Maps 9.3 adds shareable directions in latest app update

BY GreenBot Staff

Published 15 Jan 2015

Maps got a small but useful feature bump in its update to version 9.3. You can now share directions with others, taking the pain out of trying to tell someone how to get to your scheduled meetup.

en you search for or touch a location on the map, head to the navigation menu by touching the car, walking, or transit icon. Then the three-dot overflow menu appears at the top right, from which you can send directions, opting to include the current traffic, satellite view, or terrain.

google maps share menu

Share directions with anyone with Maps’ new menu option.

The “Share Directions” option could use a little differentiation from the check boxes underneath it, as it’s not quite clear that it’s a button you press to do something. Once you hit send, you get Android’s excellent sharing menu which sends a link of the directions via whatever method you choose.

The other new discovery is that when Maps alerts you about optimizing your device’s location settings, you can permanently get rid of the notification.

As is often the case with such updates, there may be other hidden features that pop up over time—we’ll let you know if there’s another gem underneath the surface. The update is rolling out through the ay Store, or you can get it now by installing the A.

The impact on you: This is a great way to send a set of directions to another. It beats retyping the address or trying to describe to someone key intersections or lmarks. As with other Maps features, look for it to get tweaked as needed over time.