Google Maps Settings You Should Turn Off Right Away

Google Maps has been a default navigation app since its release in the mid-2000s, and many users rely on it for daily commutes. However, some of its features can be turned off to preserve phone battery life and protect user privacy.

Akshay Bhalla, a former game guides editor at Screen Rant and technology editor at MensXP, has identified three settings that should be disabled by default.

The first setting is the 'Timeline/Background location tracking', which logs every location visited, how long stayed at each, and routes taken daily. This feature can consume unnecessary storage space and raise privacy concerns. To turn it off, users must navigate to their Profile Icon, select 'Your Timeline', tap 'Location & privacy settings', then 'Timeline', and finally select the 'Turn off' option.

The second setting is related to automatic offline map downloads over a cellular connection. While keeping maps up-to-date is recommended for areas with patchy network connections or traveling in new countries, updating maps over cellular data can drain phone battery life. To change this setting, users must tap their Profile Icon, select 'Offline Maps', and turn off 'Auto-update offline maps' and 'Auto-download recommended maps'. The download preference should be changed to Wi-Fi only.

The third setting is related to personalized ads based on visual search. This feature uses location, activity, or visual searches to serve ads within the navigation app, which can be intrusive and unnecessary. To turn off this feature, users must open their Google Account, go to 'Data & Privacy', select 'Web & App Activity', find and uncheck 'Include Visual Search History', and optionally turn off 'save search inputs and recommendations'.