Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Daily TipsTV

How to Get Directions in Apple Maps on watchOS

You don’t need your iPhone to get directions using the Maps app. You can use your Apple Watch. Here’s how:

How to get directions

° Open the Maps app  on your Apple Watch.

° Turn the Digital Crown to scroll to Favorites, Guides, and Recents.

° Tap an entry to get driving, walking, transit, and cycling directions.
Note: Not all transportation modes are available in all locations.

° Tap a mode to see suggested routes, then tap a route to begin your trip and to see an overview of it—with turns, distance between turns, and street names.
Look in the top-left corner to see your estimated arrival time.

See transportation options

With suggested routes showing in the Maps app, you can select various options before you begin.

  • Choose an alternate route: If alternate routes appear, tap one to take it.
  • Switch to a driving, walking, transit, or cycling route: Tap Walking, Driving, Transit, or Cycling.
  • Avoid tolls or highways: With a driving route showing, tap > next to the destination’s address, then turn on an option.
  • Avoid hills, or busy roads: With a cycling route showing, tap > next to the destination’s address, then turn on an option.
  • Choose preferred public transit: With a transit route showing, tap >, then choose the kinds of public transit you prefer—bus, subway & light rail, commuter rail, and ferry, for example.

Get directions to a landmark or map pin

° Open the Maps app on your Apple Watch.

° Tap Location, then tap the destination landmark or map pin.

° Scroll the location information until you see Directions, then choose walking, driving, transit, or cycling directions.

° When you’re ready to go, tap a route, then follow the directions.

Siri: Say something like, “How long will it take me to get home?”

To end directions before you get there, tap
X
 in the bottom right of the display. Or tap the three dots icon, scroll up, then tap End.

Quickly return to Maps from the watch face

You can switch to the watch face while you’re getting directions. To quickly return to Maps, tap the Maps icon at the top of the screen.

(This how-to is based on my experiences and info on Apple’s support pages — where the images sometimes come from.)

Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.