Currently, Getting lost in a city or on a road is something that only happens if we want it to.. Our phones have pre-installed map apps – Google Maps in the case of Android and Apple Maps in the case of iOS – and these are both apps that work very well.
However, there are alternatives, and one of them is Magic Earth. This is a mapping app that takes care of our privacy, offers community maps and even Android Auto support. However, it also offers map support for offline navigation, and below We explain how to use offline maps in Magic Earth.
How to Download Maps in Magic Earth for Offline Navigation
Magic Earth is based on OpenStreetView maps. It is therefore an open system for users, a collaborative project and is not intended to use our data as currency. This is why it does not collect information about us beyond what is strictly necessary for navigation, such as location.
The navigation is very good, it is a precise and stable application and it even has a 3D construction mode in some cities. It is clear that it’s not as comprehensive as Apple Maps or Google Maps because it does not rely on such an extensive network of restaurants and other places to visit, but for getting from one place to another it is a highly recommended application.
Furthermore, What it does well, and without as many detours as other alternatives, is to allow you to download complete maps. Google Maps has allowed you to download map areas for years, something that Apple Maps has just caught up with (incredibly), but Magic Earth’s solution is a little simpler because you don’t download part of the map, but an autonomous community (in the case of Europe), or the entire country (weighs 1.84 GB).
To use Magic Earth maps offlineyou just have to do this:
- Open the app and click the gear icon at the top left.
- Once this is done, click on “Cards”.
- You perform a search in the search engine or, directly, scroll until you find the desired card.
It’s that simple and, once downloaded, you can browse offline without any problem. In Europe we have the different provinces, regions or communities (according to the official designation given in each country), but also we can download full maps of countries like Mexico, Bolivia or Argentina.
The process is quite intuitive, but I think there should also be a delete button for the implementation to be perfect. And, once the map is downloaded, a small phone icon appears that tells us that we already have it, but if you want to delete said map, you must press and hold and click on ‘Delete’.
On the left, downloaded map of Castilla la Mancha. On the right, a city from another community that I did not download.
I also don’t see an option to update the map automatically when there is a change, something that happens with both Apple Maps and Google Maps, so the solution will be to delete and re-download the map just before leaving for the trip. Although the streets are not cut or eliminated like that and this constant updating of other applications is more for business issues than for roads, so the ball is in your court.
So, you know, if you were previously tied to Google Maps because of its offline maps, there are some alternatives that are ideal for navigation and also allow us to use offline maps without any problem.
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You can download Magic Earth for free via Google Play. |
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