Google Maps Gains A Clever Feature Upgrade Your Friends And Family Will Love

Google Maps is gaining a few new features that are aimed at helping you plan your next adventure. One of the new features will even alert family and friends when you arrive home safely.

Google Maps has long been a favorite for helping navigate one's way through a new city, or to help plan out the best route to take on a vacation. Sometimes it's used in order to help plan out a family gathering, whether by determining the best location, or giving out directions to the less tech savvy. Now Google has added a few new features to its app that will let loved ones know when you arrive at the gathering, as well as when you arrive safely back home.

Many of us have a mom that is always saying, "Be sure to let me know when you get home," after leaving from her house. Many of us also know how mom can get when we forget to do so. Now Google has added a new feature to the Google Maps app that will take the worry of remembering away (and save you from the ire of mom).

The new location-sharing feature will help ease mom's mind, as it will automatically alert her when you arrive safely back at your home. Of course it is not just for mom. The feature can be used by anyone that you are currently sharing your location with, by alerting them when you arrive or leave a particular location. This can also be very handy for people on university campuses who are headed back to their dorm late at night.

Once the feature is available, you will select your profile icon and then tap "Location Sharing." Then choose the person you would like to request notifications from the list, noting they also need to be sharing their location with you as well. Next, select "Add" to add an address in order to get updates from your friend. Then you will choose a designated location, as well as when to be notified (whether arriving or leaving) and then tap "Save."

Once this has been done, the person you have requested notifications from will get an alert that you have added the location. Once the person either leaves or arrives at the designated location, you will be notified.

You can turn off notifications at any time. This is done by clicking the notification on your phone's lock screen. Then, toggle off the switch for "Allow recipients to add notifications." Next, tap "Turn off" to confirm. You are also able to block someone setting notifications altogether. If you block someone, that person will no longer be able to add notifications to know when you arrive or leave any location. They will also not be notified you have blocked them.

Two other features that are being added include a new way to view landmarks, and new cycling route information. You can learn more about all of these new features by visiting the blog on Google's website. The new features are suppose to be rolling out to all Android and iOS phones now.

Top Image Credit: Google