Maps & travel app
Google Maps
Google’s free maps for directions, traffic, public transport and places.
Google Maps is Google’s map and navigation app. It finds addresses and places, gives turn-by-turn directions by car, public transport, bike or on foot, and warns about traffic and delays as you go. Each place has opening hours, photos and reviews from other people, so Maps is often where people look up a restaurant or shop before they visit.
Google launched Maps in February 2005, built on software from Where 2 Technologies, a company it had bought the year before. It is free with no paid plan. Since 2024, Timeline, the record of places you have been, is stored on your phone rather than in your Google Account, and it stays off unless you turn it on.
01Is Google Maps free?
Google Maps is free on the web, iPhone and Android, with no paid plan. You can use it without signing in; a Google Account adds saved places, your own lists, reviews and Timeline. Navigation uses mobile data unless you download an offline map first.
02How to start using Google Maps
- 1
Open maps.google.com on a computer, or install Google Maps on iPhone. On Android it is usually already installed.
- 2
Allow location access, so Maps can show where you are and start directions from there.
- 3
Sign in with your Google Account and set your Home and Work addresses under Saved, Labelled, so they are one tap away.
- 4
Search for a place, tap Directions and choose car, public transport, walking or bike.
- 5
Before a trip with poor signal, download the area under your profile picture, Offline maps.
03Is Google Maps safe?
Timeline and where you have been
Timeline, the record of places you visited, is off by default. When you turn it on, it is stored on your phone. An optional backup keeps an encrypted copy on Google’s servers.
Sharing your location
Location sharing shows your live position to people you choose. Check who has it under your profile picture, Location sharing, and stop any you no longer need.
Fake listings
Some business listings are fake, often for locksmiths, repair services or customer support numbers. Check the phone number on the business’s own website before you call.
