Find your way with the Maps app for Windows 8

Expert

Find your way with maps

You’ll never be lost again, thanks to the easy to use Maps app for Windows 8

Expert

Find your way with maps

You’ll never be lost again, thanks to the easy to use Maps app for Windows 8

1

Allow the use of your location

When Windows 8 apps start up, they check what permissions they have. If they don’t have the permission and they need to use certain aspects of your PC, such as your location, or the webcam, the app asks for it. So when Maps asks if it can use your location, answer yes, otherwise you won’t be able to get directions from your current location.

2

Search for a place

You can search for anywhere using the standard Search charm in Windows 8 – swipe in from the right using a finger or mouse, tap or click ‘Search’, then start typing the place you want to find. Hit [Return] or click/tap the looking glass search icon. This can be a place, but it can also be local info, such as the name of a shop.

3

Check the traffic

Right-click on the map to bring up the App bar. You can click or swipe from the bottom of the screen to see the traffic flow on major roads (which is colour coded to show any congestion, etc), as well as switch between the type of mapping – you can even zoom in on your current location (this is why your computer needs to know where you are).

4

Get directions

You can also switch between the Road view and Aerial view. You can also click to get directions from the App bar, whcih generates a handy pop-up.

Type the locations you want to navigate between – your current location is there by default, but you can change it to whatever location you like.

Expert

5

Navigate through directions

Now you’re given your directions. As you see, there is full direction information at the top of the screen, and you can swipe across to see more of this. Each step is numbered, and these are shown on the map along with the route (in blue) – zooming into the route will reveal more of the numbered steps.

6

Share maps and directions

This is a great example of where the Share charm comes in useful – swipe in from the right and click ‘Share’. You then see the apps you can share with, which includes the handy Mail app. You get a screen like this – with the directions, and a map below – in the body of an email.

Enter an address, then click ‘Send’.

7

Get local

The Maps app is also a great way to look up local information. We’ve searched for Tesco to show how the app uses information with several results. We can click on any of these numbered circles to get the black information icon up – tapping or clicking this gives you another screen with address and various kind of contact information.

8

All mapped out!

Finally, we want to draw your attention to the detailed aerial photography in the Maps app – it works really well with zooming in using a touchscreen, if you have one. It’s great to look at landmarks and other familiar places from above, whether they’re physical features or man-made ones.

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