To get easy, turn-by-turn navigation to places, use the Google Maps app. Maps will show you directions and use real-time traffic information to find the best route to your destination.
With voice navigation, you’ll hear traffic alerts, where to turn, which lane to use, and if there's a better route.
Important: Navigation and info about which lane to use aren't available in all regions and languages. Navigation isn't intended to be used by oversized or emergency vehicles.
What you need to use navigation
On your phone or tablet:
- Turn on your GPS
- Let Google Maps access your current location and audio speakers
Start or stop navigation
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Search for a place or tap it on the map.
- In the bottom left, tap Directions. If you touch and hold the button instead, you’ll start navigation and can skip steps 4-6.
- Optional: To add additional destinations, go to the top right and tap More
Add stop. You can add up to 9 stops. When you are finished, tap Done.
- Choose one of the following:
- Driving:
- Transit:
- Walking:
- Rides:
- Cycling:
- Driving:
- If other routes are available, they will be shown in gray on the map. To follow an alternate route, tap the gray line.
- To start navigation, tap Start
. If you see “Searching for GPS,” your phone is trying to get a GPS signal. For example, you might be in or near a tunnel, parking garage, or other location where there’s no GPS signal.
- To stop or cancel navigation, go to the bottom left and tap Close
.
Tips:
- You can see traffic info, public transit options and local places of interest in just a few seconds. Learn more about nearby places and travel.
- To see the map from your point of view, tap the compass.
- Learn how to add a shortcut to get directions to a place you travel to often, like work or home.
See more actions while navigating
To see more actions while you’re navigating to a place, go to the bottom right and tap the up arrow . To hide the menu, tap the down arrow
.
- Search along route: Look for a place along your route, like a restaurant or gas station. Learn how to search along your route.
- Show satellite map: See the map in more detail using satellite images.
- Directions: Get a list of step-by-step directions.
- Settings: Change your settings, like switching between miles and kilometers.
Use Google Assistant's Driving mode
Assistant driving mode helps you get things done while you navigate with Google Maps. With Assistant driving mode you can read and send messages, make calls, and control media with your voice, without leaving Google Maps navigation.
Important: Some features aren't available in all languages or countries.
What you need
An Android phone with:
- Android Version 9.0 or higher
- 4GB RAM or more
- Portrait mode only
- Turn Assistant notifications on to get message notifications.
- Grant device contacts permissions to make calls and send messages to your contacts.
Turn on or off Driving mode in Google Maps
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings
Google Assistant settings.
- Turn on or off Driving mode.
Hear voice directions
When you navigate to a place, you can hear voice directions.
Change the volume level
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings
Voice level.
- Choose Louder, Normal, or Softer.
Mute, unmute, or hear alerts
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Start navigation.
- In the top right, tap Sound
. Then, choose one of the following:
- Mute: Tap Mute
.
- Hear alerts: Tap Alerts
. You’ll hear alerts like traffic, construction, and crashes. You won’t hear turn-by-turn directions.
- Unmute: Tap Sound
.
- Mute: Tap Mute
Fix voice navigation problems
Make sure that your phone or tablet’s volume is on and not muted. After you start navigation, turn your volume up.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Start navigation.
- In the top right, you should see Sound
. If you don’t see this, tap Mute
Sound
. Google Maps should start talking.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings
Voice level.
- Choose Louder.
- Turn on Bluetooth on your phone or tablet.
- Pair your phone or tablet to your car.
- Set the source for your car's audio system to Bluetooth.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings.
- Choose an option:
- To hear navigation from your car speakers, turn on Play voice over Bluetooth.
- To hear navigation from your phone or tablet’s speaker, turn off Play voice over Bluetooth.
Notes:
- On Google Maps for Android version 9.13 and up, you can play a test sound. To play a test sound, open the Google Maps app
your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings
Play test sound. You'll hear "This is what it will sound like when navigating with Google Maps."
- If you want to charge your phone or tablet, use a charging-only USB cable or a power adapter that’s connected to an outlet or cigarette lighter.
Sometimes voice directions aren’t downloaded or need to be updated on your phone or tablet. When this happens, you’ll hear a chime instead of voice directions.
- Make sure you're connected to the Internet. Voice directions will download faster if you have a strong Internet connection.
- Get directions.
- Use the Google Maps app as you normally would. Voice directions will be downloaded while you have the Maps app open.
- When the voice directions are done downloading, you'll hear directions instead of chimes when navigating to a place.
More things you can do with navigation
Play music while navigating
You can play, pause, skip, and change music without minimizing Google Maps navigation.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings
Show media playback controls.
- Choose a media app
Next
Okay.
- To change your media settings, Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings
Music playback controls.
- Controls for the media player you’ve chosen will show at the bottom of the screen in Google Maps navigation.
Choose your default music service with Google Assistant
You can select your preferred music streaming service to be your default music source when you use Google Assistant while navigating.
- On your Android phone or tablet, say "Hey Google, open Assistant settings."
- Under "Popular settings," tap Music.
- Choose a music service. For some services, you may be asked to sign in to your account.
Report speed cameras & traffic accidents
To help improve Maps for yourself and others, you can share information along your route. You can report:
- Slowdown
- Crashes
- Speed traps
Note: Only make a report if it's safe to do so.
Add a report
- Open the Google Maps app
.
- Start navigation.
- Tap Report
Choose an option.
- A report appears on the map where you were on your route. The report will be anonymous.
See alerts from others
If someone else reported something, you’ll find it on the map as you move closer. Depending on your alert settings, you may also hear a warning.
When you reach the alert, you’ll find a prompt that asks “Is this still here?” To let others know if the report is still true, tap Yes or No.
Note: This feature is not available in all locations.
In certain areas, you may see speed limit information during your trip.
In some locations, the maximum speed limit appears as a black and white box . In other locations, the maximum speed limit may appear as a red and white circle
.
You can turn off speed limit information in your navigation settings:
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings.
- Under “Driving options,” turn off Speed limits.
Important: Speed limits shown in Maps are for informational use only. Make sure to confirm speed limits on your trip with posted traffic signs.
If you get a phone call while navigating somewhere, you can answer the call, but you’ll hear voice directions unless you mute it.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings.
- Turn on or off "Play voice during phone calls."
You might be able to switch to another voice from your phone or tablet's text-to-speech settings.
- Go to your phone or tablets's settings app.
- Tap Language and input.
- Tap Text-to-speech output.
- Under "Preferred engine," select another text-to-speech option.
- Voice navigation will use the voice you selected. This will change the voice in other apps too.
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app
.
- Tap your profile picture or initial
Settings
Navigation settings.
- Under "Sound & voice," tap Voice selection.
- Select a language.
Your battery is used faster with navigation because Maps uses these things from your phone or tablet:
- Your current location
- Your screen
- Your speakers
Battery-saving tips
- Use a power adapter: You don't need to worry about your battery draining if your phone is charging. We recommend using a power adaptor, especially when your trip is longer than 30 minutes.
- Turn off your screen: If you don't need to see the screen while using navigation, press the power button on your phone or tablet to turn it off. You'll still hear voice directions.