Heading

What it does

Heading turns your phone into a talking compass. When turned on, it announces the direction the phone is pointing, such as “Northeast, 45 degrees.” It announces again when you turn to a new direction.

When to use it

Use Heading while traveling or navigating to get a clearer sense of your destination's direction and the direction you are traveling.

How to use it

Heading is a switch available on the Navigate home page and in the walking navigation toolbar.

It announces the current direction as soon as you turn it on. When you turn your body and enter a new compass sector, it announces again. It stays quiet while the direction remains the same. The directions are north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, and northwest.

By default, announcements include degrees, such as “Northeast, 45 degrees.” If you prefer just the direction, turn off “Heading degrees” in Navigation settings. You will then hear only a direction such as “Northeast.”

Heading uses the phone's built-in compass. It works while you are standing still and does not need an internet connection.

With a screen reader on, you can also hear the current direction by touching the Heading button while the switch is off. You do not need to turn it on to check which way you are facing.