Maps Settings – iPhone
Allow Maps To Access
Preferred Type Of Travel
- Driving
- Walking
- Transit
- Cycling
Setting your preferred type of travel will allow the Maps app to automatically give you and estimated time of arrival with your directions based on how you usually travel. However, if your preferred method of travel is driving and your iPhone notices that you are walking, it may automatically pull up walking directions instead of driving directions.
Directions
In these categories you can set up specific features for directions to give you a better experience while you’re trying to get where you’re going.
Driving
Avoid
- Tolls: Turning this on will prevent maps from taking you to a toll road that you have to pay for. Turn this setting off if you don’t want to avoid toll roads as it may take you to your destination much quicker.
- Highways: If you prefer not to take highways for whatever reason this would be good to turn on to do so.
Show In Navigation
- Compass: A compass will appear in the top left corner of the map during navigation.
- Speed Limit: Why look at the signs? The speed limit will appear while you’re driving.
Walking
Avoid
- Hills: This will navigate you around any hills.
- Busy Roads: If you want to go for a walk and avoid busy streets as much as possible you’ll want to turn this setting on.
- Stairs: Turn this setting on to avoid stairs.
Directions in the Real World
- Raise to View: This setting will allow you to raise your iPhone up to view real world directions.
Navigation Accuracy
- Enhanced: Using the enhanced setting will allow your iPhone to utilize your camera and motion sensors to improve accuracy and location features of the Maps app.
Transit
Turning on or off directions using different methods of transportation will help you arrive at your intended location using your preferred method of public transportation.
- Bus
- Subway & Light Rail
- Commuter Rail
- Ferry
Cycling
- Hills: This setting will navigate you around large hills while you are riding your bike.
- Busy Roads: This will avoid busy roads while you’re cycling.
Spoken Directions
Directions Pause Spoken Audio
When you’re listening to music, podcasts, audio books etc. during an active navigation, the audio media will pause while Siri tells you directions such as an upcoming turn.
Directions Wake Device
While you are getting directions, spoken directions will turn on the display of your iPhone and wake the device up if it is currently sleeping and locked.
Directions on Radio
In certain vehicles, spoken directions will be heard while you’re listening to the radio.
Share ETA
This will allow you to share your ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) with certain contacts that aren’t blocked.
Climate
Air Quality Index
Air Quality Index will give you information on how clean or polluted the air is in the location you’re navigating through. It’s probably better to keep this setting on.
Weather Conditions
You’re iPhone will tell you about weather conditions while you’re traveling. This is helpful so you know if it’s going to rain or what the weather is like at you’re intended destintation.
Map Labels
When this setting is off, the language may change depending on your location. Keep this on to make sure map labels remain in your preferred language.
Contribute to Maps
Ratings and Photos
This will allow you to post images and ratings in the Maps app.
Show Ratings and Photos Suggestions
This will send you a suggestion in Maps to submit a photo or a rating for whatever destination, restaurant etc. you visit.
Allow Photo Providers to Use Your Photos
This will allow businesses/websites to use the photos you take in Maps for their products/services/websites. This setting is off by default so it is recommended that you keep it off. These are your photos that you took and if you want to manually submit them or someone asks to use them, do so at your discretion.
Extensions
Restaurant Booking
Apps in the restaurant booking setting will be allowed to send you the names of restaurants that you view to those apps (such as Yelp) to send you reservations and tables that are available for booking.
Note: If you keep this turned on, your searches will be tracked by these applications to while it may be convenient it could also be a data privacy issue especially if the app isn’t a trusted and well know company.
Follow up by Email
When you report an issue in Maps, having this turned on will have an email sent to your Apple ID email regarding the issue.
