One of the biggest problems Pokémon Go players have to contend with while playing the game is the rapid depletion of their battery and the increase in data being consumed to keep the GPS and in-game maps running. This has led to many players running around with portable chargers for their phones so they can continue catching Pokémon without having to worry about finding a plug and connecting to Wi-Fi whenever possible.

Must Read Ultimate Pokémon Go Guide



Now, thanks to a suggestion from Reddit user throwaway96388, players may be able to conserve battery and cut their data usage down using one simple trick. Since Pokémon Go uses Google Maps API, players can simply download the maps from Google and use them offline. Players have reported that after trying the method, they noticed an increase in battery life conservation and decrease in data usage, but mentioned that phones were still dying anywhere between three and six hours of continuous usage.

In order to download the maps and use them offline, all players have to do is open the Google Maps app on their phone, go into settings, click the option for offline maps, hit the plus sign and add their location. Even with the maps being offline, players will still have full access to the game through their data. Players should also notice a decrease in the amount of data needed to run the game.

Niantic Labs is aware of the battery conservation issue and said it is looking into ways to fix the problem. That should be rolling out shortly.

Update: While multiple Reddit users have reported this method working for them, a Google engineer on Twitter pointed out that it wasn't a viable solution.

@taybenlor short answer: no. long answer: nooooo — Sam Thorogood (@samthor) July 11, 2016

To keep up to date with the latest Pokemon Go news and other top stories of the day, sign up for the new Polygon Newsletter!

Polygon Newsletter Name

Email

Sign Up

POKÉMON GO LAUNCH TRAILER