9 hidden features of Google Maps that everyone should know

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Google Maps is one of the most useful apps you can have on your phone. If you need directions to get around, train or bus schedules, hardware store opening hours, or anything similar. Google Maps has all this information and more.

There are countless hidden features in Google Maps, many of which you may not have known were there. Features that make Google Maps so much more than just a navigation tool. Here are all of our favorite hidden Google Maps features that you should try for yourself.

Google Maps hidden features that everyone should know about1. Dress up the Pegman

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

You know Pegman, right? The little yellow figure you drag onto the map to activate Google Street View and see the world from street level? If you’re on a desktop you’ll notice that this little guy looks a little different. Elegant dress too.

The extent of these costume changes is not yet fully known. But different places have different clothes. In Loch Ness, he transforms into a green monster in a tartan cap, while dragging Pegman to Area 51 means he comes with his very own UFO. Pegman will also change his outfit to celebrate some dates, including the 15th anniversary of Street View on May 14, 2022.

2. Travel back in time

(Image credit: Future)

Google Maps’ Street View feature is a great way to check out an area from street level, without actually being there, and it’s updated fairly regularly. But the old pictures aren’t going anywhere – they’re still accessible to go back and see how things used to look. This feature has been available on desktop since 2014, and Google is currently rolling it out to mobile devices.

On your desktop you should open Street View and look in the upper left corner. If you see a clock surrounded by counter-clockwise arrows, time travel is available. Click it, and a pop-up menu with a drag bar will let you scroll down to all the previous Street View images Google has collected over the years.

On mobile, if you already have the feature, load Street View and tap the photo. A menu at the bottom will have the option to see more dates, allowing you to scroll back to any historical Street View versions available.

3. Remember where you parked

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

Finding your car can be a hassle, and luckily Google Maps has a couple of ways to help you track exactly where you left it at any given time. The simplest is the manual option to mark your car’s location, provided you remember to do so.

Open Google Maps before leaving your car, then press and hold on the blue location dot. The Your location menu will appear and you want to press Save parking. Google Maps will drop a yellow pin reminding you where you parked, which will be saved for 24 hours, unless you manually remove it.

Google Maps on Android has a few extra features too, allowing you to add notes, images, and the option to specify when your parking is set to expire. The latter adds a permanent countdown notification to your phone, so you won’t forget it.

To find your car, Android users need to press the search bar and they will see that the parking location is the top option. iPhone users should tap the blue Navigate button on the right side of the screen and they’ll find the Saved Parking option about a third of the way down.

4. Create your own maps

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

Google Maps has a lot of information, especially in big cities, and that can be intimidating. Luckily you can go ahead and create your own maps, allowing you to place markers for all the important places you want to go to in the future.

Go to Google Maps on your desktop and click on the three-line menu to the left of the search bar. From there, press Your Places > Maps > Create Map. The resulting screen will allow you to add markers, driving directions, lines and routes, as well as measurable distances. Once created and saved, these maps can be layered in the standard Google Maps interface across all your devices from the same Maps screen as before.

It can be a little confusing at first, but this is a great way to better focus on all the important stuff without the usual Google Maps clutter.

5. Check the last train home

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

Google Maps has an ample amount of information about public transport in countless places, but it can be a little more useful than telling you when the next bus is due. You can use Google Maps to figure out your last chance to get home.

First you have to choose the starting point and the destination. This is done by looking for directions between the two and selecting the public transit option at the top of the screen. You will then see a Departure at XX:XX option, tap it and select the last option followed by Set.

Google Maps will then display a list of transportation options, with various options for how to get to your destination by public transportation. Most importantly, however, it will tell you when you need to leave.

6. One-handed gesture control

(Image credit: Oliver Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

You don’t need two hands to control the Google Maps mobile app, which can be especially useful if you only have one hand free. And that’s especially helpful when you’re driving and need to hold the wheel.

You can zoom in by first double-tapping and holding your finger against the screen. From there, swiping up and down without letting go toggles the map in and out.

You can change the orientation by pressing your finger and thumb on the phone screen and rotating them in a circular motion. The perspective can also be changed easily by sliding two fingers together on the screen. Swiping up gives you a bird’s eye view, while swiping down brings you back to the classic top-down view.

7. Measure the distance

(Image credit: Google Maps)

You don’t need to draw an entire route to calculate distance with Google Maps. Whether you’re hiking a hiking trail that Google doesn’t cover, or you want to plot a custom route, you can measure distance manually on mobile and desktop.

On a desktop, right-click a point and choose the Measure Distance option. This sets the starting point, and each successive click draws a straight line between the two. Google Maps can indicate the distance between individual points or the route as a whole.

On mobile, you start by holding your finger on the screen and releasing a pin. Then swipe up from the bottom of the screen and select the Measure distance option. From there you can simply navigate the map as normal and hit the blue plus (+) button in the bottom right whenever you want to add a new stop. However Google will only show you the total distance and not how far apart individual points are.

8. Download maps for offline use

(Image credit: Future)

No cell signal? Google Maps isn’t necessarily useless, as long as you plan ahead. Google Maps is wired to automatically download your route when you leave, provided you have the data, but you can do the process manually as well.

Search for the area you want maps for and open the menu until it covers the screen. Then tap the three-dot menu in the top right, followed by Download Offline Maps.

Google Maps will generate a map of the region and pressing Download will store all the routes in the highlighted area on your device. You can change the download interval by zooming in and out on the map itself.

9. AR indications in live view

(Image credit: Google)

Navigating from a street-level map can be a challenge, but Google Maps’ Live View feature makes it incredibly simple. Your phone’s camera lets Google Maps see the world around you and adds a navigation arrow overlay with augmented reality technology.

Live View relies on you being in an area with good Street View coverage, at which point the Live View icon will appear in the bottom right corner. Google Maps will then run you through the setup process, which involves scanning the arena around you to record where you are. Once you do, the navigation overlay will appear, helping you get around.

Be sure to check out our other Google Maps guides, including how to use Street View in Google Maps, how to see traffic information in Google Maps, and how to share your location in Google Maps.

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