How To Fix Google Maps Not Working

Google Maps has become a powerful means for navigation. Hence, when the app isn’t working, it can cause many issues or even crash when you need it the most. In these cases, you need a quick solution to get right back on track in your journey.

Luckily, there are a couple of ways to get the Google Maps app up running. In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps on what to do if your Google Maps isn’t working with whatever device you’re using.

Google Maps Not Working on an iPhone

If your iPhone’s Google Maps app isn’t working or is running slowly or glitching, try some of the methods below.

Restart Your iPhone

If you experience issues with Google Maps being sluggish to open, not opening at all, or crashing, restarting your iPhone is likely to resolve these issues. Here’s how:

1. Navigate to “Settings” and tap on “General.”
   
2. Scroll to the bottom and press “Shut Down.”
   
3. Wait until the iPhone reboots.

Check the Location Service

There is a chance that Google Maps’ Location Services have been deactivated. Here’s how to check and enable the location service:

1. Navigate to “Settings.”
   
2. Scroll to “Google Maps” and tap on it.
   
3. Press “Location” on the Google Maps screen.
   
4. Select “Always” or “While Using the App” on the following page.
   

Enable Background App Refresh for Google Maps

Enabling Google Maps to perform background data refreshes can help enhance its speed.

1. Open “Settings” and go to “General.”
   
2. Select “Refresh Background Apps.” If the “Background App Refresh” section has a grayish color, it indicates that your phone is running in Low Power Mode.
   
3. Turn the Google Maps toggle to the ON position on the following screen. This enables Google Maps to do background content refreshes.
   

Update Google Maps

Using the following steps, you can ensure that your iPhone is running the most recent version of Google Maps.

1. Launch the App Store.
   
2. Go to the Profile button in the upper right corner.
   
3. If the app is not up-to-date, Google Maps will appear in the area under “Available Updates.”
   
4. If a new version is available, press the “Update” option to the right of Google Maps to update it.
   

Reset Location and Privacy

To reset your location and privacy settings, follow these steps:

1. Open “Settings” and go to “General.”
   
2. Under “Reset,” select “Reset Location & Privacy.”
   
3. Type in your Lock Screen Passcode.
   
4. On the following menu, select “Reset Settings.”
   

Reset Network Settings

Ensure that you recall your Wi-Fi network’s password and then follow these instructions to reset your iPhone’s network settings.

1. Navigate to “Settings,” then “General.”
   
2. Under “Reset,” press “Reset Network Settings.”
   
3. If needed, type in your Lock Screen Passcode.
   
4. On the appearing menu, select “Reset Network Settings.”
   
   

Google Maps Not Working on an Android

Check Internet Connection

As you’re undoubtedly aware, Google Maps needs internet connectivity to load and refresh maps. When the maps aren’t updating or you’re not receiving data in real-time, it’s possible that your phone’s internet connection has been lost or is too sluggish.

In this scenario, confirm that your Android smartphone has an active and stable internet connection. To determine whether your phone is experiencing internet connectivity troubles, follow these steps:

1. On your phone, launch a web browser such as Google Chrome.
   
2. Attempt to reach any website.
   
3. If the website loads quickly, your internet connection is operating correctly.
4. If the website does not load properly, there is a problem with the internet connection. You may either restart the device or contact your internet provider in this instance.

Clear Cache and Data

One major underlying reason why Google Maps fails to operate is that its cache and system data are corrupted. On your Android smartphone, the Maps app keeps some temporary data. While this often improves performance, the amount of data ultimately becomes too large and might cause difficulties with the program.

In this situation, you may safely delete the app’s data and test if Maps works again. Here’s how:

1. Launch the Settings app.
   
2. In Settings, choose “Apps & notifications.”
   
3. Select the Google Maps app from the list of applications. If it is not visible, hit “See all applications.”
   
4. Select the “Storage & cache” option on the Maps screen.
   
5. Pick “Clear cache,” followed by “Clear storage.”
   
6. Relaunch the Maps application.
   

Enable Location Accuracy

One of the drawbacks of Google Maps is that the software does not accurately display your location. This often occurs when the location accuracy option on your Android smartphone is deactivated.

