How to Make Google Maps Default on iPhone

Whenever you open a map link on your iPhone, it will by default open up in Apple Maps, even if you have installed Google Maps. Honestly speaking, I always use Google Maps on my iPhone and I just don’t like when a location by default opens in Apple Maps. If you also prefer Google Maps over Apple Maps, you’ll surely be curious to know how to make Google Maps the default on an iPhone. This guide will give you a breakdown on how you can do it.

Can You Set Google Maps as Default on iPhones?

With iOS 14, Apple slightly opened up its long-standing closed ecosystem by allowing its users to change the default web browser and email app on their devices. Unfortunately, Apple doesn’t offer a direct way to change the primary navigation app on your iPhone. If you have to do it, you’ll need to jailbreak your iPhone, and this isn’t a feasible solution.

Before you get disheartened, let me tell you there’s a workaround to turn things in your favor. Since Apple allows you to change the default browser and email app on your iPhone, you can use this freedom to set Google Maps as your default app.

For this, you must set Google Chrome as your default browser and Gmail as your default email app on your iPhone. Since Google’s ecosystem will always prefer Google apps, Chrome and Gmail will always open the map links in Google Maps (by default). Bear in mind that locations shared on WhatsApp, Messages, or any other app will continue to open in Apple Maps only.

How to Set Google Maps as Default on iPhone

Since iOS still doesn’t a way to set different maps apps as default, you’ll have to get this done through workarounds. You can do this by setting Google Chrome and Gmail as your default apps for browser and email on your iPhone. This will make sure any map links you open on either of these apps will redirect you to the Google Maps app.

Method 1: Use Google Chrome to Open Google Maps By Default

Firstly, let’s set Google Chrome as the default web browser on an iPhone. This will allow you to see all directions and locations in Google Maps instead of Apple Maps. The process is super easy and can be done in a few clicks. Here’s how to do it:

1. Download Google Chrome from the App Store, if you haven’t already.
2. Now, open Settings and navigate to Apps > Chrome.
3. Here, tap on the Default Browser App and select Chrome.

Going forward, whenever you tap on a map link or an address in Chrome, it will directly open in Google Maps.

Method 2: Use Gmail to Set Google Maps as Default on iPhone

If you want your iPhone to open addresses received by email in the Google Maps app, you will have to set Gmail as your default email client. Just follow the below steps and you’re sorted:

1. Download the Gmail app from the App Store in case you haven’t already.
2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Gmail.
3. Here, tap on Default Mail app and choose Gmail.

4. Now, open the Gmail app and tap on the hamburger icon from the top left.
5. On the left sidebar, scroll down and tap on Settings.
6. Next, tap on Default apps under “General”.
7. Now select Google Maps inside both the “Navigate from your location” and “Navigate between locations” sections.
8. Finally, tap on Done to confirm changes.

In the future, whenever you tap on any locations with the Gmail app, they will be opened in Google Maps. Now that you know the trick to make Google Maps your primary navigator on iPhone, go ahead and navigate with your preferred choice.

It’s worth knowing that starting this year, Apple is likely to allow iPhone users to change the default navigation app, just like the browser and email apps. We might see this solution soon. That said, this change might be exclusive to the EU, again because of the DMA law.

Over the past year, Apple has introduced some exclusive changes for EU users. This includes access to third-party app stores, downloading apps directly from a website, and more.