5 ways to close (turn off) Waze app on Android or iPhone

Waze is a handy navigator with traffic saving features and the ability to download offline maps. Drivers prefer using this app because of the detailed maps, free features and smart voice assistant.

There are different ways to close Waze. In this guide we will show you how to stop or shut down the navigator app through the software and hardware buttons on a mobile device based on Android 10, 11, 12 or iOS 12, 13, 14, 15.

Video instructions

Shutting down Waze on Android (via the app itself)

The first method is the obvious one: you can close the navigator like any other mobile app. It will not waste battery and GPS, aimlessly tracking your position.

You can disable the Waze app by completely unloading it from memory. Android has built-in functionality to optimize apps and RAM, so you don't have to revisit your phone's resources yourself.

To close the Waze app as quickly as possible, follow these steps.

1. There is a left arrow button on the bottom of the Waze app. Otherwise, use a similar physical button.
2. Via a pop-up window, select Shut down option.

3. The Waze app will be closed.

By the way, if you use Samsung Galaxy, just tap on the Recent apps button to the left of the Home button, then swipe the Waze window to close the navigator.

How to stop Waze navigation temporarily

At the same time, Waze does not have to be closed if you want to temporarily suspend the app. The navigator will not distract from driving, as there will be no active routes on the map.

If you just want to stop the navigation to let Waze work in the background, you can do it this way:

1. Tap on the blue arrow on the bottom (ETA bar) of Waze.

2. Use the Stop button to stop the current route.

3. You can now minimize the app to run in the background.

At any time you can reactivate the navigator. Just create a new route using the regular features of Waze or another navigator.

Closing the Waze app completely on your iPhone

In order to completely stop and close the Waze app on an iOS device (iPad, iPhone), follow these steps.

1. Double tap the physical Home button. (If not needed, swipe up at the bottom of the screen).
2. In the App Switcher, find a Waze window by swiping through the list of apps.

3. Close Waze.

Uninstalling Waze from your phone

This way you can deactivate the Waze app without any problems. Unlike Google Maps, it does not display a pop-up window that also needs to be closed. Waze does not use up your phone's CPU / RAM or internet traffic by running in the background.

If you do not like Waze, uninstall it and you will never be bothered by it again. Here is a link to an article that describes a universal method for uninstalling apps on Android.

On iPhone, or other iOS devices, the process is not much different, here is the link to the official instructions.

Disabling GPS tracking

Despite the advantages of Waze, users complain that the navigator still works on Android, although the app is closed. This can be due to the fact that GPS is used to track the coordinates of the user.

To disable this feature on the Waze app, do the following

1. Open the Waze app.

2. Tap on Settings wheel.

3. Go to Advanced settings > General.

4. Use the Location item to change reporting option.
5. Move the slider to the left to disable GPS tracking.

Disabling Waze app via CarPlay on iPhone 12 or 13

One of the most unpleasant situations is when Waze is launched simultaneously with CarPlay when it is not needed.

You can easily exclude Waze from CarPlay app list. To do this:

1. Go to iOS Settings.
2. Find the General > CarPlay tab and go to the appropriate section.
3. Tap on the car model name and then follow to Customize.
4. Find Waze in the list and exclude the app by tapping on the '-' (minus) icon.
5. This will not permanently remove Waze, but only exclude it from the CarPlay app list. (You will be able to run Waze standalone, separately from CarPlay or re-enable it to the mentioned list of apps if needed.)

Top-3 reasons to disable Waze

If you opened this article, it means you want to disable Waze - that's a fact. But let's understand why to actually close the app, what are the objective reasons for doing so.

1. Saving mobile data

It is no secret that Waze downloads data from the Internet: maps of the area, info about events on the road, and to verify the location.

At the same time, the operation of Waze can have a negative impact on the consumption of limited Internet traffic. Especially if you have every megabyte in your account, or you have a download limit set in the phone settings.

Accordingly, disabling Waze saves resources and avoids data leaks. No app, no problem.

2. Saving battery

At the same time, like any GPS navigator, Waze discharges the battery of your phone very quickly. This is especially noticeable when Waze works in the background, and/or uses GPS when a phone is not connected to a charger.

As a result, drivers become distracted trying to turn off the navigator or notifications while driving. This can be dangerous!

So if you do not need to use Waze, it would be better to turn it off before you drive.

3. Disabling notifications

When Waze is running, either in the background or as the main application at the moment, various notifications are displayed. Of course, most of them help the driver navigate the road and free your head from unnecessary actions.

On the other hand, if you are not using the app and distracted by the information screens and sounds, it makes sense to close Waze until you really need its help. This way, closing the Waze app window will eliminate the distraction.