Where to Find Free TomTom Map Updates?

Written by: Tricia Goss • Edited by: Lamar Stonecypher
Updated Nov 8, 2009 • Related Guides: TomTom | Free Downloads

You love your TomTom. It provides turn-by-turn directions in a pleasant spoken voice. However, if those directions are wrong due to a mistake or change in the maps used, your TomTom loses some of its value. Fortunately, there is a way to get free map updates for your TomTom.

Download TomTom Map Share

TomTom Map Share technology is a free way to update your TomTom maps with corrections and input from a community of TomTom users. Not only can you download free updates provided by other TomTom users, you can also make map corrections as you drive. This means that if you encounter a detour, newly closed road or mistake in a TomTom map, you can note the change on your TomTom to avoid it in the future and also share your information with other TomTom users. When you connect your TomTom to your computer, you can upload any changes you have made to maps and then download any available map updates you choose.

The first thing you need to do, if you have not already, is to download the TomTom Home application. Along with allowing you to receive map updates from the TomTom Map Share community, TomTom Home has many other benefits as well. For example, it will notify you if there is a new quarterly map, service update, or other software available for your TomTom device. You can even download special free content such as voices or color schemes.

TomTom Home

click to enlarge

Once you have downloaded and installed TomTom Home, the next step is to download the TomTom Map Share application for the TomTom model you are using. Select the correct model from the drop-down menu, or the scrolling list with images.

TomTom Models

click to enlarge

To check for free updates using TomTom Map Share, connect your TomTom to the computer. You will be given the option of whether to download available map updates. There are several options available, such as Corrections I Made Myself, Corrections Verified by TomTom, and Corrections Reported by Many. You can select as many or as few sources for free updates for your TomTom maps as you wish. After selecting the free map updates you want to download to your TomTom, click Done and wait for the map updates to be installed.

Just in case you are wondering, TomTom reports a very low amount of fraudulent map updates provided by TomTom users. To avoid such updates, opt for updates verified by TomTom and those reported by many users.

More Resources

To find other new maps and free downloads for your TomTom GPS device, check out the Bright Hub articles Where to Download Free USA Maps for TomTom and Free TomTom Voice Downloads

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Comments

Showing all 51 comments

Underlip Dec 13, 2011 12:30 AM

RE: Where to Find Free TomTom Map Updates?

rubbish<br>

Fastrthan Oct 27, 2011 2:10 AM

RE: Where to Find Free TomTom Map Updates?

this is a joke you cant select any actual models to download to

Fastrthan Oct 27, 2011 2:08 AM

RE: Where to Find Free TomTom Map Updates?

i cant choose my tom tom the window only shows so much and you cant make it larger<br><br>

Richard Sellars Oct 3, 2011 3:03 PM

updates

I have an older Tom Tom, reading these comments i think it will be easier to buy new sat-nav rather then spend moeney on FREE ! updates glad i checked out your web site thanks very much.

Anthony Aug 31, 2011 11:17 PM

RE: Where to Find Free TomTom Map Updates?

love my tom tom i update it once a week with little trouble with tom tom home

GLEN BOUEY Aug 31, 2011 10:21 PM

UPDATES TO POI

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD OUR RV PARK TO THE POI LIST UNDER RV PARKS ..... HOW DO I DO THIS

maclanrak Jul 23, 2011 11:30 PM

anonymous

my is not workig since 2 years ago, and nobody wants to fixet, no just buy another on yea right its bad to bad

pressone_forenglish@yahoo.com Jun 15, 2011 2:30 PM

Tomtom/Garmin

I've had my Tomtom for three years now and need to update the maps. After reading all of these comments I'm just going to by a new Garmin. My Brother bought his Garmin the same time I bought my Tomtom and he says that Garmin automaticly updates itself for free. Good Luck

Farhan May 9, 2011 12:26 PM

Nextar GPS better than tomtom and lower in price

I am using nextar GPS from 4 years. I bought it for $90 and it is working great since then and never gave any problem, it also has text to speech feature. I would recommend buying this. I have a tom tom as well which i use on my other car but that is always a pain, it freezes sometime and i have to reboot it while driving.

thomas Apr 9, 2011 6:34 PM

free updates

sorry cant seem to find these free updates like ,, wish thing where abit more step by step , so i can follow it

Linda Mar 31, 2011 9:45 AM

Dead Battery in my Tom Tom

I have purchased two Tom Tom's in the last four years. My last one is only 2 1/2 years old, battery is dead and won't connect to my computer. Technicians at Tom Tom told me the internal battery is dead and they could not replace the internal battery. My comment is, if you can buy refurbished Tom Tom's then why can they not replace the batteries?

