You’re using Google Maps wrong – all the hidden iPhone features you need to know

RECKON you’re a Google Maps pro? There might be a few tricks that you’ve missed.

Here are five tips to instantly upgrade your Google Maps game on iPhone.

1

Hidden Google Maps quick menu

You can long-press on the Google Maps app to gain quick access to several tricks.

It’s thanks to an Apple feature called Quick Actions, and works from the Home Screen.

Simply long press on an app icon to unlock a hidden menu.

It might not work for all apps, but many support this feature.

And one of them is Google Maps.

The bottom three options on a long-press are standard Apple fare.

They’ll let you edit its position on the Home Screen, share the app or remove it entirely.

But the top three are specific to Google Maps.

The top one is a quick shortcut to your Saved locations.

So if you’re on holiday and you’ve marked a load of useful places, you can quickly navigate to that collection.

You can also use a shortcut to take you to Your Contributions, which is handy if you’re a regular Google Maps contributor.

And finally, there’s the very useful Send My Location.

This allows you to quickly share your current location with a friend or family member.

It can be useful, but it could also come in handy in an emergency situation.

Sharing your location

If you want to share with someone who has a Google account, add their Gmail address to your Google Contacts.

Then open Google Maps on your device, tap your profile picture, and then choose Location Sharing.

Next, tap the Share Location button.

Now you can decide how long you want to share your location and who to.

You can tick as many contact names as you like.

When you’re ready, tap the Share button on your iPhone.

The people you selected will now receive an alert to track you.

Zoom faster

If you’re pinching to zoom on Google Maps, you’re doing it wrong.

Instead, try double-tapping the Maps interface and instead of lifting your fingers after the second tap, hold it on the display.

You can then slide your finger up or down on the screen to adjust the zoom.

It’s a neat alternative to the pinch gesture favoured by most users when zooming in or out.

The nifty hack works on both the iOS and Android versions of the app, which is the world’s most popular navigation software.

It’s a great way to adjust the zoom if you’re using your phone with one hand while carrying a coffee or clinging to a rail on public transport.

Avoid tolls on Google Maps

If you’re hoping to make a car journey as cheap as possible, Google Maps has an easy way to avoid tolls on your route.

Simply type in your destination to the Google Maps app and tap “Directions”.

Then, click the three vertical dots next to “Your Location” and then click “Route options”.

Here you’ll find a section called “Avoid tolls” which you can toggle on or off.

Turn “Avoid tolls” on and then go back and click “Start”.

Use augmented reality Google Maps directions

Google Maps supports augmented reality directions in certain locations – on newer iPhone and Android models.

This includes big cities like London and New York.

The feature is only advised for pedestrians and layers additional directions on your phone screen so you can look through your phone camera for some helpful tips.

If your location has the AR feature avaliable you’ll see a “Live View” option pop up once you’ve started on your route.

Click it and your phone will show the street as if you’re viewing it through your phone camera but with relevant information on top.

Best Phone and Gadget tips and hacks

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