Updated: August 8, 2023 | Has affiliate links

How to Switch Maps on Garmin GPS system

Garmin logoHaving a reliable GPS Unit while traveling seems old fashioned these days because of our cell phones. However, they can save you a lot of money and frustration because a GPS unit does not need an expensive mobile phone data plan or wifi signal. You just need to have the right maps, turn it on, switch to the right map and it just works. This is why I always bring my old and reliable Garmin GPS unit when I travel. Read on to see why I purchased a Garmin GPS and how I learned to switch the maps on my Garmin Nuvi GPS.

Learning how to switch maps on Garmin is a crucial step to do before your trip to Europe.

Why did I buy a Garmin GPS?

Printing my driving directions from the internet was always very easy and more than enough for me…until recently. We recently had to plan for a long trip to Europe and driving in several foreign countries was scary enough, so having a GPS with me helped ease my anxiety a lot. The need for a GPS system became very clear and as a result I purchased a reliable Garmin GPS unit. I really like the Garmin systems because they work well everywhere and they are inexpensive. That being said…I got lost one time in Italy as well…but we found our way soon enough after asking around. Other than that our Garmin has worked perfectly.

When traveling to foreign countries, having a GPS system is the best solution when compared to printing directions or using your cell phone…simply because you still can’t rely on finding a good and affordable Internet connection.

When looking purchased my GPS unit, my purpose was simple. I wanted a GPS system that works both in Europe and California for driving everywhere.

This way I can have two maps on my Garmin GPS. Perfect! My inexpensive and reliable Garmin GPS unit made my life so much easier while in Europe.

Why would you ever want to switch maps on your Garmin GPS?

It’s true that the Garmin GPS supports multiple maps, but the internal memory that it ships with is not enough to hold two maps. So I had to buy an extra 4Gb mini SD card and store the Garmin Europe map on it. This way I can have both maps installed at the same time.

But when I came back home, I could not figure out how to switch maps back to the US Map. I knew I had done it before, but could not remember.

So, I tried all the combinations of the settings until I finally found it buried way deep in the “Tool” menu.

How do you switch maps on your Garmin GPS?

To change maps on Garmin GPS is simple if you know what buttons to press. Here are the steps you need to perform to switch your current map:

  1. Access the Tools Menu
  2. Access the Settings Menu
  3. Access the Maps sub-category
  4. Press the Info button at the bottom of the screen. This was the tricky one I couldn’t remember. You should see two maps…or more depending on what you have installed.
  5. Select the map you want by checking the respective check box.

While abroad it’s also very important to know how to change countries on your Garmin GPS especially if you are traveling to multiple countries. Another great feature of Garmin GPS units is saving favorite locations before starting your trip. This is a big time and frustration saver.

In order to make sure you can charge your Garmin GPS unit (and other devices) you have to have the right plug adapters.
Read more about making sure your electronic devices function properly in Europe.

Best Resources for Your Garmin GPS

Get the official Garmin Europe map on an SD card and save $20. Just pop it into your Garmin Device and you’re ready to go. Getting the map on an SD card is the best way to go as it saves you the time to download and install it yourself. This map is compatible with most Garmin devices from older Nuvi models to the newest Drive models.

If you are looking to buy a GPS unit so you don’t depend on any Wi-Fi or data plan while traveling, take a look at this reliable & inexpensive Garmin GPS unit. Make sure you also buy the European map as the unit comes only with the US map pre-installed.

If you don’t have time to order your maps on the SD card and already have a Garmin GPS unit, download Garmin Express software to update your unit’s software, purchase and install maps directly from Garmin.

Get the right plug adapter for Europe or England. Durable, dual input plug adapters that work with grounded and non-grounded plugs.

  1. How to switch maps on Garmin GPS System
  2. How to change countries on Garming GPS System
  3. Planning your trip with Garmin GPS Favorites
Planning a Trip Soon?
Take My SMART Travel Course and learn how to plan your travel confidently through step by step videos. Save money and frustration and become a SMART traveler using my time-tested travel strategy.
Read My SMART Travel Book and learn my best travel tips from 20+ years of international travel experience in less than 40 pages. These will save you lots of money and frustration on your next trip.
My Travel Resources page will help you save money. These are the tools I use for planning all my trips. .
Read More:

50 Comments

  1. Randy Vellacott
  2. gosselindustin49
    • John
  3. Pat Inacio
    • Gungadin
  4. Ummedrao
  5. Anonymous
  6. Rod Crocker
  7. Harold
  8. Dennis Mustapha
  9. Rod Crocker
      • Gary
      • Garmin Map Update
      • Rod Crocker
  10. Andy Nickels
  11. Harry
  12. Julie
    • Julie
  13. Tom
  14. Karen
  15. Becky
  16. Diane Sabourin
    • vlad
  17. George
      • Pete

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.