Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Back to school
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Best VPN
  • ChatGPT
  • NYT Wordle today
  • Best laptop
  • Best web hosting
Recommended reading
A Garmin Forerunner 570 smartwatch showing directions from Google Maps.
Smartwatches Garmin just gave some of its smartwatches a big Google Maps upgrade – here's which models are getting it
Apple Watch OS 26
Smartwatches Workout Buddy? Forget it: watchOS 26's most exciting addition was only hinted at
watchOS 26 running on an Apple Watch Series 10
Smartwatches Constantly dismissing notifications on your Apple Watch? You’re going to love Apple’s watchOS 26 latest gesture
Apple Maps Monaco F1
iOS F1 and the Grand Prix invade Apple Maps – but where's Brad Pitt?
Apple WatchOS
Smartwatches watchOS 26: these are the 6 big updates coming to your Apple Watch soon – including an AI Workout Buddy and a Notes app
Two iPhones on a blue and green background showing restaurants on Apple Maps
Phones Apple Maps gets a tasty Michelin star restaurant upgrade, but it still lacks one key Google Maps ingredient
Apple Watch Series 10
Smartwatches Google just gave Apple Watch fans a Calendar app, but simultaneously removed an even more useful one
  1. Health & Fitness
  2. Smartwatches

How to use Maps on Apple Watch

News
By Lily Prasuethsut published 7 August 2015

Never get lost again with the Apple wearable

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Using Apple Maps on the Apple Watch

Using Apple Maps on the Apple Watch

Apple Maps has long been the unwanted navigation app on our iPhones, and is often quickly shuffled off into a bloatware folder after downloading Google Maps. At least, that's always been the case for me whenever I get a new iPhone.

Imagine my disappointment then when I realized using Apple Maps would be the only way to get directions on my wrist.

However, after using the much hated Apple Maps with my Apple Watch, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it works...and works well. Granted Siri does a lot of unnecessary, rapid fire talking but on the whole, Apple Maps has successfully given me driving directions every time I've used it.

If you feel like using Siri as your Apple Watch Maps guide, here's how to do it.

Page 1 of 4
Page 1 of 4
1. Open Apple Maps (get used to it)

1. Open Apple Maps (get used to it)

Select the Maps app from the watch by pressing the Digital Crown. Once open, you'll see your current location displayed on the screen.

Apple Watch Apple Maps

Zoom in or out with the Crown, or look at the surrounding area by moving your finger across.

You can also pull up Maps from Glances if you have it included as a Glances option.

Page 2 of 4
Page 2 of 4
2. Where are you headed?

2. Where are you headed?

To begin navigating, Force Touch the Watch display.

Apple Watch Apple Maps

There are several ways to enter addresses. One is to simply tap on address links found in text messages or emails. Similar to clicking on address links on your phone to access directions, Apple Maps will open up automatically on the Watch.

Another is to select someone from the Contacts icon if you're looking for directions to a friend's house.

Apple Watch Apple Maps

Lastly, you can manually look for addresses by selecting the Search icon. You'll get the option to revisit a history of last searched places or can use voice dictation to find a new location.

Apple Watch Apple Maps

Choose your desired method then enter the destination - Apple Maps will pull up information like driving and walking times or reviews and phone numbers if relevant.

Page 3 of 4
Page 3 of 4
3. To walk or to drive, that is the question

3. To walk or to drive, that is the question

Your Apple Watch will then offer up two options for getting where you want to go: walking or driving. After picking which mode you want, press Start.

Siri will begin navigating with turn-by-turn directions while the Watch will provide haptic feedback right before you need to turn.

Bonus: Non-voice dictation

Apple Watch Apple Maps

You can also search for directions on your iPhone before you head off and then use the Watch to navigate afterwards.

This may be the option many people choose before driving to their destination. It's safer and easier since the Watch automatically will start the navigation process once it's entered in the phone.

Page 4 of 4
Page 4 of 4
TOPICS
Apple Watch Apple
Lily Prasuethsut
See more News about Smartwatches
Read more
A Garmin Forerunner 570 smartwatch showing directions from Google Maps.
Garmin just gave some of its smartwatches a big Google Maps upgrade – here's which models are getting it
Apple Watch OS 26
Workout Buddy? Forget it: watchOS 26's most exciting addition was only hinted at
watchOS 26 running on an Apple Watch Series 10
Constantly dismissing notifications on your Apple Watch? You’re going to love Apple’s watchOS 26 latest gesture
Apple Maps Monaco F1
F1 and the Grand Prix invade Apple Maps – but where's Brad Pitt?
Apple WatchOS
watchOS 26: these are the 6 big updates coming to your Apple Watch soon – including an AI Workout Buddy and a Notes app
Two iPhones on a blue and green background showing restaurants on Apple Maps
Apple Maps gets a tasty Michelin star restaurant upgrade, but it still lacks one key Google Maps ingredient
Latest in Smartwatches
Google Pixel Watch 3 on a wrist
The Google Pixel Watch 4 is rumored to improve repairability – and could add two useful emergency features
The Garmin Forerunner 570
Garmin's latest software update fixes ghost touches on new Forerunner models – but adds more bugs
Google Pixel Watch 3 on a wrist
The Google Pixel Watch 4 is rumored to sport a bigger battery – but I'm hoping it's not just for a brighter screen and on-device AI
Apple Watch Series 10
An Apple Watch Air would win the smartwatch game – again
Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar
This five-star Garmin smartwatch is a steal at its new record-low price on Amazon
CMF Watch Pro 2
The Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro's key specs and packaging may have been revealed in a new leak
Latest in News
Star Wars Rise of the Resistance
You can now experience Disneyland’s biggest rides at home, thanks to Disney+ - and there's a Star Wars one I'm going to keep watching
Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen face each other while laughing at something off screen
Platonic season 2's trailer looks even more unhinged than the Apple TV+ show's ridiculous first season – and that’s the best news we could ask for
FiiO QX13 on a gray table
FiiO's portable hi-res DAC and amp is priced to make you an audiophile, right before hi-res goes 'truly mainstream'
Antivirus software
Antivirus vs Internet Security: What's the difference?
A still from the movie Skinamarink, showing two children sat on the carpet in front of a TV
Everything leaving Hulu in August 2025
Digital crime by an anonymous hacker
Antivirus vs Firewall: which is right for me?
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    I wrote off Your Friends & Neighbors due to its 78% Rotten Tomatoes score, but this underrated Jon Hamm-led dark comedy is more proof Apple TV+ is in a league of its own
  2. 2
    'A 1,000-year-plus memory crystal': SPhotonix’s CEO tells us how its glass-based data tech is the future of high-density archival storage
  3. 3
    AI is tricking people into traveling to places that don't exist, and we all need to learn to avoid these scams
  4. 4
    You can now experience Disneyland’s biggest rides at home, thanks to Disney+ - and there's a Star Wars one I'm going to keep watching
  5. 5
    I tried using ChatGPT Agent to plan a date night, and it worked surprisingly well

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...