentally spot successful Maps that you went to a spot 1 day. That's erstwhile I'd usage "Incognito Mode." It's conscionable similar the Chrome version.

To usage it, I unfastened Google Maps, spell to my illustration icon, and pat "Turn connected Incognito Mode." It's that easy. When active, it prevents the app from redeeming my past and determination information to my Google Account.

Something weird astir maine is I crook disconnected notifications for everything. Even my Phone app. I get fatigued and stressed excessively easily, and I hatred them, and... I could spell on. So, of course, Maps notifications person to go, too. But I admit not everyone is arsenic utmost arsenic I am, truthful I'll explicate however to unopen disconnected the unnecessary ones.

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Open Google Maps, pat the illustration icon, spell to "Settings," and prime "Notifications." From there, I spell class by class and power disconnected the alerts I don't want, similar reviews, questions and answers, photos, contributions, recommendations, and section updates. Why bash I request each these on, flooding my surface with alerts?

Offline maps are 1 of those features I usage perpetually due to the fact that I unrecorded successful upstate New York, virtually on the Quebec border, and compartment work someway inactive hasn't managed to grace the area, contempt it being 2026.

So, I crook connected offline maps auto-update truthful the saved areas I request don't spell stale. I unfastened Google Maps, spell to my illustration icon, pat "Offline maps," deed the settings cog, and toggle connected the switch. I tin besides alteration "Auto-download recommended maps" and specify my download preferences, specified arsenic "Wi-Fi only."

A lifesaver, truly.

Living rurally similar I do, I've noticed that thoroughfare signage connected backcountry roads is sparse, to accidental the least. Sometimes I'll thrust for rather virtually miles and person nary thought what the velocity bounds is... 30? 45? 55? Not a clue.

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Instead of winging it, the safer option, by far, is to usage Google Maps. It tin amusement maine not lone an estimated speedometer but besides posted velocity limits during my drive. Nice. So, to crook them on, I unfastened Maps, pat my illustration icon, spell to "Settings" > "Navigation," and power connected "Speedometer" and "Speed limits" nether driving options.

Where I live, state prices are hovering astir $4.50 a gallon. That's ace unfortunate, considering my nearest market store is 28 miles away. I enactment a batch of mileage connected my truck. Yes, truck, not car, which makes the terms of state adjacent worse for me. So it's important that Google Maps shows maine the astir economical route.

I besides acceptable my motor benignant successful Maps truthful it tin amended estimation my substance efficiency.

To bash both, I unfastened Google Maps, pat my illustration icon, spell to "Settings" > "Navigation," and crook connected "Prefer fuel-efficient routes." Then I spell backmost to the "Settings" leafage and take "Your vehicles." From there, I acceptable my motor benignant to gas. If you ain an EV, you tin specify what you ain and adhd the twelvemonth and trim package.

I similar to crook connected media playback controls truthful I tin pause, skip, oregon resume my euphony and podcasts without leaving the Google Maps navigation screen. I find it annoying and distracting to bounce betwixt apps portion driving.

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To alteration playback controls, I unfastened Google Maps, pat my illustration icon, spell to "Settings" > "Navigation," and pat "Music playback controls." There, I tin take my preferred app, specified arsenic Apple Music oregon Spotify. Easy peasy.

I'm hard of hearing, but adjacent if you aren't, Google Maps directions are useless if you can't perceive them implicit roadworthy noise, music, oregon radical talking successful the car. So, connected a caller phone, I ever cheque the navigation measurement and acceptable dependable guidance to louder truthful I'm not perpetually glancing down astatine the surface portion driving.

I unfastened Google Maps, pat my illustration icon, spell to "Settings" > "Navigation" > "Guidance volume," and take "Louder."

Does turning disconnected Timeline marque Google Maps worse?

Not astatine all. I tin inactive hunt for places, get directions, usage offline maps, spot velocity limits, and navigate similar normal.

Where tin I larn much Google Maps tips?

Check retired my maestro usher to 41 Google Maps tips and tricks.

Is determination a amended navigation app I tin use?

Not successful my experience. 

I've tested Google Maps against Waze and Apple Maps to spot however it compares for navigation, traffic, astute features, and mundane use. Spoiler alert: Google Maps blows them some retired of the water.