Apple Maps

The Maps app uses GPS and local signals, like Wi-Fi and cellular towers, to accurately find your current location. Maps uses a massive street and highway database to calculate the best route to your destination whether you are driving, walking, biking, or taking public transportation. Maps uses real-time traffic flow information to help you avoid traffic jams, accidents, and other delays.

Maps will suggest locations based on your searches for business names, e.g., “Hilton,” or business types, e.g., “hotels.” Tap the search box, and Maps will suggest popular searches, e.g., restaurants and gas stations nearby.

Maps can display satellite pictures, show real-time traffic conditions (iPhone only), give you turn-by-turn voice directions, and even display customer ratings for restaurants, hotels, and other businesses. You can also grab a ride from Lyft or Uber or book a reservation from Open Table—right from within the Maps app.

Choose the right map

Choosing the right kind of map can help you find what you are looking for. Tap the Map button (upper right).

• Exploring . Hides traffic and transit data.
• Driving . Displays traffic data.
• Transit . Displays public transit data.
• Satellite . Replaces the drawn map with a satellite image.

Showing your current location on the map

You can quickly center the map to your position and orient the top of the map to either the direction you are facing or to the north.

• Tap  to center on your current location.
• Tap to orient the top of your map to show north.
• Tap to show your current heading at the top of your map.

You can touch and drag the screen to move the map or use a pinching gesture to zoom in and out. Remember that you can rotate your phone to show Maps in either portrait or landscape orientation.

Find Nearby

For quick access to popular searches nearby, including food, drinks, and shopping, tap the search field, then choose from the listed categories.

Searching for a location by name

Open Maps and use the search field to type in searches by business name, city, or landmark. You can also summon Siri and ask or tap the microphone icon  and speak your search terms (must be connected to the Internet). Besides actual street addresses, you can use search terms such as:

• An area like “soho new york” (notice that capitalizations aren’t important if typing).
• An intersection like “broadway and 5th.”
• A landmark like “statue of liberty.”
• A city name like “st louis” (add a state if there are multiple cities with the same name).
• Zip code.
• Type of business like “dry cleaners” or “restaurants.”
• Type of food like “mexican food” or “deli.”

Changing the search area

Maps respond to screen gestures like dragging and pinching.

• Pinch the screen to zoom in or out.
• Touch and drag the screen to move the map in any direction.
• Place two fingers on the screen to rotate the map to any orientation.

Zoom in for area detail and Look Around

The closer you zoom into a map the more detail Maps will show.

1. Zoom in on an intersection or shopping mall. Business names appear as pins with icons denoting the type of business when you are zoomed in far enough.
2. Tap the location pin, then swipe up to view more information.
3. Some locations may include 360 degree photos. Tap the Look Around icon to open the photo. You can then drag the picture to look around the entire area.
4. Some locations have interactive features like Flyover. Tap Flyover to view a location from above.

Maps may include phone numbers, business hours, website URL, and more.

Sharing a location

You can quickly share your current location or any map location using a text message, email, AirDrop, or social media.

• To share your current location, tap the blue dot that denotes your location, then tap Share My Location and choose an option such as Mail or AirDrop.
• To share a business or other location, open the location in Maps, then tap Share and choose an option such as Mail or AirDrop.

Traffic conditions

Maps on iPhone can show you current traffic conditions that could affect your drive. Maps will use traffic delays, known crashes, and road closures when calculating your route.

1. Tap  and turn on Driving.
2. Slow traffic is shown as a red line.
3. Maps indicates other road conditions like:
   1. Crashes  .
   1. Road closures .
   1. Road construction .
   1. Other alerts  .

Turn-by-turn directions

Maps can give you turn-by-turn directions to your destination. Maps will adjust your route based on real-time traffic and road conditions and even recalculate your route if you miss a turn.

1. Open your destination in Maps (use the search function or tap the screen to designate a location).
2. Tap Directions.
3. If necessary, choose between alternate routes.
4. Make sure your transportation mode (drive, walk, bike, etc.) is chosen.
5. Tap Go  to start audible turn-by-turn navigation.
6. View the map for lane guidance, ETA, speed limit, and more.

Maps can help you with the weather

Current and forecast weather conditions are built into Maps.

• Center over the area of interest.
• Zoom in until the weather icon, which shows current conditions for that area, appears in the lower-right corner.
• Long press the Weather icon to see the hourly forecast.

Save a location from Maps

While viewing info about a location, scroll to the bottom of the information window.

• Tap Add to Favorites to find the location easily in the future.
• Tap Create New Contact or Add to Existing Contact to save the location in your contacts. This will also save the location’s phone number, email, and website if that information is available.

Maps isn’t perfect—and it requires a data connection

Many features of Maps and other location-based services depend on the data services available when using the app—cellular, Wi-Fi, and GPS. These services may not always be available, and the apps may not function as needed. Also, you will sometimes find errors in any mapping app or GPS tool.

Using other apps connected to Maps

You can use other apps, like Lyft, Uber, and Open Table, from within Maps on your iPhone if you:

• Have the app installed on your device.
• Have the app enabled in Settings  > Maps (Ride Booking Extensions and/or Table Booking Extensions).

For ride extensions to show up, find your location and tap Directions, then look for the Ride button.