With the recent iOS 17 update, you can now download maps of certain areas to your iPhone to use them even when you don't have an internet connection. This means you can still use the maps and get directions for driving, walking, cycling, or public transit without needing the internet.
To download a map, open the Apple Maps app on your iPhone and tap on your profile picture. You will see a window pop up, and you should tap on "Offline Maps." There will be suggested maps of areas near your home, and you can tap on the arrow next to one of them to download it. Or, you can choose to download a new map by specifying an area around your current location or searching for somewhere far away, like Yellowstone National Park.
Once you choose a map to download, you will see a preview of the area. You can zoom in or out and change the shape of the area by moving the edges of the preview map. When you are happy with the area, tap on the "Download" button to start downloading the map.
The size of the map you download depends on the region you choose. The bigger the area, the larger the download size. For example, the suggested map for my area takes up 264MB of space on my iPhone.
By default, Apple Maps will download maps using Wi-Fi, but you can also set it to download using your cellular data. The app will automatically update the downloaded maps periodically when connected to Wi-Fi. Or you can manually tell it to update all the maps in the Offline Maps section of the app.
Using the downloaded maps is similar to using maps with an internet connection. You can plan a route for your car, walking, cycling, or other ways of getting around. The only difference is that the downloaded maps won't have traffic information.
So now, even if you don't have internet, you can still use maps on your iPhone to find your way around!