Lite Mode

The Maps SDK for Android can serve a bitmap image of a map, offering limited interactivity to the user. This is called a lite mode map.

Code samples

The ApiDemos repository on GitHub includes samples that demonstrate the use of lite mode:

• LiteDemoActivity - Java: The basics of using a lite mode map in Java
• LiteDemoActivity - Kotlin: The basics of using a lite mode map in Kotlin
• LiteListDemoActivity - Java: Displaying maps efficiently in ListViews using lite mode in Java
• LiteListDemoActivity - Kotlin: Displaying maps efficiently in ListViews using lite mode in Kotlin

Overview of lite mode

A lite mode map is a bitmap image of a map at a specified location and zoom level. Lite mode supports all of the map types (normal, hybrid, satellite, terrain) and a subset of the functionality supplied by the full API. Lite mode is useful when you want to provide a number of maps in a stream, or a map that is too small to support meaningful interaction.

Users viewing the map cannot zoom or pan the map. Icons on the map give users access to viewing the map in the Google Maps mobile app and requesting directions.

Adding a lite mode map

Lite mode uses the same classes and interfaces as the full Google Maps Android API. You can set a GoogleMap to lite mode in the following ways:

• Either as an XML attribute for a MapView or MapFragment
• Or in the GoogleMapOptions object

As an XML attribute for a MapView or MapFragment

<fragment xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:map="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:name="com.google.android.gms.maps.MapFragment"
    android:id="@+id/map"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    map:cameraZoom="13"
    map:mapType="normal"
    map:liteMode="true"/>

In the GoogleMapOptions object

val options = GoogleMapOptions()
    .liteMode(true)

      

GoogleMapOptions options = new GoogleMapOptions()
    .liteMode(true);

      

For details on setting the initial state of the map, see the guide to the map object.

Intents to launch a map view or directions request

By default, a toolbar at the bottom right of the map contains icons that provide access to a map view or directions request in the Google Maps mobile app. You can disable the toolbar by calling UiSettings.setMapToolbarEnabled(false). For more details, see the toolbar documentation.

Also by default when a user taps the map, the API starts the Google Maps mobile app. You can override this by using GoogleMap.setOnMapClickListener() to set your own listener. You can also disable click events on the map, by calling setClickable() on the view that contains the MapView or MapFragment. For details of these two techniques, see the events documentation.

Life cycle events

When using the API in fully interactive mode, users of the MapView class must forward all the activity life cycle methods to the corresponding methods in the MapView class. Examples of the life cycle methods include onCreate(), onDestroy(), onResume(), and onPause().

When using the MapView class in lite mode, forwarding lifecycle events is optional, except for the following situations:

• It is mandatory to call onCreate(), otherwise no map will appear.
• If you wish to show the My Location dot on your lite mode map and use the default location source, you will need to call onResume() and onPause(), because the location source will only update between these calls. If you use your own location source, it's not necessary to call these two methods.

Supported API features

The following table describes the behavior of a lite mode map for each area of API functionality. If an app calls a method that's not supported in lite mode, the API will log a warning message.