How to Make Google Maps the Default on iPhone

Make Gmail and Chrome default apps from iPhone Settings

By
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Freelance Contributor
  • University of Ontario
  • George Brown College
Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others.
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Updated on May 1, 2024
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
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Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
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What to Know

  • It's not possible to select a default map app from your iPhone Settings.
  • Workaround: Set Chrome as default browser from Settings > Chrome > Default Browser App > Chrome.
  • Follow the same steps for Gmail: Settings > Gmail > Default Mail App > Gmail.

Google Maps is the most widely used map app in the U.S., but iPhone users have to use Apple Maps by default. If you'd rather use Google Maps as the default map app on your iPhone, you can use some workarounds.

How Do I Change My Default Map App on iPhone?

Unfortunately, there's no way to select a default map app on the iPhone. Although you can change other default apps on the iPhone, such as your preferred web browser, Apple does not currently offer this feature for any iOS map apps, including Google Maps.

How Do I Make Google Maps My Default on iOS 14?

Unless you're willing to jailbreak your iPhone, which isn't recommended and against the terms of service for the iPhone, the only way to simulate making Google Maps your default map app on iOS 14 is by using other Google apps as your default apps (if you don't already use them).

Google's apps are designed to work with each other, so they offer a lot of flexibility with using Google Maps as your preferred map app. The two most relevant apps to use would be Chrome as your default web browser and Gmail as your default email program.

How to Set Chrome As Your Default Web Browser to Use Google Maps

If you set Chrome as your default web browser, you'll be able to view locations and directions in Google Maps. Here's how to make this change.

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Scroll down through your list of apps and tap Chrome.

    Tip

    Download Chrome for iOS if you don't have it yet.

  3. Tap Default Browser App.

  4. Tap Chrome.

    Setting Google Chrome as the default browser on iOS.

  5. Now whenever you tap on an address in Chrome to see its location, you can view details directly in Google Maps.

How to Set Gmail As Your Default Email App to Use Google Maps

You need to be using Gmail as your default email app if you want to be able to open location addresses you receive by email in Google Maps.

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Scroll down through your list of apps and tap Gmail.

    Tip

    Download Gmail for iOS if you don't have it yet.

  3. Tap Default Mail App.

  4. Tap Gmail.

    Setting Gmail as the default mail app on iOS.

  5. Exit Settings and open Gmail.

  6. Tap the menu icon in the top left of the search bar.

  7. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu and tap Settings.

  8. Tap Default apps.

  9. If Google Maps isn't already checked, select it from Navigate from your location and Navigate between locations.

    Setting Google Maps as the default navigation app from the Gmail app on iOS.

  10. Now addresses you tap on from within Gmail will open in Google Maps.

FAQ
  • How do I make Google Maps Timeline work on an iPhone by default?

    To save location history on your iPhone with Google Maps Timeline, open Google maps > tap your profile icon > Settings > Personal content > Location settings > Location Services is not set to always. The app will open the Google Maps iPhone Settings. From there select Always. Next, enable location history by selecting Timeline is off, which will launch your Google account Activity Controls. From here, tap Turn on next to Timeline. Then view your history in the Google Maps app on your iPhone from your profile picture > Your Timeline.

  • How do I make Google Maps the default on an iPhone running iOS 10?

    Unfortunately, you can only change the default mail and browser apps on iOS 14 and higher. You can make Gmail the default mail app on your iPhone from the Gmail app settings or choose from numerous other options like Hey or Spark. You can also opt for DuckDuckGo, Firefox, Chrome, or Microsoft Edge instead of Safari as your browser.

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