Maps for Windows 10 Mobile updated with new drive mode, cleaner UI and better search

Earlier this week, a Microsoft employee foreshadowed changes coming to Maps for Windows 10 and mobile, hinting at a redesigned turn-by-turn instructions, a new search interface, cleaner UI and more. The features are now being rolled out to Insiders with the latest update to Maps.

The changes, as highlighted in the official Windows blog, include a tabbed interface for search that lets you view several search results in a single map at the same time.

Turn-by-turn navigation has received an update, with the icon positioned at the top on desktop and at the bottom on phones. The move is designed to allow for better one-handed operability on phones, and Microsoft says this was achieved as a direct result of feedback from the Insider community. Navigation's user interface has also been tweaked to improve glanceability.

Other enhancements include the addition of labels for search results, along with the ability to minimize searches, directions, and location info. Your favorite locations will now be accessible even if you're offline, and it's now easier to follow public transit routes thanks to detailed instructions.

The update itself is available for Insiders, with a wider rollout slated for a later date. The new features certainly make the native Maps client a much more enticing option, but a lot of work still needs to be done to make up for HERE's departure from the platform.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is a Senior Editor overseeing Asia for Android Central, Windows Central's sister site. When not reviewing phones, he's testing PC hardware, including video cards, motherboards, gaming accessories, and keyboards.