Maps is one of the built-in applications which comes shipped with Windows 10. In one of our previous posts, we had shown you how to download offline Maps in Windows 10. This review will help you understand the various features and functionalities which the Maps application offers in Windows 10. The Maps app for Windows 10 is a universal Windows application that supports various form factors of devices like PC, tablet, and phone.
Windows 10 Maps App review
Getting started with Windows 10 Maps App
As the Maps app is shipped along with Windows 10, you just have to launch the app from Start Menu or searching for “Maps” using the search functionality. If you are launching the Maps app for the first time, you need an active internet connection, in order to download maps which are relevant to your location.
Full marks to Microsoft for keeping the Maps user interface simple yet with feature-rich. While most of the screen is occupied by the map display, the left side hamburger menu displays important items which user prefer to use frequently, like searching for a place, getting directions, etc. In the right side of the app you can see overlayed controls, that helps you to control/adjust the appearance of maps.
The Hamburger menu which is collapsible in nature contains options like Map, Search, Directions, Favorites and 3D cities.
Map
Map is the first option which you see in the hamburger menu list that displays the map in full screen. If you are using a pointing device, you can left-click and drag the mouse to browse through the map which you are interested in. You can scroll to maximize or minimize the zoom level.
Search
The search functionality is an essential feature in this application. By clicking on it, you can input any desired place names in the search box to find the most relevant location-aware places nearby. While you are typing, you can see the suggestions for places from which you can choose. A map pointer will be generated and will stick on exact lat-long of the searched location.
Directions
You can find the distance or route between two places using the Directions option. Simply specify the source place and destination place, the Maps application will show you optimized routes with distance information. You can toggle between Driving mode or Walking mode to get more precise details.
Favourites
You can find all the recently saved places in the favorites section of Maps app. Additionally, you can choose “Directions” button underneath to get route details from your current location.
3D Cities
The Maps application has listed some of the popular cities where the whole place can be accessed through the 3D view. Microsoft calls this as “3D cities” and is made available for only a few selected cities. One could choose a 3D city and start accessing the same with rich 3D rendering. If you are using a pointing device, you can right click to get a 360-degree view. You can also change the viewing angle by using the overlayed controls present on right side of the Maps app.
Settings
You can adjust the units of distance measurement(metric, imperial or the US), set preferred commuting mode ( driving or walking), download offline maps, control your search history, set the background for turn-by-turn navigation and set your location privacy in the Settings section of Maps app.
View, Control and Share Maps
The right side overlayed control panel helps you change the appearance of maps and view points. You can tilt up, tilt down the map according to your needs. There is also an option to change the maps views. The available map views are aerial view ( satellite view), road view and traffic view. You can rotate the map clockwise and anticlockwise to get a better angle, by default the north side of the map will be up. Use the zoom controls to maximize or minimize the map view.
Sharing Maps in Windows 10 Maps app is made easy with the universally available “Share” button in the bottom bar of Maps application. Hit on it to share your current location or direction between two places via Mail or other third party apps.
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