How to navigate the new layout

MortenCopenhagen · February 12, 2020, 11:30pm

Finally, the new (birthday) navigation showed up in my Google Maps Android app.

After an hour trying to get familiar with it I will conclude the following :

There are none of the features I normally use that are missing in the new navigation. But it certainly takes some time getting used to.
I think I like the new layout better than the old one. It seems a bit more user-friendly. Especially when some of the important contribution options now have a huge icon + a heading rather than being pretty much hidden in the old layout. Much appreciated.
I think we might need a cheat-sheet to help local guides figure out where to find menu items that were moved.

Feel free to add your tips below.

Cheers

MortenCopenhagen · February 12, 2020, 11:43pm

Edit map is a shortcut to the old more hidden Feedback menu.

Add place is the new and much more prominent encouragement to add new places.

The old Your contributions - page is now replaced by big icon cards as seen below:

See the See your reviews and See your photos in the pic above.

Also, the new Contribute more and Contribute now are new with a fresh new feeling.

Go explore.

Cheers

MortenCopenhagen · February 12, 2020, 11:48pm

I’m sorry if you don’t see the new layout. You will soon. Maybe within a week or so.

The advantage of not seeing it yet is that you don’t need to be frustrated over a few bugs that are being fixed first.

MortenCopenhagen · February 13, 2020, 12:32am

Your lists are now less buried than before. Now just click/tap the bottom tab called Saved:

C_T · February 13, 2020, 1:02am

Hello @MortenCopenhagen

That’s a nice & helpful post.

AlexandreCampbell · February 13, 2020, 2:39am

Hi @MortenCopenhagen , my app was updated do to the new layout on February 4th, but the new update on February, 11th, reverted to the previous layout. I understand that they did it to fix some bugs until they release it again. Could you check please what is the date of your version?

MadanKPradhan · February 13, 2020, 4:39am

Hi All,

Here is the reference link to help understand the new layout of Google Maps.

MadanKPradhan · February 13, 2020, 4:42am

Hi @AlexandreCampbell ,

It’s being rollout globally. You may see the changes within this week. You may not see the change when you first open it. It will get changed after you open again after closing it (my experience).

MortenCopenhagen · February 13, 2020, 4:56am

Hi @AlexandreCampbell

It is my understanding that the switch is done on the server side and not directly linked to the version number on the individual app.

This allows for the roll back and forth.

Cheers

MortenCopenhagen · February 13, 2020, 4:59am

Thanks for that very helpful link, @MadanKPradhan .

I will edit my opening post to use the same terminology.

Cheers

MadanKPradhan · February 13, 2020, 5:02am

My Pleasure @MortenCopenhagen

MortenCopenhagen · February 13, 2020, 5:25am

Just to make the new terminology know to us all :

The hamburger menu is toast (gone).
The profile picture is called Profile circle.
The new icons at the bottom are called Bottum tabs.

I wonder if these 4 new icons also have a fancy common name

Would it be contribute circles or contribute tabs?

Cheers

MortenCopenhagen · February 13, 2020, 6:10am

Yeahhh

Just noticed another great improvement in the new layout. We now have access to a list of all the places we star rated but forgot to leave a proper text review.

I recently searched and fixed mine manually.

You can now check your list by:

Click/tap bottom tab Contribute.
Click/tap Contribute more or Contribute now.
Scroll right at the top and click/tap the Review places button (it’s the second last button).

This is a much appreciated and hoped for improvement.

Cheers

IshantHP_ig · February 13, 2020, 8:11am

Hello Local Guides!

Good Afternoon.

In the above two screenshots you can see the latest and advanced interface of Maps.

In the first screenshot 5 Options are available:

Explore
Commute
Saved
Contribute
Updates

And there is not any function on the left side.

All option are available at the lower side.

In new update you can also access the recent photo views, recent view on reviews and the views on the recently added places(which is literally new and trending).

Are you using the new version?

Feel free to share your views.

AlexandreCampbell · February 13, 2020, 11:44am

@MadanKPradhan and @MortenCopenhagen , you are both correct. After a while, the new layout came back, even with the 10th update.

MoniDi · February 13, 2020, 3:21pm

Hello @IshantHP_ig ,

Please be advised that I will merge your post with How to navigate the new layout as they share the same topic.

If you have any questions regarding the new layout, please feel free to contact us.

IshantHP_ig · February 13, 2020, 4:58pm

Hi** @MoniDi **

Thanks for the reply

I don’t have any issue with new interface, i was just sharing the layout of new maps with fellow local guides.

anyways thanks for moving the post on right track.

with regards!

MadanKPradhan · February 14, 2020, 5:20am

Update : Timeline is added in account circle section as well.

Note: Edits are on the bottom of profile section.

MortenCopenhagen · February 14, 2020, 1:42pm

Let me share one more tip regarding the new navigation.

While navigating the Bottom tabs the Explore icon (the first one) has an extra function. It also works as the Retur-to-the-map-button while you are in the Commute, Saved, Contribute, or Updates tabs.

Also, when looking at the map it toggles the Explore nearby-panel on and off near the bottom of your screen.

In this, the name Explore seems appropriate. When it functions as a Return-button it is not really the best and intuitive name.

It took me some time to figure this out.

I hope you found this new navigation tip helpful.

Cheers