How to Use Apple Maps for Directions and Places

A patient guide to Apple Maps on your iPhone — from searching addresses to getting turn-by-turn driving directions.

At a Glance

Open Apple Maps

~15s

On your iPhone home screen, tap the white icon with a small folded map and a red 280 freeway symbol on it. The app opens to a map centered on where you are.

Search for a place

~15s

Tap the search bar at the bottom that says "Search Maps." Type a business name, address, or general term like "pharmacy near me" or "gas station." Tap the blue Search key on the keyboard.

Pick your destination

~15s

Apple Maps shows results as red dots on the map and a list at the bottom. Tap the one you want. A card slides up with the address, phone number, and a blue Directions button.

Start driving directions

~15s

Tap the blue Directions button, then pick Drive, Walk, Transit, or Cycle. Tap the green Go button to start. Apple Maps reads each turn out loud as you approach it.

Adjust the volume of the voice

~15s

While driving, if the voice is too quiet, press the volume-up button on the side of the phone during a spoken instruction. The voice volume is separate from ring volume and only adjusts during a direction.

Save favorite places

~15s

On the card for a place, scroll down and tap "Add to Favorites." Your home, your doctor's office, and your church will then appear as big buttons when you open the app — one tap to start directions.

End or change the route

~15s

To stop directions, tap the red "End Route" button at the bottom. To change destinations, tap the X in the search bar and start a new search. Maps will stop speaking and return to the main view.

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Apple Maps is the free map and directions app that comes pre-installed on every iPhone and iPad. You do not need to download anything or sign up for an account. It is already there, with the colorful folded-map icon on your home screen.

Apple Maps can do three main things: find a place (like "Walgreens near me"), give you directions from where you are to somewhere else, and show you what a place looks like before you go. It works for driving, walking, public transit, and cycling. A friendly voice reads each turn out loud so you do not have to look at the screen while driving.

Before you rely on Apple Maps for an important trip, do a small test drive around your neighborhood. Ask it to take you somewhere you already know how to get to. That way you can learn how it sounds, how big the fonts are, and where to mount your phone for easy viewing — before you really need it.

Apple Maps uses your phone's location to know where you are. The first time you open it, your phone will ask "Allow Maps to use your location?" — tap Allow. If you tap Don't Allow by accident, directions will not work. You can fix this by going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Maps, and tapping "While Using the App."

One small difference between Apple Maps and Google Maps: Apple Maps does not ask you to sign in. Google Maps asks for a Google account. If that feels easier, Apple Maps is a good default for iPhone users.

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