Ahmed Gouda Mar 16, 2011 11:56 AM

Didnt see this coming...

It was 2 weeks after i bought my new Tomtom navigator that i decided to plug it in & update it. After the update, it went silent & the system refused to read the SD card all together. I had to take it back to the shop & get a new card. Since then i'm using out of date maps instead of the hit & miss update service that seems not to be working on mine. I think it's easier to buy a new non tomtom all together than try to update their maps & it might cost you £100 just for the latest (depends on which to get).

andy Jan 18, 2011 5:22 AM

reliability

GARMINGARMINGARMIN
Tom Tom is a big name in GPS because of marketing tactics Garmin is the first and last word in GPS SAT NAV

John Jan 9, 2011 5:50 PM

updates

how about this .I.ve had a device for 4 yrs after 3 years I decided its time to update safety cameras in UK .Its not that simple . you have to pay for the last three upgrades as well costing almost £100 . Must be in the smallprint!!!

David Thomas Dec 11, 2010 8:25 AM

****Lost Links****

Can anyone help me please - I have a Tomtom XL,
It seems it dose not want to connect to any Satelites any more - if I do a reboot (off the On/Off Switch), All is well - till I turn it off again, Any help please,
Dave T

Bill Reinhart Nov 27, 2010 3:48 PM

map updates

I am afraid to purchase any updates due to all of the negative comments. Why is that?

james Nov 23, 2010 9:50 PM

tomtom - paypal

Update to my post of Nov. 10, 2010;

Tomtom was given 10 days to respond to paypal and did not comply. Paypal returned my $60. for the updates Tomtom was trying to cheat me out of...

james garland Nov 10, 2010 9:35 PM

tomtom update scam

recd email new map updates available for $39. Really stupid, clicked on buy now. Cost actually $60.+ . paid with paypal and today get another email saying oops not available yet. be a few more weeks . Sounds like fraud to me. and they won't return my money. And paypal is NO help.

grace murry Nov 1, 2010 4:48 PM

RE: Where to Find Free TomTom Map Updates?

i do not no how to work the my gps the tom tom

MItar Oct 29, 2010 3:41 AM

TOM TOM SERBIA

Where can I update SERBIAN map in my totom one for free thanks!!!!

Andrew Oct 20, 2010 9:44 AM

tomtom

Darn Tomtom is useless as soon as you go off the beaten track, especially when compared to Garmin. Would never buy one.

Starelite Oct 8, 2010 4:18 PM

Re: lemonade Tom Tom Scam

Bought a Tomtom. Very expensive. Connected it with the installed software. "No updates needed". That was the "use" of my free update service. The following week the software told me updates were needed and it would cost $$$. What? I only bought the thing a week ago and it is wanting more money already!

Read up carefully. Tomtom's maps are poor, out of date, and very expensive. Like many people have mentioned, it is cheaper to buy a new GPS Navigator than to update a TomTom. Be warned

The same thing happened to us. We tried updating and it said that the updates were ok, and that was our free update. Somehow, Tom Tom maps do expire. Which is rediculious, and does let you drive to dead-end roads.

Anonymous Sep 11, 2010 6:21 PM

Don't buy map update

The road in US are relative stable. Buy a new GPS every three year should be enough. Forget about all the "features", which are just marketing scams.

lemonade Sep 6, 2010 4:41 PM

TomTom scam

Bought a Tomtom. Very expensive. Connected it with the installed software. "No updates needed". That was the "use" of my free update service. The following week the software told me updates were needed and it would cost $$$. What? I only bought the thing a week ago and it is wanting more money already!

