Google Maps can be a godsend when you are in a part of a neighborhood you are not familiar with. It also offers a great way to keep tabs on the places you have been to. But what if you don’t want Google Maps to keep track of where you have been? Fortunately, the feature now offers you the option to use an incognito mode while using Google Maps.
Going Incognito
Make sure you have the latest, up-to-date version of Google Maps installed on your phone. Launch the app on your phone and go to the main navigation screen.
In the upper-right corner of the screen, next to the empty bar where you put the name of the location you wish to explore, is an icon with your profile picture. Click on this icon to bring up your Google Maps profile.
Here you will find some options to switch your profile from one account to another. And beneath this option is the “Turn on Incognito mode” feature.
Tapping on this feature will allow you to surf Google Maps in Incognito mode.
Once you are done using the map in Incognito mode, you can revert to the normal Google Maps setting simply by once again tapping on the picture icon at the top-right corner of the page next to the search bar, which now displays the Incognito icon represented by a hat and glasses against a black background.
A new option titled “Turn off Incognito mode” will pop up. Select this option to exit Incognito mode.
Features of Incognito Mode
The incognito mode offered by Google Maps works in much the same manner as the incognito mode offered by Google Chrome. This means that your information relating to the places you visited will not be stored by Google. You can enter any location into Google Maps, and the app will have no memory of it after your trip is over. This is in stark contrast to how the app normally works, where every place you visit is stored and used to create a personalized profile of your movements.
While going incognito offers greater privacy, it can also have its drawbacks. Some of the regular features that will no longer function when you are in Incognito mode are:
- Sharing your location with others
- Receiving notifications or messages in relation to the places you visit while in Incognito mode
- Ability to visit your search history to discover the name of the place you visited earlier
- Offline maps being stored in your app
Additionally, a number of less important features will also not work, like search complete suggestions, Google Maps Contributions, Google Assistant Microphone in Navigation and media integration.
Conclusion
Going incognito while using Google Maps is a great way to maintain some degree of privacy over where you have been traveling. But remember that using Incognito mode means you will be unable to access many of the bookmarking features offered by Google Maps in regular user mode.
Tip: When you need accurate directions, here’s how you can drop a Google Maps pin to mark the exact location of a place.
