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Using voice directions on Apple Maps

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Using the Apple Maps app on your phone, you can create driving routes of varying difficulty. The most convenient way to navigate on a map is to use voice commands. They are available in the Apple Maps app on your iPhone. Read the step-by-step instructions on how does it work.

Table of Contents

What is Apple Maps

Apple Maps works on all platforms, desktop and mobile as a full-fledged navigator, which is a great alternative to Waze, Google Maps and other apps for navigation.

Features of the app:

  • Navigator: can be used to create routes
  • Versatile - convenient for motorcyclists, pedestrians, motorists
  • Directory: informs about traffic jams, accidents.
  • It works in real time
  • Shows where the nearest gas stations are

Apple Maps does not require pre-configuration to work. However, in some cases, voice navigation does not work, which causes inconvenience to users.

How to solve this problem, you will learn from this guide. Just follow the step-by-step instruction. It is valid for iOS, iPad, and Mac OS.

Sound settings

There is a chance that you will not hear the assistant's sound because the sound is not loud enough or output to headphones and you will not hear voice directions at the right moment.

Step 1. Check the sound settings. If the volume is set to minimum or muted, the voice assistant will not work.

Step 2. Make sure that no external audio equipment - wired or wireless / AirPods headphones - are connected to your iPhone or other device.

How to enable voice navigation in iOS (iPhone)

  1. Via iOS Settings, find the 'Maps' section.
  2. Find the Driving and Navigation line and tap on it.
  3. Go to Navigation Voice Volume.
  4. Several volume levels are available, select the 'Loud Volume' or 'Normal Volume' option to activate the voice prompts.
  5. Launch the Apple Maps app and see if the voice assistant is working.

What to do if voice prompts still don't work

  1. Check the sound settings in iOS
  2. Make sure that the speaker of your mobile device works properly. To do this, listen to a podcast or music through the iPhone speaker.
  3. Go to the Apple Maps settings and make sure the Audio Settings has the correct volume settings.
  4. Check if the GPS and internet are working while navigating.
  5. Use an alternative map app like Google Maps or Waze so that you can use the microphone to control navigation and make full use of Voice directions.

tl dr

  1. Apple Maps application is used as voice navigation application on iOS mobile devices by default.
  2. In order to hear and record voice commands, make sure the phone speaker and microphone are in good working order.
  3. All Apple Maps settings are located within the app itself, in the section of the same name.

FAQ

Why won't the iPhone voice announce directions?

In order for Voice Navigation to work, you need to check the corresponding settings in the Apple Maps app.

You can check if voice navigation is enabled in the following ways:

  1. Go to Settings -> Maps
  2. Open the Driving & Navigation settings on the new screen
  3. Select one of the options: Loud volume, Normal volume or Low volume to adjust the volume of the voice assistant.

How do I turn on spoken directions to make them work on my iPhone?

If you don't have spoken directions working (even though you're running Apple Maps) - you may have disabled this feature through the settings. How to turn it back on:

  1. Go to the iOS settings
  2. Find the Maps line in the list and click on it
  3. Go to Navigation & Guidance.
  4. Deactivate the No Voice setting.
  5. Make sure that the audio volume on your iOS is set to near maximum.

Where are the voice directions settings in the Google Maps app on iOS

The app's main settings are available when you click on the user's profile icon in Maps. Next, go to Sound & voice > Voice selection. There you will find everything about Voice directions.

Apply the selected volume level to take advantage of the voice navigation features. If necessary, restart the Maps app.

What should you do if Apple Maps doesn't give voice directions?

If the tips in the instructions don't work, try the Google app instead of Apple Maps. You can turn on voice directions in the following ways:

  1. Run Maps app on iOS.
  2. Go to Settings > Navigation settings
  3. Find the Voice level option
  4. Set the sound level (Softer, Normal, or Louder).
  5. Verify that the voice directions are working.

Ilia is a professional writer. He has expert knowledge in GPS and cartography with 15 years of experience. Additionally, Ilia has extensive experience in data recovery on PC and mobile. He started his career as a journalist by reviewing PC and mobile apps. His current responsibilities are to keep track of users' questions on MGT and answer them.