Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel

Before you travel, make sure you do this to your Google Maps app first

By
Person using Google Maps application on an Android smartphone
Ingo Joseph / Pexels

Are you planning an upcoming trip? Whether you’re road-tripping across the country, backpacking through Europe, or simply heading to a family member’s house for the holidays, having access to accurate maps and navigation is essential when traveling. 

Google Maps has become one of the most widely used navigation apps for travelers worldwide. But before you fully put your trust in Google Maps to get you from point A to point B, there’s an important calibration step you should take first. 

Person holding black android smartphone
Cottonbro Studio / Pexels

Why you should calibrate Google Maps 

Taking a minute to calibrate Google Maps can help optimize the accuracy and reliability of the app. 

Recommended Videos

Over time and through regular usage, the compass and GPS sensors in your smartphone can accumulate minor errors. Frequent recalibrations help counteract this distortion. Calibrating resets your phone’s orientation and gets the Maps app functioning properly again. This ensures you’ll get precise turn-by-turn driving directions, accurate public transit routing and pinpointed walking routes.

Close up of maps on a smartphone
PhotoMIX Company / Pexels

How to calibrate Google Maps

Luckily, calibrating Google Maps using an Android or iOS only takes a few seconds. 

Here’s how you can get started:

  1. Open the Google Maps app and give it a few seconds to figure out where you’re located. To ensure it has your precise location, tap the location indicator button in the bottom right corner of the screen. On Android, this is a spiked circle icon that resembles a compass. On the iPhone, there is an arrow icon pointing to the upper right. Tapping this will center the map on your precise location.
  2. Tap the blue dot that represents you and press “Calibrate.” If Google Maps detects your location accuracy is low, it may automatically prompt you to calibrate. 
  3. As prompted, hold up your camera and scan your surroundings with “Live View.” To do this, hold it in front of you with the camera facing outward. Slowly pan the camera horizontally to capture the surrounding buildings, streets, and store signs. This calibration process needs to be done outdoors for Google Maps to analyze your location properly. Move the phone camera smoothly around you in a circle, keeping it pointed straight ahead.
  4. For Android users, if Live View calibration does not successfully pinpoint your location, you will have the option to “Use Compass” instead. Tap this button to switch to compass calibration. Move your phone slowly in a figure 8 motion to calibrate the compass sensor.

For iPhone users, Live View is the only calibration method available. If it’s not working in your current location, you may need to move to a spot with a clearer view of distinguishable surroundings for the calibration to be successful. Keep trying until Google Maps can properly analyze the area to pinpoint and lock in your position.

Related: 
Upgrade your daily routine with the best smartwatches for men

Once the calibration is complete, Google Maps will go back to providing you with accurate directions, location tracking, and navigation guidance. Make it a habit to recalibrate periodically, especially before relying on Google Maps during trips near or far. Having a properly calibrated maps app can save you time, headaches, and frustration if you take a wrong turn on unfamiliar roads.

Google Maps app on phone
Brett Jordan / Pexels

Bottom line

Don’t risk getting lost with a malfunctioning navigation app. Take a minute to calibrate Google Maps before your next adventure – it’s a quick adjustment that helps ensure accurate directions throughout your travels.

Kelly Baker
Kelly Baker
Kelly is a writer who loves good books, baking homemade bread, playing the piano, and spending time with her family.
Topics

Editors’ Recommendations

Passport vs. REAL ID: Which one do you need and when?
Not sure if you need a passport or REAL ID? Let’s clear it up
Passport and plane ticket

Have you been hearing about the REAL ID program for quite some time now but aren’t really sure what all the fuss is about? That was my situation, too, until I realized the deadline to get a REAL ID was fast approaching, and I needed to get up to speed, especially if I wanted to fly anywhere. That got me wondering – what’s the difference between a passport vs. REAL ID? And when do I actually need each one? If you’re asking the same questions, here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know so you can decide what works best for you.
What is a passport?

A passport is your ticket to international travel. It’s an official government document that proves your identity and citizenship. And without a passport, you’re not getting far beyond U.S. borders.

Read more
Make the most of your vacation budget: This is the best time to book a flight
Tips and tricks to save money on your next trip
A view outside the airplane during sunset

Most people will, at some point in their lives, need to book a flight. Whether for business or pleasure, booking a flight can be straightforward or a little more complicated depending on certain factors. Once, I had to book a last-minute flight for a work trip, and with no flexibility, I ended up paying far more than I had anticipated. It was a big reminder of how much timing can affect your travel budget.

If a flight is urgent, then the luxury of booking in advance and saving money is often lost, whereas booking a holiday flight months in advance gives you ample room to shop around for the best deals available at that particular point in time. Other factors that affect pricing include the destination, the time of year of travel, and how far in advance you are allowed to book certain flight tickets. If it is limited to a couple of weeks, then you can expect to pay more, but if you're allowed to book months in advance, then this is where the most significant savings can be found.

Read more
How to pack your travel backpack, carry-on, and luggage like a boss
No matter which bag you choose, this guide will help you get to your final destination without forgetting a thing
Man packing a suitcase

It’s 2025, but you’re still packing like it’s 2005 (remember those "dark days of travel" before smart luggage and iPhones and instant language translators were a thing?). I get it -- old habits die hard. Just last month, I caught myself overpacking again, stuffing my bag with "just in case" items I’d never use. Flashbacks of past trips hit me -- dragging a heavy suitcase through cobblestone streets, digging for my charger under piles of clothes, and that one time my overstuffed bag arrived at baggage claim … with a busted zipper.

But believe it or not, it’s way easier these days to get organized for your next trip. With the right gear — including smartphone apps, a good set of packing cubes, and proper packing techniques — you can get ready for the airport in no time.

Read more