How to save a route in Google Maps for quick directions

• You can save a route in Google Maps with the "Pin" feature.
• Pinning a route or location lets you quickly find that route or directions to that spot again later.
• In the Google Maps Android app, you can also save a route to your phone's home screen for instant access.

If you're like most people, you probably drive on the same roads a lot. Even so, there's a good chance that you still use a GPS like Google Maps to make sure that you're on the right path.

Google Maps can help you find your favorite routes even faster. If you're using the Google Maps smartphone app, you can "pin" a navigation route or location and save it for later. This lets you pull up a public transit route or driving directions with just two taps. It's perfect for routes that you travel down often.

Here's how to save a route in Google Maps and easily find it later.

How to save a route in Google Maps

These steps are the same for both the iPhone and Android Google Maps apps, but are slightly different depending on whether you want to save public transit or driving directions.

If you're taking public transit, you can save the exact route from one spot to another. But if you're driving, you can only save your destination - the starting location will always be your current location by default.

1. Open Google Maps and start getting directions to somewhere.

2. When you're on the screen that lets you choose what mode of transport you're using and which route you want to take, select the route that you want to save.

3. As you're looking at the overview of the entire route, tap the Pin option at the very bottom of the screen.

Your selected route will be saved. Now, here's how to find it:

1. Open Google Maps again and tap Go at the bottom of the screen.

2. Anything that you've pinned will appear at the top of the Go list. Just tap it to bring up the route preview again.

If you saved a public transit route, you'll see the exact route preview that you originally pinned. If you saved a driving route, you'll see directions from your current location to the destination you pinned.

Quick tip: You'll need to be online to get these directions, even if they're pinned. If you're instead looking to save a route so you can get directions when you're offline, you'll need to download a map of the entire area first.

Saving a route to your Android's home screen

If you're using an Android smartphone, you've got an extra option: Saving a shortcut for the route to your phone's home screen.

1. Open Google Maps and bring up the route that you want to save.

2. On the same screen where you can pin the route, instead tap the three dots next to the starting location.

3. Select Add route to Home screen and confirm that you want to add the icon.

Now whenever you tap the shortcut on your home screen, you'll be brought to this same route preview.

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