Google Maps is a staple for navigation, and while most people install it and forget it, the app can occasionally consume a surprising amount of storage.
On devices with limited 64GB or 128GB capacity, heavy users who download large offline maps or experience caching glitches may find the app using several gigabytes of space.
The storage bloat comes from multiple hidden sources working together: offline maps you've downloaded, location history data stored locally on your device, and cached searches and map tiles accumulating over time.
Here's what's actually consuming your storage and how to reclaim it.
Three things are secretly consuming storage
First, offline maps. If you've downloaded maps for cities you visit frequently to avoid using cellular data, they add up quickly. While single cities are small, saving multiple large regions or entire states can easily consume several gigabytes.
Second, the Timeline feature. Google recently moved your entire location history from cloud storage directly onto your phone, meaning years of historical travel data now lives on your device. Depending on how frequently you move around, this archive can quietly grow to hundreds of megabytes or more.
And lastly, cache data. The app constantly stores searches, navigation routes, map tiles, and page content. Over time, this background cache fails to clear itself properly and balloons into a significant storage hog.
How to reclaim your storage space
Whether you are on an iPhone or an Android device, taking back your storage is really straightforward,
1. Check your offline maps first
Open Google Maps and tap your profile icon in the top right. Select Offline Maps to see what you've downloaded and how much space each map uses. Delete maps you don't actively need. If you haven't visited that city in months, remove it.
While you're in the Offline Maps menu, disable the settings that automatically download more data. Turn off "Auto-update offline maps" and "Auto-download recommended maps."
Without these enabled, Google Maps won't continuously grab fresh map data in the background.
2. Review your Timeline storage usage
Timeline contains years of location history, which surprisingly adds up. Go to Google Maps, Profile, and Your Timeline to see how long it's been tracking you.
Before deleting Timeline data, back it up by pressing the cloud icon. This lets you preserve your location history while measuring exactly how much storage it actually uses. The actual amount varies significantly by person.
3. Clear the hidden cache that's eating space
Once you've ruled out offline maps and Timeline, cache is likely your culprit. Google Maps stores search history, navigation directions, map tiles, and cached page content. This cache isn't visible in normal storage menus, which is why it often goes unnoticed.
On iPhone, open Google Maps and tap your profile icon. Then go to Settings, About & Terms, and select "Clear Application Data." This erases cache, clears offline maps, and resets cookies.
On Android, go to your phone's Settings app, find Google Maps, tap Storage, then tap "Clear Cache." A "Clear Data" button is also available.
After clearing cache, restart your phone and check how much storage Google Maps now uses. In most cases, this solves the problem entirely.
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