Windows 11 offers a Maps application that allows you to locate and navigate to your favorite places. While using the Maps app with an active internet connection provides the best experience, Windows 11 allows you to download and use maps offline.
If you’re going to a place where the internet connection can be unreliable, offline maps can be helpful. In this post, we will share how to download and use offline maps in Windows 11.
How to download maps for offline use
To use offline maps on Windows, you need to download a map of a country or region first. You can do that easily through the Settings app on Windows. This is the way.
Step 1: Right-click the Start button and select Settings from the list.
Step 2: Switch to the Apps tab on the left and click Offline Maps.
Step 3: Click the Download map button at the top.
Step 4: On the next page, you will see a list of continents. Click on a continent to see a list of available maps.
Step 5: You will see a list of countries where the offline map is available along with its download size. Click the Download button next to the country name to download the map.
You will see a Select region button for some countries instead of Download. In that case, you’ll have the option to download a map of a specific region in that country instead of the entire country.
Windows stores all offline maps in the main drive containing the system files. However, you can always change the default download location by accessing the drop-down menu next to Storage Location.
After downloading the country or region map, you can use it without an active internet connection. This is the way.
Locate nearby places in Offline Maps
Step 1: Press Windows key + S to open the search menu. Knock on map in the search box and select the first result that appears.
Step 2: In the Maps app, use the search tool in the top left corner to locate a city or place on your downloaded map.
Step 3: After locating, you can zoom in and out to see nearby places or cities.
Step 4: You can see contact information for popular places like universities, restaurants, and shopping malls by clicking on them, then using the Directions button to navigate to that location.
Search Directions in Offline Maps
Besides locating nearby places, you can also switch to the Directions tab in the top left corner to navigate to a specific place. Enter your starting point and destination in the available text boxes and click Get Directions.
Once you do that, the Maps app will show several route options. Click on the one you want to use to see step-by-step directions and click the Start button to start navigating.
Here’s what the navigation will look like when you’re offline.
Limitations of Offline Maps
Of course, offline maps have their limitations. For instance, you cannot access Ariel views or fetch transit information when not connected to the internet. Additionally, Maps will not display relevant traffic information during navigation. Therefore, the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) displayed on the map may not be accurate.
If you try to access a feature that isn’t available offline, Maps will show a pop-up that says ‘You need an internet connection to do that’.
How to update or delete offline maps
The installation application on Windows allows you to update or delete offline maps according to your needs. Here’s how you can access those options.
Offline map update
You can update your offline maps manually or configure them to update automatically using Wi-Fi. This is the way.
Step 1: Open the Search menu, type in Manage map updates and select the first result that appears.
Step 2: Click Update map to expand.
Step 3: Check the box that says ‘Update automatically when Wi-Fi is plugged in and on’ to enable automatic updates for offline maps.
Alternatively, you can use the Check Now button to manually fetch updates.
Remove offline maps
Offline Maps are large and take up space on your computer’s hard drive. You can delete downloaded maps to free up storage space. This is the way.
Step 1: Open the Search menu, type in delete downloaded mapsthen press Enter.
Step 2: Click the trash can icon next to the map you want to remove.
Alternatively, you can also use the Clear All button to delete all offline maps at once.
Despite its limitations, offline maps are extremely useful. In addition, the whole process of downloading and using offline maps on Windows is quite simple. However, if you want to navigate with your phone, you can always use the offline map function in Google Maps.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
