How to Change the Route on Google Maps on iPhone or iPad

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Easy ways to change your directions in Google Maps on iOS

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: November 29, 2024 Tested

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Selecting Alternate Route (While Navigating)

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Adding Stop

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New Destination

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Avoiding Tolls, Ferries, Highways

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Alternate Route (Before Trip)

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Adding Stop

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Avoiding Tolls, Ferries, Highways

This wikiHow teaches you how to switch to a different route using Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad. The steps to change your route are a bit different depending on whether you've already begun your trip or still in the planning stages. By changing the destination, choosing an alternate route, adding stops, or avoiding tolls or highways, you can quickly get the most accurate directions from Google Maps at any point during travel.

Quick Steps

Tap the Route icon while navigating.
View the alternate routes shown in light-blue.
Tap an alternate route to change it immediately.

Method 1

Method 1 of 7:

Selecting an Alternate Route While Navigating

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1
While navigating, tap Route icon. It's the two curved arrows at the bottom of the screen, just to the right of your remaining travel time. This displays a preview of your route, as well as alternative routes and their ETAs.
- You can also get here by tapping the bar at the bottom of the map and selecting Preview route .
2
Tap an alternate route to switch immediately. Your current route appears in blue, while alternate routes are gray. Tap one of the gray routes to switch to that route. Your navigation instructions will change immediately.
- If you decide not to select an alternate route, tap Re-center on the map to return to the previous navigation view.

Method 2

Method 2 of 7:

Adding a Stop While Navigating

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It's the magnifying glass in the upper-right corner of the map.
You can tap any of the options to see locations along your route. Or, if you want to enter a specific address or landmark, tap the blue-and-white magnifying glass icon instead.
Enter the address or select the location of the stop you want to add to your current route. This places a new point on the map and asks if you want to add the stop.
It's the green button at the bottom of the screen. This adds the stop to your route, changing your current route and ETA to include the new stop.

Method 3

Method 3 of 7:

Selecting a Different Destination While Navigating

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It's at the bottom-right corner. This disables navigation to the current destination and allows you to select a new one.
To do so, tap the current destination above the map, tap the X to erase it, and then start typing your new destination. Tap the new destination when it appears in the search results to select it.
It's the blue button at the bottom. This begins navigation to the new destination.

Method 4

Method 4 of 7:

Avoiding Tolls, Ferries, and Highways While Navigating

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It's the white bar at the bottom of the map that displays your remaining travel time. This expands the menu.
It's at the bottom of the menu.
In the "Route Options" section of the menu you'll find three switches: Avoid highways, Avoid tolls, and Avoid ferries. If you want to avoid any of these options on your route, tap its corresponding switch to turn it on.
This updates your route to bypass highways, tolls, and/or ferries as needed.

Method 5

Method 5 of 7:

Selecting an Alternate Route Before Your Trip

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Tap a destination on the map, or search for it by typing its name or address into the search bar.
Google Maps automatically selects a route based on the amount of travel time. The route selected by Google Maps is the one highlighted in blue. Alternate routes are gray, and each displays its own ETA. Tap one of the other routes to select and view that route.
It's the blue button at the bottom of the screen. This begins navigation using the alternate route you selected.

Method 6

Method 6 of 7:

Adding a Stop Before Your Trip

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1
Select a destination on the map. Tap a destination on the map, or search for it by typing its name or address into the search bar.
- You can rearrange your destinations at any point, so it doesn't matter whether you select your final destination now, or one of the places you want to stop along the way.
It's at the bottom-left corner. This displays the suggested route.
It's at the top-right corner.
This adds a third field above the map containing the text "Add stop."
This allows you to select another destination.
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Enter a location or tap Choose on a map to select from the map. Once you tap the place you want to go, the destination will be added to the list of stops above the map.
- To add another stop, tap the new Add stop field that expanded below the last stop you entered, and then select the next destination.
- You can add up to 9 stops to a single trip. ^{[1]
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If you want to switch the order in which you travel to each destination, tap and drag the location name or address up or down the list. This updates the route displayed on the map below.
It's at the bottom-right corner of your destination list. The route will appear.
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Tap Start to begin navigating to the first destination. Navigation will begin immediately.
- To add another stop once you're already on the way, tap magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner, select or search for a new location, and then tap Add stop .

Method 7

Method 7 of 7:

Avoiding Tolls, Ferries, and Highways Before Your Trip

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Tap a destination on the map, or search for it by typing its name or address into the search bar.
It's at the bottom-left corner.
It's at the top-right corner next to your current location or starting point.
It's at the top of the menu.
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Choose which route options to avoid. Tap the toggle switch next to Avoid highways, Avoid tolls, and/or Avoid ferries to remove such routes for your trip.
- If you want Google Maps to always display trips without tolls, highways, and/or ferries, tap the "Remember settings" switch to turn that feature on.
This saves your changes and re-displays the route if necessary.
It's the blue button at the bottom. This starts navigation toward your destination.