Navigation settings

What it does

Navigation settings brings together preferences for announcements, heading deviation alerts, vibration, shake actions, layout, and map display. Adjust them to suit your habits. Open the Settings tab at the bottom of the app to find Navigation settings.

When to use it

People have different preferences for navigation controls and announcements. Use these settings if announcements are too frequent or too sparse, direction alerts come too early or too late, or you want to move the search box, guidance panel, or navigation buttons. Other navigation preferences are available here too.

How to use it

Announcement interval: Choose how many meters to walk between spoken instructions during walking navigation. Options are 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 100, and 200 meters; the default is 20 meters. Smaller values give more frequent announcements. If you change this during navigation, it takes effect from the next route segment.

Heading deviation alerts: Choose how far the phone can point away from the route before an alert, 45 degrees by default. Options are 30 degrees for more sensitive alerts, 45 degrees for a moderate setting, 60 degrees for more tolerance, or 90 degrees to alert only for a major difference. You can also turn alerts off. The “Deviation” button during walking navigation controls the same switch.

Align direction at start: On by default. Before each walking segment, spoken instructions guide you to face the correct direction before setting off. Turn it off to skip this step and start navigation immediately.

Vibration feedback: On by default. Vibration accompanies spoken alerts for turns, heading deviation, arrival, and completion of direction alignment. Turn it off to stop vibration for these events while keeping speech. Changes take effect from the next navigation session.

Heading degrees: On by default. Announcements include the exact degrees, such as “Northeast, 45 degrees.” Turn it off to hear only a direction such as “Northeast” if you find degrees hard to follow or prefer shorter announcements.

Along-route announcements: Adjust the announcement content, place categories, and distance range.

Shake: During walking navigation, shake the phone to hear a quick update. Choose remaining distance, the default, current location, current location plus remaining distance, or the last announcement. You can also turn shake announcements off.

Search box position: Choose “Bottom” or “Top” to put the Navigate home page search box in the lower controls area or at the top of the map.

Guidance panel position: Choose “Bottom” or “Top” for the panel that shows turn instructions and remaining distance during navigation.

Navigation buttons position: Choose “Right” or “Left” to place frequently used controls on either side of the Navigate home page and navigation screen for easier use with one hand.

Map layer: Choose the map style on the Navigate home page and place details pages. Options are Standard, the default, Satellite, Night, and Transit. Night mode gives the map on the Navigate home page a dark background.

Navigation map orientation: Choose how the map is displayed during walking navigation. The default is “Heading up,” which rotates the map with your direction of travel. Choose “North up” to keep north at the top.