When walking in a crowded, unfamiliar city, standard 2D map directions can be confusing. Staring down at a blue dot on your screen while trying to figure out which way is north often leads to walking a block in the wrong direction before realising your mistake. To solve this problem, Google Maps introduced Live View.
Live View uses Augmented Reality (AR). By tapping into your smartphone’s camera, it overlays massive digital arrows, street names, and distance markers directly onto the physical world in front of you. You look through your phone screen exactly as if you were taking a photo, and the app paints the navigation instructions onto the pavement.
Hardware and Software Requirements
Because Live View relies heavily on real-time visual processing and precise spatial tracking, it is not available on all devices or in all locations.
- Device: You must have a smartphone that supports ARKit (for Apple iPhones) or ARCore (for Android devices). Most phones manufactured in the last few years meet this requirement.
- Location: Live View is only available in areas where Google has established “Street View” coverage. It will not work on rural hiking trails or inside private buildings.
- Mode of Transport: Live View is exclusively designed for walking directions. It will not work if you select driving, cycling, or public transit routing.
How to Start a Live View Navigation
Using Live View is simple once you have initiated a standard walking route.
- Open the Google Maps app on your smartphone.
- Search for your desired destination and tap the Directions button.
- At the top of the screen, tap the Walking icon (the silhouette of a person).
- At the bottom of the screen, instead of tapping the standard blue “Start” button, tap the button labelled Live View (which features a pin icon inside a box).
Calibrating the Camera
When you first launch Live View, the app needs to figure out exactly where you are standing and which direction you are facing. GPS is not accurate enough for augmented reality, so Google Maps uses a technology called Visual Positioning System (VPS).
The app will prompt you to point your camera at the buildings, storefronts, and street signs across the street from you. It compares the live video feed from your camera against Google’s massive database of Street View imagery. Within a few seconds, it will recognize the architecture and precisely pinpoint your location.
Following the AR Directions
Once calibrated, the AR interface will take over.
- Massive Arrows: You will see large, hovering blue arrows superimposed over the real world, pointing exactly which way you need to walk down the pavement.
- Street Names: Floating banners will hover above intersections, clearly displaying the street names so you do not have to squint at physical signs.
- The Destination Pin: When you get close to your destination, a giant red Google Maps pin will appear hovering directly over the correct building or storefront.
For safety reasons, Google Maps does not want you staring at your screen continuously while walking through crosswalks. If you hold your phone up for too long, the screen will gently fade to a standard 2D map to encourage you to look at your physical surroundings. To bring the AR arrows back, simply lower your phone and raise it again.