Offline data for Maps on Windows Phone 8.1 is getting updated

If you are using a Windows Phone 8.1 device and use the offline maps option, you may want to check for an update. Users are reporting to us, and we have confirmed that multiple states in the U.S. – and likely elsewhere – are flagged for some map refreshes.

We can confirm that at least New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and California all have fresh maps to install. To clarify, this is not an update to the HERE Maps app, but rather the downloaded maps data for offline usage.

Offline maps are used for the HERE services and help reduce your dependency on a data connection while traveling. You can choose maps by State, Country or Region. The process is simple to check for offline map updates and is as follows.

Update offline Map data

  • Go to your Windows Phone Settings
  • Swipe over to the Applications Page
  • Scroll Down to Maps
  • Tap the "Check for Updates" button

Alternatively, opening up HERE Maps directly often alerts you of the pending updates, or you can in the app's settings and check for updates directly.

Should updates be available, you will be given the option to install the updates now or wait until a better time to do so.

At this time, there is no word on what is new with these maps, but they likely contain fixes, new routes, updated street names, and the usual things associated with atlases.

Thanks, Marcus S., and others for the tips!

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Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and wearable tech. He has reviewed laptops for over 10 years and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, Arm64 processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, performed polysomnographs in NYC, and was a motion-picture operator for 17 years.

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