10 Hacks Every Apple Maps User Should Know

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Apple Maps may not be everyone's top choice for navigation—even those committed to the Apple ecosystem—but the app has come a long way since it's initial rocky rollout, and has plenty of features that make it worth using. Beyond the basics, you'll also want to consider some of its lesser-known settings to get the most out of Apple Maps on both mobile and desktop.

Enable "Visited Places" to save locations (even if you didn't use Maps to get there)

"Visited Places" is a new feature with iOS 26 that passively tracks your location and stores places you go—even if you don't use Maps to get there. If you want to keep tabs on your previous pit stops, you can view them later in the "Places" menu (tap Places > Visited Places when you open Maps). The data is stored on your synced devices and is encrypted end to end, so even though your device is technically tracking you, you're the only one who can access the information. If you prefer that it didn't, you can toggle the feature off and on under Settings > Apps > Maps > Location. You can also delete locations by tapping Clear History in the Visited Places list.

Download offline maps for when you’re out of service

Offline maps are critical for navigation when you don't have a cellular or wifi connection. Apple introduced support for offline maps with iOS 17, which lets you download a map section complete with place cards, turn-by-turn directions for multiple transit types, and estimated time of arrival. To save a map for offline use, touch and hold on the map until a pin marker appears, then tap "Download." Select the area, then tap "Download again." To access it later, tap your profile photo or initials and open the Offline Maps menu. You can also edit the name and area or delete saved maps.

Add and organize places of interest in a shareable guide

Apple Maps has a built-in planning feature that allows you to save locations to a collection for future reference. You can share these guides with others, too. For example, you could put together lists of favorite places or sightseeing itineraries for a group trip. To start a guide, open "Your Guides" (there will already be a "Favorites" collection) and tap the "plus" sign to create a new collection. You can add locations from place cards by tapping the three horizontal dots > Add to Guides and share using the Share icon.

Save your parking location so you never lose your car

If you tend to forget where you leave your car in big and busy parking lots, Apple Maps can save the location for you. The app drops a pin when you disconnect your device from your car's Bluetooth or CarPlay, but you'll have to set it up first. You'll need to have Location Services and Significant Locations turned on (under Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services) and enable "Show Parked Location" under Settings > Apps > Maps. When you need to get back to your vehicle, choose "Parked Car" below Siri Suggestions in Maps.

Plan hikes in parks and on trails

Maps isn't the best app out there for outdoor adventuring, but it does have topographical maps and detailed hiking routes for U.S. national parks, and you can even download them for offline use. Simply search a national park and scroll down to the "Hikes" section on the info card to browse, or type “hikes in [national park name]” to bring up a list you can filter by length, route type, and elevation gain. When you select a hike, tap "Add to Routes" and toggle "Download Route" on.

Create custom walking and hiking routes

You can also make your own routes on roads, paths, and trails and save them to Apple Maps to return to later. To start a custom route, such as a city tour or road run, drop a pin on the map, then tap the three horizontal dots followed by "Create a Custom Route." Tap other points on the map to connect them, then select whether to complete your trip by going in reverse or closing the loop. Finally, tap "Save Route," and you'll have a custom path to follow whenever you'd like.

Send directions from your Mac to your iPhone

Some things are easier to do on desktop, like creating a multi-stop route and selecting the best turn-by-turn directions. But what happens when you want to use those directions on your iPhone? Maps actually has two options for sending directions from your Mac to your iPhone. The first is to share directly; the other is to use Continuity, which allows you to start on one device and pick up on the other.

Either way, you'll need to search a location and click "Directions," then choose your preferred route from the suggestions. You can adjust your mode of transportation and starting and ending points as needed. Click the "Info" icon, then tap "Share" below the turn-by-turn list. Now, select "Send to iPhone," which will deliver a notification to your device. Tap this, and Apple Maps will launch on your iPhone with the directions loaded. Note that you'll need to have time-sensitive notifications and badge alerts on your Lock Screen enabled for this to work.

With Continuity, you can load directions on Maps on your Mac, then open the app switcher on your iPhone and tap the Apple Maps link at the bottom. To make sure this works for you, both your Mac and iPhone should be signed into iCloud with the same Apple Account, wifi and Bluetooth should be enabled on both, and "Handoff" should be turned on—though Apple says it is by default.

Use this setting to change your preferred mode of transportation

If you always use Apple Maps for one transportation type, you can change your preferences so the app will show routes and estimated travel times for that method first. For example, if you don't own a car, you probably don't need to see driving directions by default—you can choose walking, cycling, or public transit as alternatives. Change this under Settings > Maps > Preferred Type of Travel.

Use this setting to avoid highways, hills, and stairs

Maps may give you the turn-by-turn directions it deems the best, but that doesn't mean it's the best route for you. You can tell the app to avoid certain types of roads or obstacles along your route, such as highways, toll roads, and busy streets. For cycling directions, you can try to avoid hills, and for walking, stairs. On the Directions pane, tap "Avoid" and toggle these features on or off.

Compare ride-share pricing from Lyft and Uber without leaving the app

Maps has integrations with ride-sharing apps like Lyft and Uber, so you can check for available rides to your destination and compare prices without leaving the app. (You can't book in Maps, though. You'll be redirected to the ride-share app once you select your ride.) After searching for a location, tap Directions and select the ride-share icon on the far right. Note that you must be logged into ride-share services on your device for the integration to work.