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
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
A person looks at an Apple Watch on their wrist. The device is warning them that they have a high heart rate.
Your next Apple Watch could have this massive AI health upgrade – and no new sensors are needed
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is 52% off in the Prime Day sales, and you should buy it before Amazon realizes its mistake
Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid
Apple Watches are useful, but don't look cool – here are 4 Prime Day deals on discreet wearables for fashion-conscious fit people
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
Latest in News
AWS Kiro
AWS launches Kiro, an agentic AI IDE, to end the chaos of vibe coding
LinkedIn/Mike Matsel
Microsoft employee uses terrible AI-generated image to advertise for Xbox artists just weeks after massive layoffs
Artificial intelligence India
A quarter of applications now include AI, but enterprises still aren't ready to reap the benefits
Nick Frost as Hagrid
HBO’s Harry Potter TV show is supposed to be a fresh start, but Nick Frost’s Hagrid says otherwise
NotebookLM featured notebooks
Google transforms NotebookLM into a curated knowledge hub and I might be in geek heaven
Nintendo Switch 2
Nintendo's anti-piracy rules have got one Switch 2 owner's console banned after they bought pre-owned games that they later found out were cloned
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Microsoft employee uses terrible AI-generated image to advertise for Xbox artists just weeks after massive layoffs
  2. 2
    I spent hours learning how to play Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening just so I could accidentally win within a minute of starting a save
  3. 3
    I watched Brick on Netflix so you don’t have to – here’s a far superior sci-fi thriller I recommend streaming instead
  4. 4
    AWS launches Kiro, an agentic AI IDE, to end the chaos of vibe coding
  5. 5
    'A ticking time bomb': US trains are vulnerable to a simple 13-year-old known security vulnerability - here's what you need to know

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...