Read up carefully. Tomtom's maps are poor, out of date, and very expensive. Like many people have mentioned, it is cheaper to buy a new GPS Navigator than to update a TomTom. Be warned

louise hird Aug 25, 2010 3:42 PM

maps

hi can anyone tell me where to download free uk maps for my tomtom , thanks.

mr. ingels Aug 24, 2010 6:28 AM

whats up tom tom?

i have bought 3 of ypur devices, dont ask me why now, but i thought your company was the crap, but your services are crap! you need free map updates, thats why people "buy" your product, not keep on buying more and more. you might as well buy a new tom tom every 6 months or so, this is crap! but im sure you wont have anything to say about that!

mathew Aug 15, 2010 6:37 AM

update australian

Where can i update australian map in my tomtomone free?

Kulwinder Jul 16, 2010 11:08 PM

Tomtomone

Where can i update australian map in my tomtomone free?

darba Jul 15, 2010 12:33 PM

tomtomone

how and where can i up date tomtom one for free thanks

wacko Jul 14, 2010 5:10 AM

tom tom

can any tell me of any free uk maps updates for the tom tom one
cheers

Paulo Jun 29, 2010 10:00 PM

TOMTOM

Where to Find Free TomTom Brazil Maps Updates?

susan Jun 28, 2010 10:44 PM

updated map scam

The updated maps that you have to pay for are a big scam. I paid $70 for quarterly updates and the directions directed me the wrong way down one way streets, told me to turn left where there is no left turn, the routes and directions were incorrect almost every time I used it. Road construction that was completed over a year ago was still not updated. I called customer service and was told I could not get a refund on maps even though they are incorrect. Do not purchase these maps, buy a Garmann.

Frank May 27, 2010 5:42 PM

Doesn't work

They constructed a new road in my town, and two years later, it still doesn't show up correctly on the TomTom Mapshare. And paying $120 to get the real map from TomTom is a ripoff, so I'm not buying any TomTom products again in the fucture.

Willam Apr 7, 2010 2:58 PM

Malice

What methods are there to safe guard against malicious changes, i.e. some prankster anding false correction to lead you off course?

Keith Apr 5, 2010 4:57 AM

map updates

What a scam all I want to do is buy the latest maps from tom tom they have a special offer of £35 for new maps at the moment. But to get these I need to buy all the ones I have not had since new which amounts to at least as much again. But the thing is all those old maps are of no use I want the latest maps!!

adelio Mar 21, 2010 9:15 PM

update

l need updates

mark Mar 17, 2010 4:08 PM

hi

do you have maps for phillipines, i would like to use it

Rene Feb 19, 2010 8:33 AM

What's Free

Tom Tom Map Share Program wants to charge me 71.60 Euros for these new maps?!?!?!? There is nothing free about this Tom Tom. When you buy your Tom Tom, you get 1 year free of Map Sharing capabilities... after that, you have to pay!

Malcolm Campbell Feb 6, 2010 8:00 PM

map share

what is the difference between map share updates and the new maps being promoted by Tom Tom?

silviu Jan 23, 2010 7:35 AM

update roads

i want update romanian rode mapes help me

kevinbui Jan 5, 2010 5:18 AM

kevin

freemap update

tamber Dec 28, 2009 1:31 PM

tom tom free update italian mapes help me

i want update italian rode mapes help me.

joaquim ferreira Dec 20, 2009 2:41 PM

need to update gps tom tom one free

please help me to find where you update maps on Tom Tom One

tuscantouch Dec 9, 2009 3:18 PM

freemap updates

nice idea but is there cross reference for verification? Any accuracy problems?

no no Dec 3, 2009 11:59 AM

yawn

no, it's not "free map updates". it's more like free, unstable corrections. for free map updates, you have to pirate the new damn maps (usually about a ~GB in size)

kon Nov 14, 2009 12:26 AM

free updates for canada maps

need to update all new highways and roads in canada

doug Nov 11, 2009 3:09 PM

RE: Where to Find Free TomTom Map Updates?

cheers

doug Nov 11, 2009 3:08 PM

free downloads

sounds like a good system

Ronald Warrick Oct 29, 2009 3:55 PM

Oh, really?

I signed up for mapshare but damned if I can find it on TomTomHome. TomTom is nice unit when it works, but web site and customer service are terrible.

peter Aug 26, 2009 4:34 PM

RE: Where to Find Free TomTom Map Updates?

Thank you verry much

Septon Bandoo Jul 28, 2009 6:43 PM

freemap update

need to update gps Tom Tom XL maps