Turn Google Maps notifications on or off

To check things that interest you, like train schedules or traffic on routes you travel often, turn on notifications in the Google Maps app.

To turn settings on or off:

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app.
2. Tap Notifications Google Maps .
3. Turn on Allow Notifications.

To turn on a notification, like when to leave for an event, follow the steps below.

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Google Maps app .
2. Tap your profile picture or initial   Settings  Notifications.
   • Turn on a notification: Next to the notification, turn on the switch.
   • Turn off a notification: Next to the notification, turn off the switch.

Notifications you might find

Prompts to add photos of places that you've visited

If Google thinks that the photos you’ve taken are interesting to other people, like restaurants and bars, you might get notifications to add a photo.

Before posting a photo, make sure that it follows Google's user content policy. 

Learn more about guidelines for posting photos on Maps.

Tip: To get these notifications, enable the permission for Google to check for photos. Google only gets the location data from the photo's metadata. 

Reminders for when to leave for an event

In Google Calendar, you can add events, like dinner reservations or birthday parties. In Google Maps, you can sometimes get notifications about when to leave to get to your event on time.

Turn-by-turn driving directions

When you’re navigating to a place and you already have the Google Maps app open, you might get notifications for driving directions.

Tip: To get these notifications, turn on Timeline.

Information about a place sent from Google Maps on your computer

If you use Google Maps on your computer, you can send a place to your phone or tablet. Sometimes you'll get notifications about these places in the Google Maps app.

Prompt to update an offline map

To have accurate maps, update the offline maps you downloaded. You can sometimes get notifications to update offline maps that are about to expire.

Navigation warnings for nearby crisis-related events

If your route enters an area affected by a crisis-related event, like an earthquake, Google Maps will warn you before and after you start navigation.

Notifications when you update your shared location

If you share your location with someone, Google Maps periodically refreshes your position on the map. This ensures that the person you share it with gets an accurate sense of where you are.

To tell you about your location update, you sometimes get a message. This message can be at the top of your screen or in your list of notifications.

Reduce how often you receive this notification

There are ways to make sure your location updates in the background. This makes the notification appear less often.

Keep Google Maps active

In the app switcher, try not to close Google Maps by swiping it away. This shuts down the app and doesn’t update it correctly.

Check for errors

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Google Maps app .
2. Tap your profile picture or initial Location sharing.
3. If there are problems, at the top of the screen, you’ll find a warning message.

Turn this notification off

Important: If you turn these notifications off, your shared location doesn't refresh and can become inaccurate.

1. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Google Maps app .
2. Tap your profile picture or initial Settings Notifications.
3. Turn off Google location sharing (you).