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I travel a lot and I use Google Maps to help me get around. The My location feature is very handy when you're lost and find a Wi-Fi hotspot but it has one problem.

My Location likes to cache the previously used location somehow. When you move to a new location it often still shows the previous location. If I click on the little My Location circle above the little Street View person, it does not update. Clicking on Reload does not update it. Forcing a cache refresh with CTRL + F5 does not update it. Google Maps help page on the feature offers no hint or clue.

The only thing I've found that works is to use a different browser. My OS is Window 7, my usual browser is the current version of Google Chrome, 14.0.835.202 m and my backup browser is the current version of Opera.

But this is an ugly workaround since I'm using a netbook I'm often low on memory or battery and starting a whole second browser users up more of both than just getting Google Maps to realize I've a moved a thousand kilometres should!

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  • This question was about the Google Maps version prior to the change during 2014/205 to a newer version, that seems so far to be better in this regard ...
    – hippietrail
    Aug 2, 2015 at 8:20

3 Answers 3

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One way is to click the little circle above the Street View man's head. This forces it to detect your location, and Maps will ask you for permission to share your location. Assuming you accept, or have turned on auto-accept, it should then update your position to your new location.

The only time it seems to fail is when you're on a network that Google Maps can't recognize. But that seems fairly rare.

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  • Hmm this is exactly what doesn't work for me. This is what causes it to just go back to the last location in its cache. Except sometimes when it does feel like updating to my new location. But it's unpredictable when it will work or not. At least on my OS & browser.
    – hippietrail
    Oct 18, 2011 at 6:39
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Make sure you have GPS on - get a GPS fix for your location while connect to your wifi device. You'll need line of sight to the sky for your GPS to work properly.

It takes multiple weeks before the location cache stored on Google's side is updated, so be patient.

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  • I don't have a GPS device. I only have a cheap netbook connected via WIFI. I think some tricky magick with IP databases or something might be used behind the scenes. My location certainly works without GPS, I just can't get it to update except when it occasionally is in the right mood.
    – hippietrail
    Oct 18, 2011 at 14:08
  • Ah - I assumed you were on a mobile phone with GPS. When you go to maps.google.com, there's now an ability to correct the location in the left panel, which should be the primary feedback mechanism for Google to fix the location service.
    – Joel H
    Oct 21, 2011 at 1:31
  • Where in the left panel? Do you mean the "My location" circle/dot above the street view man? As discussed that doesn't work most of the time.
    – hippietrail
    Oct 21, 2011 at 15:57
  • No. The left panel is where search results appear on Google Maps.
    – Joel H
    Feb 9, 2012 at 5:41
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I updated my location by going to Google Groups and then finding businesses near me and then there was a little box that said My location, and I clicked on that and it said not your location and clicked on that and then entered my address and it updated my location and to the address I gave it.

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