You generally open up Google Maps to get information rather than share it. Still, the wealth of data included in the app isn't as fixed as you might think: You can actually submit your own information and edits to Google Maps in numerous ways, from adding new places to correcting driving routes.

All of these submissions have to be reviewed by the Google team, so there's no guarantee that you'll see your changes actually appear on the map, but in theory, you'll be helping out the billions of other active Google Maps users. So, whether Google Maps is incorrectly advertising that your local bar does live music, or it's always sending people down the wrong road when they're trying to get to where you live, here's how to make changes directly from the app.

Adding new places to Google Maps

To add somewhere new in the Google Maps app, press and hold on the map at the right spot to drop a pin. If you swipe up on the pin's info card at the bottom of the screen, you can either Add a missing place or Add your business to Maps—if you choose the latter, Google Maps will ask you to fill out and verify a business profile, which you can then use to manage the place details in the future.

If you're adding a place you don't manage, you need to specify a name for it, and choose a category. Categories include Food & drink, Shopping, Services, Hotels and accommodation, and Outdoors & recreation, so you'll need to find the closest match.

You can submit a place with just a name, location, and category, but you have the option to add other details too, including a contact number, opening hours, and photos. Presumably, the more details you add, the better, though Google doesn't actually outline the approval process for getting new places added to the map.

Google does say that map data is constantly updated and reviewed, so it's probably automated and human processes working in tandem to determine whether or not your new place gets approved (for example, looking for other online evidence the place exists, or checking other user submissions).

Editing place details in Google Maps

You can also make changes to existing places on Google Maps, and indeed, that's actively Google actively encourages in its efforts to keep all of its map information up to date. If you notice that a park's opening times aren't actually the ones listed on Google Maps, you can submit the correct information.

Here's how to do that: With a location selected on the map, you can pull up the info card to see all of its details, and make changes. There are different screens where you can do this. On the Overview tab, for example, you can tap Suggest new hours under the opening hours, or Update location under the address if it's been positioned in the wrong place.

Swipe to the About tab, and you can see more specific details: For a restaurant, this might include whether or not it does delivery, or whether or not there's a parking lot. Tap Edit features and you can add your local knowledge in any of these categories.

Again, Google doesn't say how these edits are reviewed and approved, most likely in order to stop people from abusing the system. The app does indicate you may get an email about the status of one of your edits, and presumably, factors such as similar suggestions from other Google Maps users as well as your own history of contributions will be taken into account.

How to add missing roads or suggest route changes to Google Maps

There are several other ways to get information updated on Google Maps. If you head to the Contribute tab, you'll find an Update road button: This lets you add missing roads, edit road names, indicate that a road is private or closed, or specify whether a road is one-way or two-way.

Giving feedback on directions is the only edit you have to make through Google Maps on the web rather than via one of the mobile apps. With directions on screen, click Details next to the directions on the left, then Send product feedback (bottom right). You'll be able to flag the steps that are wrong, and explain what's wrong with them.

A word of warning though: I've been trying to get Google Maps to give the right directions to my house for years (down the slightly longer, fully paved road rather than the slightly shorter, unpaved track). To date, the directions are still wrong, so you're not necessarily going to see your suggestions implemented.

There's also a general feedback form you can use for everything else to do with Google Maps. From inside the mobile app, tap your profile picture (top right), then choose Help and feedback > Send product feedback.