These 5 cool Google Maps features are off the beaten path

If you’re like… well, just about everyone, you probably use Google Maps to get from Point A to Point B and that’s it.

But this venerable route wrangler is more than just a navigation app. It’s got some not-so-obvious features that are helpful beyond finding your way around.

Here’s a look at five of my favorites.

Dude, where’s my car?

Am I willing to admit I’ve misplaced my car more than once in the past five years? I am not. Not here, at least.

But let’s say, hypothetically, that it might be helpful if there was a way to track it down every once in a while. 

Thankfully, Google Maps turns your smartphone into a smart parking assistant. After you park, simply tap your blue location dot and select “Set as parking location” (iPhone) or “Save your parking” (Android) on the card that pops up.

You’ll then be able to search for your parking spot when you need to find your car by using the search function in the Maps app.

Break out a giant digital tape measure

Curious about the exact length of your morning run or the distance between two points? Google Maps has you covered.

Long-press your starting point on the map, tap the pop-up menu, and choose “Measure distance.”

Then, drag to measure the distance as the crow flies between your two points of interest. You can also add additional points along your route by tapping “add point” in the measuring tool at the bottom of the screen.

This feature is great for hikers, runners, or anyone who needs precise distances in a pinch.

Make short work of malls, airports, and more

Forget the days of trying to find a “You Are Here” map while you’re lost in massive airports, shopping malls, or stadiums.

Google Maps transforms into an indoor navigation tool when you zoom into large buildings, complete with labels for shops, gates, restrooms, and other key locations.

Depending on the building, you can often even swipe between floors with the level selector, navigating complex spaces like a regular.

Master multi-stop trips

Road warriors, this one’s for you.

Enter your first destination, then tap Directions. You can then tap the three-dot menu in the upper right and start adding additional stops.

Repeat this process until your entire route is mapped out, reordering stops as you see fit by dragging them up and down the list you’ve compiled.

Street View time travel

“This place sure has changed.”

“Tell us more, Grandpa!”

“Tell you? Heck, I’ll show you!”

That’s me, one day in the distant future, telling super interesting stories to my very attentive grandchildren, who hang on my every fascinating word.

You, too, can unleash your inner historian with Google Maps’ time machine feature.

When in Street View mode, tap on a non-interactive part of the screen – not one of the arrows that move you around – and if there’s historical imagery available, you’ll get a “See more dates” link on the location’s card.

Tap it to explore past imagery. Watch neighborhoods transform, revisit memorable locations, or simply see how a place has changed over the years. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see as far back as 2007 when Google’s Street View fleet first rolled out.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91242468/these-5-cool-google-maps-features-are-off-the-beaten-path?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

Created 4mo | Dec 16, 2024, 7:50:02 AM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Andrew Tate is back—and he’s getting a hero’s welcome from right-wing podcasters

You can’t talk about the manosphere without mentioning Andrew Tate. The British-American influencer and former professional kickboxer built his platform by promoting misogynistic ideas—claiming wo

Apr 2, 2025, 10:50:04 PM | Fast company - tech
Meta and UFC team up to bring AI and VR to fans

UFC is joining up with Facebook’s parent company

Apr 2, 2025, 10:50:02 PM | Fast company - tech
An AI watchdog accused OpenAI of using copyrighted books without permission

An artificial intelligence watchdog is accusing OpenAI of training its default ChatGPT model on copyrighted book content without permission.

In a new paper

Apr 2, 2025, 8:30:07 PM | Fast company - tech
Trump signals TikTok sale will done by April 5 deadline. Who will buy it?

As the deadline to strike a deal over TikTok approaches this week, President Donald Trump has signaled that he is confident his administrat

Apr 2, 2025, 6:20:04 PM | Fast company - tech
CERN scientists release blueprint for the Future Circular Collider

Top minds at the world’s largest atom smasher have released a blueprint for 

Apr 2, 2025, 6:20:03 PM | Fast company - tech
‘Titanic 2’? YouTube is cracking down on AI-assisted fake movie trailers that fetch millions of views

A trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film in James Cameron’s galactically successful series, starts by delivering on the title’s promise. Rivers of lava cascade through the fores

Apr 2, 2025, 3:50:06 PM | Fast company - tech