41 hidden Google Maps settings and features every power user should know

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Google Maps is packed with hidden settings, menus, and toggles that can help you fine-tune the app to your liking and unlock new features you probably didn't know existed. From keeping the map facing north, to avoiding tolls and highways, to setting a departure time, to using voice directions, and more - this article covers 41 tips and tricks every Google Maps power user should know.

Why it matters

These hidden Google Maps settings and features can significantly improve navigation, battery life, accessibility, privacy, and more for users. Knowing how to leverage the full capabilities of Google Maps can make it a much more powerful and personalized tool.

The details

The article covers 41 different Google Maps settings and features, including: keeping the map facing north, avoiding tolls/highways/ferries, using fuel-efficient routes, specifying your vehicle type and EV model, adding multiple stops, setting departure times, using voice directions, enabling power-saving mode, showing the speedometer and speed limits, adjusting audio cues, using Live View for AR directions, finding accessible places, changing your vehicle avatar, enabling dark mode, checking traffic and parking, saving your parking location, creating collections/lists of places, downloading offline maps, labeling places, going incognito, managing your location history, contributing to Google Maps, reducing notifications, sharing your real-time location, using Street View to time travel, and integrating Lens with Gemini.

• The article was published on 2026-03-02 13:25:59.