Windows · Apps
Download maps for offline use
Offline maps lets you download regional map data to your device so the Maps app and navigation features work without an active internet connection.
How to open Offline Maps
- Open Settings → Apps → Offline maps
- Select Download maps and choose a region
- Enable Automatically update maps over Wi-Fi
- Manage or delete downloaded regions as needed
What you should know
- Download maps for specific countries, states, or regions
- Set automatic map updates over Wi-Fi
- Choose where map data is stored, including on a secondary drive
- Delete downloaded maps to free up storage space
Why it matters
Offline maps are valuable for travel to areas with poor or expensive mobile data, such as road trips through rural regions or international travel where data roaming is costly. Having maps cached locally means navigation and search still work even in a dead zone, which can be genuinely important for safety on unfamiliar routes. It also reduces data usage for users on limited or metered connections who still want to use mapping features regularly. For laptop users without built-in cellular connectivity, offline maps are often the only way to have reliable navigation away from Wi-Fi.
Best practices
- Download maps for your home region and any upcoming travel destinations before you go
- Enable automatic updates over Wi-Fi so downloaded maps stay current
- Move map storage to a secondary drive if your system drive is low on space
- Delete old regional maps you no longer need to reclaim storage
Common problems and fixes
- Maps take up too much storage
- Delete maps for regions you no longer need from the offline maps management page.
- Downloaded maps aren't updating
- Confirm automatic updates over Wi-Fi is enabled and the device connects to Wi-Fi periodically.
- Download fails or stalls
- Check available storage space and try downloading a smaller region or a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Tips and tricks
- Download maps the night before a trip while connected to Wi-Fi to avoid using mobile data
- Set map storage to an SD card or secondary drive on storage-constrained devices
Frequently asked questions
Do offline maps work with turn-by-turn navigation?
Yes, the Maps app can provide navigation using offline data when there's no internet connection.
How much storage do maps use?
This varies significantly by region size, from tens of megabytes for small areas to several gigabytes for large countries.
Can I download maps for another country before traveling?
Yes, you can search for and download any supported region in advance.
Related settings
- Apps & FeaturesApps & Features lists every application installed on your PC, including size, install date, and whether it came from the Microsoft Store or a traditional installer. From here you can uninstall software you no longer need, modify or repair certain apps, and move installed apps to a different drive to free up space on your main disk.
- Optional FeaturesOptional Features lets you install additional Windows components that aren't part of the default setup, such as OpenSSH Client, additional language handwriting packs, or legacy tools like Windows Media Player. It's a separate list from Windows Features (the older 'Turn Windows features on or off' dialog), which handles larger platform components like Hyper-V or .NET Framework 3.5.
More Apps guides for Windows
- Startup AppsStartup Apps controls which programs automatically launch in the background when you sign in to Windows. Each app is labeled with an impact rating (Low, Medium, or High) based on how much it slows down startup, so you can quickly identify and disable the ones actually worth turning off.
- Clipboard HistoryClipboard settings let you keep a scrollable history of everything you've recently copied, not just the single most recent item, and paste from any entry using Win+V. You can also sync your clipboard across multiple PCs signed into the same Microsoft account and pin frequently used snippets so they don't get pushed out by newer copies.
- Multitasking & Virtual DesktopsMultitasking settings control Snap layouts (arranging windows into preset grid positions), Snap Assist behavior, and how Alt+Tab and virtual desktops handle switching between open windows. These features let you organize multiple apps on screen simultaneously and keep unrelated tasks separated across different virtual desktops.
- Video PlaybackVideo playback settings control how Windows plays video content, including automatic quality adjustments, HDR video streaming, and battery-saving options for video apps.
- Apps for WebsitesApps for websites shows which installed apps are registered to open links from specific websites directly, instead of opening them in a browser.
- App Execution AliasesApp execution aliases, found under Advanced app settings, let you enable or disable command-line names that launch installed apps directly from a terminal or the Run box.