How To Use Maps On Apple Watch.
You usually use your iPhone to navigate with Apple Maps. But this is not always safe. If you don’t have a smartphone holder in your car, using your iPhone while driving can be dangerous. There is a way to use Apple Maps without looking at the iPhone.
If you have an Apple Watch, you can use your Apple Watch to get step-by-step directions from your iPhone. The Maps app on Apple Watch is pretty robust. He will show you the next turn and gently touch you to tell you where to turn. You can even see the map in real time on your Apple Watch.
You can do all of this by placing your iPhone in your bag or on the seat next to you. With GPS on your watch, you don’t need to use an iPhone at all.
How the Apple Watch Maps app works
The Maps app on Apple Watch is designed to be used without even looking at Apple Watch. In theory, you can start navigating on your iPhone, get directions automatically with your Apple Watch, and get directions without even looking at your wrist.
Maps’ secret weapon is the Taptic engine on the Apple Watch, which gently touches your wrist. If you need to turn right, you get a series of steady bumps. And a series of intermittent blows if you need to turn left.
Start Navigating Maps on Apple Watch with iPhone
As we mentioned above, the Maps app on iPhone and Apple Watch works in sync. It uses the GPS on your iPhone to guide you. And launching navigation on iPhone will automatically launch navigation on Apple Maps as well.
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This is one of the reasons we recommend starting navigation from your iPhone while you are parked and then following it on your Apple Watch while driving. It’s easier and safer.
While you can find a location and even enter a landmark in the Maps app on your Apple Watch, it’s a tedious process (we’ll cover it below as well).
- To get started Navigating maps on your iPhone, open the Maps app and tap the search bar.
- Find a place here and click on it.
- Then click the Routes button.
- You will see different routes here. Select a route to preview and tap the Go button to start navigation.
Navigation will now appear on Apple Watch as well.
How to start navigating the Maps app with Apple Watch
If you don’t want to use your iPhone (for example, if you’re out for a walk or jogging), you can start navigating with your Apple Watch). If you have a GPS model, you can use the Maps app without an iPhone.
There are several ways to navigate with your Apple Watch (make sure your Apple Watch is charged before leaving). The first is to raise Siri. Just press and hold the Digital Crown and say something like “Go to (destination)”. This will launch navigation on the Apple Watch.
- To open the Maps app on Apple Watch, press the digital crown to open the Apps screen.
- Click the Maps application icon here.
- Now click the Search button. You will see several options here.
- Click the Dictation button to perform voice search. To search using the scribbles on the screen, press the Scribble button.
- If you choose Dictation, speak into your Apple Watch microphone, and when you see the text, click Done.
- If you’ve used a scribble icon, write the address using one letter at a time in a notepad. Then click the Finish button.
- You will now see the search results for your query. Click on a result to see all the options.
- Scroll down to the Directions section and select Pedestrian or Driving.
- Here you will see all available routes. Tap a route to select it.
- Navigation will now begin.
How to use Navigation in Maps on Apple Watch
Now that you’ve started navigating everything is going smoothly. When you look at the Apple Watch screen, you see navigation maps. They will tell you the next turn and when to take it. You can scroll up to see nearby directions.
Although the Maps app isn’t installed by default, you can also view the map in real time on your Apple Watch. To get there, you will need to click the ETA button in the upper left corner of the screen.
This screen will show you step by step information at the top and a live map at the bottom.
That’s all you need to get to your destination. If you want to end navigation, press the Back button on the ETA screen and select the End option.
How to disable notifications for Maps on Apple Watch
If you don’t like turn-by-turn alerts, you can turn them off in the Watch app on iPhone. This way, you will not be notified when you need to make the next turn.
- Open the Watch app in the iPhone app and go to the My Watch tab.
- Here select the “Maps” option.
- You can now turn off warnings for different directions such as Driving, Driving with CarPlay, Hiking, and Cycling.
Are you using Apple Maps or Google Maps on your iPhone? Share with us your impressions of using Maps on Apple Watch in the comments below.
If you’re new to the Apple Watch, check out our list of the best Apple Watch apps
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