As soon as you enable this feature, Google Maps should locate you with pinpoint accuracy.

1. Go to “Settings” by pulling down from the top of your phone’s screen and pressing the cog symbol.
   
2. Scroll to the Location section of the Settings screen.
   
3. Tap “Advanced” on the Location page, followed by “Google Location Accuracy.”
   
4. Toggle the top toggle to ON.
   

Update Google Maps

Unless you deactivate automatic updates on your Android smartphone, all installed applications are typically updated automatically.

In this scenario, you can update Maps manually as follows:

1. Open the Google Play Store.
   
2. Type Google Maps in the search bar and tap on the result.
   
3. Update the app by tapping “Update” on the app’s page.
   
4. When the app is fully updated, relaunch it.
   

Google Maps Not Working on a Samsung Device

Since Samsung uses Android as an operating system, the steps you can use to fix Google Maps issues are similar.

Clear Cache and Data

1. Open the Settings application.
   
2. Select “Apps & notifications” from the Settings menu.
   
3. From the list of programs, select Google Maps. If the program is not accessible, click “View all apps.”
   
4. On the Maps screen, click the “Storage & cache” option.
   
5. Select “Clear cache,” then “Clear storage.”
   
6. Restart the Google Maps program.
   

Enable Location Accuracy

1. Pull down from the top of your phone’s screen and hit the cog icon to access “Settings.”
   
2. On the Settings page, go down to the Location section.
   
3. On the Location screen, tap “Advanced,” followed by “Google Location Accuracy.”
   
4. Toggle the top toggle to the ON position.
   

Update Google Maps

1. Log in to your Google account and navigate to the Google Play Store.
   
2. In the search field, type Google Maps and press the result.
   
3. On the app’s page, hit “Update.”
   
4. Relaunch the app after it has been appropriately updated.
   

Google Maps Not Working on Android Auto

Google recommends two actions to resolve difficulties with Google Maps: upgrade the app to the most recent version and erase its cache and data.

Installing the newest version from the Google Play Store takes only a few seconds. Usually, if your device can receive app updates automatically, you should already be running the most recent release.

Clearing the cache and data for the program, on the other hand, allows you to remove temporary files, including faulty data, which may result in Google Maps crashing or malfunctioning.

The methods differ by device maker, but for Android Auto systems, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Settings screen and navigate to “Apps,”
   
2. Choose the Maps app and expand the Storage section.
   
3. Hit the “Clear data” option.
   

The instructions should be identical for all Android smartphones and systems, regardless of the manufacturer.

Google Maps Not Working on PC

Use a Different Browser

Users have reported that Google Maps issues may only display in a specific browser. Using a different browser to access Google Maps may help resolve this issue.

Clear Your Cache and Cookies

1. Open your browser.
   
2. In the top-right corner, click the menu symbol.
   
3. From the menu, select “Options.”
   
4. Scroll to the page’s bottom and click “Privacy & Security.”
   
5. Choose “Delete browsing data.”
   
6. You should set the time range to “All time.” After that, click the “Clear data” option.
   

Google Maps Not Working in Chrome

Incognito Mode

The incognito mode doesn’t use any cookies or browser extensions that are kept locally. This means that it will not attempt to utilize the erroneous cookies that caused the mistake in the first place. Therefore, you can go to incognito mode if you’re pressed for time and want to employ a temporary workaround.

1. Open Chrome and click the Menu icon.
   
2. Click on the “New incognito” window option.
   
3. Launch Google Maps in the freshly opened private window.
   
4. Recheck for mistakes.

Sign Out of Your Google Account

A Google account can cause Google Maps to malfunction. If you log out of your Google account, you will resolve this issue. Bear in mind that this is a temporary solution. Additionally, if you log out of your Google account, you will lose your current settings.

1. Open Google’s webpage in your browser.
   
2. In the upper right corner, click the “Account” button.
   
3. Select “Sign out.”
   

Get Back on Track With Google Maps

Like with any other application, the Google Maps app can have issues from time to time. The methods mentioned above will solve problems with the app in almost all cases. However, consult a professional if you feel like you’ve tried everything and the app still isn’t working.

Have you ever had issues with Google maps? How did you fix it? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below.