Waze GPS: How to use offline maps

2022-10-26

Advanced information about Offline Mode in popular Waze navigation application: what you can save to use without internet, how quickly the information becomes outdated, etc.

Contents :

Can I use Waze maps offline?
Saving offline Waze maps
How to use maps without internet
How to use maps without internet
How to update Waze maps
How to save space on map
Limits the size of maps
How to navigate without internet
How to update Waze maps<6 available offline

Can you use Waze navigation without Internet

The functionality of Waze navigation is to actively use Internet to synchronize data with other drivers and pedestrians, But you can also use it as an offline navigation device. The app - officially - cannot save the necessary information to smartphone memory, but users have found a way to do so. The method has some limitations but allows to use the main Waze functions offline.

How to save Waze maps for offline use

The following steps are required to save data for offline use:

Download the latest Waze version here:
Download Waze
First you need a Wi-Fi connected device with Waze installed. This step is only relevant for new routes.
Open the app and enter the address you wish to build a route to. You may also specify the starting point (if different from your current location) if necessary;
When the route is created, start the navigator as if you were planning to follow the specified point right now;
The application will calculate the best route taking into account traffic jams and other road events, then save it in its cache.

Now that the data has been written into the application's memory, you may use the saved route without being connected to the Internet.

Best offline navigators for Android

Use offline maps

Data saved while the device was connected to the Internet will remain in the application even after it has been closed. This allows you to store several different destinations you will be navigating to in the near future, all of which will be stored and the navigation functions will be available when the device is offline.

How to start a Route History page:

Open Waze;
Make sure the device is disconnected from the Internet;
Click the Search icon to display the Routes you have planned;
The History page displays the Favourites tab. In this tab you may add your favorite places to avoid the need to build a new route in the future;
Now choose any location you have built a route to while Waze was connected to the network and start the navigation.

The amount of data stored

The Waze Mobile App uses the available memory space only to load a map of the location (city, highway) and to build a route between two points, so the memory consumption depends on the area to be stored. The routes themselves take almost no memory, as they are simply marked in a different colour on the already loaded Waze map.

If you normally navigate within a single city, and you rarely add new routes, the amount of data stored on the unit will be about 50mbs. The larger the area you need to save, the larger the /files in the Waze cache will be.

Limitations of offline Waze

The offline mode does not allow you to get the current traffic information, and does not synchronize data received from other users of the application. All other functions work the same as in the offline mode provided the terrain map has been preloaded.

Another disadvantage of the offline mode is the inability to switch the map view to 3D. Even if you enable this map view in advance, as long as the device is connected to an unlimited Wi-Fi network, the data will not be cached in the application.

Route creation in offline mode

If you are not connected to the Internet, and no route was previously created, you cannot build a new route to the map point indicated in the Waze application. A network connection is required to provide reliable and up-to-date information, although the app works correctly even if the network connection is unstable.

Waze Map Update

In due to the fact that Waze actively uses the data received from other users, the app is updated each time it accesses the Internet. The map itself needs to be updated once every 1-2 weeks, especially if you travel frequently in densely populated areas. It is best to update the route data before the trip so that the app evaluates the situation on the road and suggests the best route, which will be saved in the search history.

What can be saved for offline use

Summarizing the information presented before, the following key points about working with Waze in offline mode can be highlighted:

The application allows saving and using the terrain map and the previously created routes;
When driving a chosen route without internet access, the data about the best route to be taken will not be updated. So it is not possible to save multiple route variants for offline use;
While following a pre-defined route, you will not be able to change the view of the displayed map. For offline use only the 2D mode is saved, without the detailed information about the places along the route.