The most popular navigation and map application from Google: Google Maps extends its capabilities to our car with Android Auto. Navigating to our destination with GPS directions is very convenient, but sometimes, for whatever reason, we prefer a location or the route from the starting point to the destination to remain private. It is possible to do this with Google Maps’ incognito mode.

It’s as simple as pressing a button to browse Google maps anonymously: your navigation data won’t even be saved in the timeline, which is lost in the meantime. we tell you How to access Google Maps incognito modeand how to use it in Android Auto.

This is how you can access Google Maps’ incognito mode

It is very easy to enable Google Maps incognito mode on your Android mobile; There is a button for this in the official app. However, it’s a bit hidden so you can’t see it with the naked eye until you tap on your profile icon. Now let’s see first What does Google Maps incognito mode provide?:

• search historyor browsing your Google account or device. Please note that you cannot recover your recent searches or locations.
• The timeline, which is now only part of the device, will also not be recorded. This shows where we’ve been, although it’s more informative than anything else.
• For the rest, everything works as if we weren’t using this incognito mode: other participants interfering with Maps (like your carrier or other apps) will still be able to collect your data.

It adds interface as we can see in the screenshots a dark indicator at the topWe always report that we use Maps in incognito mode. The status bar (where connection icons like WiFi or mobile network are grouped together) also turns black.

Now let’s get to the real deal. This is how you can activate it on your mobile:

• Open Google Maps on your Android.
• Tap the profile picture to view more options. It is located in the upper right corner of the screen.
• Click “Enable incognito mode”.
• The application will automatically close and reopen. When it appears, you will already be in the stealth mode mentioned above.
• This process is reversible: If you want to opt out of this anonymous mode, tap your profile picture again and then tap “Disable incognito mode.”

Compatible with Android Auto

Since the Google Maps we use on our mobile phone is the same Google Maps that runs on our car’s Android Auto screen, It is possible to use this stealth mode while behind the wheel. With a simpler interface, Maps for Android Auto is one of the most used navigation tools courtesy of Waze and works in a similar way.

Now, how can I use Google Maps incognito mode on Android Auto? First you need to configure it on your mobile phone: open Google Maps and follow the procedure described above. When incognito mode is enabled, you can: connect the phone to the car’s USB port.

Remember not to do this before, otherwise you won’t be able to anonymize your searches and trips. You will receive an error message In this case, we would like to point out that you will not be able to use Maps on your phone with Android Auto enabled. Back to our point: After connecting your mobile phone with maps pre-configured, you will see a window in the foreground informing you that incognito mode has been activated.

Use on Android Auto clear interface: The search bar has been made smaller so we have more space to use the car screen. Consider that the same privacy conditions apply on a mobile phone; It is not for nothing that Android Auto is nothing more than a reflection of what is happening on the mobile phone.

an advantage What’s unique about Google Maps incognito mode in Android Auto is that instead of showing suggestions in a box that takes up a large portion of the map, the search bar is minimized and remains minimized. On the other hand, you will not have your favorite sites to choose from in the list.

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