How to Use navigation in Google Maps

To get easy, turn-by-turn navigation to places, use the Google Maps app. Maps shows you directions and uses real-time traffic information to find the best route to your destination.

With voice navigation, you can 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 countries, regions, and languages. Oversized or emergency vehicles aren’t the intended users of navigation.

What you need to use navigation

On your phone or tablet:

• Turn on your GPS.
• Let Google Maps use your current location and audio speakers.

Start or stop navigation

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Search for a place or tap it on the map.
3. At the bottom left, tap Directions. If you touch and hold the button instead, you’ll start navigation and can skip steps 4 through 6. Learn how to add more destinations.
4. Choose your mode of transportation.
5. If other routes are available, they’ll show in gray on the map. To follow an alternate route, tap the gray line.
6. 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.
7. To stop or cancel navigation, go to the bottom left and tap Close .

Tips:

Show 3D buildings along your route

You can choose to view 3D buildings along the route. To have Maps display 3D buildings:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, sign in to Google Maps .
2. Tap your Profile picture or Initial Settings Navigation settings.
3. Turn Show 3D buildings routes on or off.

Find more actions when you navigate

To find more actions while you’re navigating to a place:

1. At the bottom of the screen, go to the information card.
2. Swipe up.
3. To hide the menu, swipe down on the information card.

Hear voice directions

When you navigate to a place, you can hear voice directions. Learn how to fix voice navigation problems.

Change the volume level

Mute, unmute, or hear alerts

Mute voice directions during phone calls

If you get a phone call while navigating somewhere, you can answer the call, but you’ll hear voice directions unless you mute it.

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Tap your profile picture or initial Settings Navigation settings.
3. Turn on or off “Play voice during phone calls.”

Change the voice

You might be able to switch to another voice from your phone or tablet’s text-to-speech settings.

1. Go to your phone or tablet’s settings app.
2. Tap Language and input.
3. Tap Text-to-speech output.
4. Under “Preferred engine,” select another text-to-speech option.
5. Voice navigation uses the voice you select. This changes the voice in other apps too.

Change the language

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Tap your Profile picture or initial Settings Navigation settings.
3. Under “Sound & voice,” tap Voice selection.
4. Select a language.

More things you can do with navigation

Report traffic incidents during navigation

Add a report

Important: Some incidents can only be reported in certain countries.

To help improve Maps, you can share information along your route. A report appears on the map where you were on your route:

1. Open the Google Maps app .
2. To start navigation, tap Start.
3. On the right, tap Report .
4. On the “Add a report” screen, choose the type of incident you want to report.

Trip reports may be retained, but won’t be associated with your account. Learn more about Maps content policy.

Tip: Only make a report if it’s safe to do so.

Find alerts from others

If another user reports on the Maps, you’ll find it on the map as you move closer. Based on your alert settings, you might also hear an alert.

When you reach the alert, you’ll find a prompt that asks “Is this still here?” To let other users know if the report is still true, tap Yes or No.

Tips for saving battery life when using navigation

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.

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