10 Google Maps settings I immediately change on every new phone - and why

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Close Home Tech Services & Software 10 Google Maps settings I immediately change on every new phone - and why Google Maps is great right after install, but I like to tighten my privacy and enable a few features to make it better. elyse-betters-picaro

Written by Elyse Betters Picaro, Senior Contributing EditorSenior Contributing Editor May 14, 2026 at 2:00 a.m. PT

10 Google Maps settings I immediately change on every new phone - and why — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET's key takeaways

I change Maps settings to improve my privacy on a new phone.
I suggest turning off location history, notifications, and ads.
Other features are worth enabling right away to improve Maps.

Google Maps is my go-to navigation app, whether I'm walking, driving, or using public transit. I download it on every new device, which, after years as a tech journalist, means I've switched between a lot of phones and tablets. Each time, Maps is one of the first apps I install. But before I start using it regularly, I open settings and make a few changes to fine-tune the experience.

Also: I found a free Google Maps alternative that doesn't track me

Google Maps is incredibly useful, but it also knows a lot: where I go, what I search for, how I commute, and which places I save. So before I let it become my default navigation app again, I switch off the settings that feel too intrusive and turn on the ones that make the app genuinely more useful. Here's my recommended checklist for setting up Maps on a new phone.

1. Turn off location history

I always disable my Google Maps Timeline

This is a big one for anyone who's privacy-conscious, which I am, after years of editing and writing articles about security.

Location history saves where I go on a daily basis. Literally everywhere. That's useful if I like having a personal travel log or being able to quickly reference past trips. But I don't. Google Maps doesn't need to keep a running diary of every store, doctor's office, or restaurant I've visited. It feels too nosy, and disabling it doesn't negatively affect my experience.

Also: How to share your location on Android: 5 quick ways

All my location history data is maintained in what Google calls the Timeline.

To manage it, I open Google Maps, tap my profile icon, and choose "Your Timeline." From there, I can review my saved places, trips, and routes by day. I can delete a full day via the pencil icon or remove a single stop from the three-dot menu. For more control, I can go to "Settings," open "Location and privacy," and turn off Timeline completely. Guess which one I do.

1. Turn off location history — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

2. Turn off Google app activity

Or I disable Personalized Recommendations and Maps History

Google loves to track my activity across its services so it can provide faster search, better recommendations, and personalized results. But let's be real: It also helps Google target me with hyper-specific ads.

To limit how much of my activity Google tracks, I start with a setting called "Web and App Activity." It saves my Google app activity, including Maps searches, directions, and visits. I can manage it from my Google account's "Activity Controls" page, where I can turn it off or filter by Google app and date to delete certain activity.

I can also access this setting from the Google Maps app. Just open it, tap the profile icon, select Your data in Maps, and look for Web and App Activity. But here's the catch: It affects all Google apps, even Search.

If that feels like too much, which it can, since even I'll admit some tracking is helpful, I tend to disable two Maps-specific settings instead: "Personalized Recommendations" and "Maps History." In Maps, I tap my profile icon, open "Settings," go to "Location and privacy," and look for both options to switch them off.

Tip: Disabling "Web and App Activity" automatically disables "Personalized Recommendations" and "Maps History."

2. Turn off Google app activity — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

3. Turn off personalized ads

Not technically a Google Maps-only setting

OK, since I'm in the thick of account settings, I'll recommend one more that's worth disabling, or at least considering. I mentioned this earlier, but Maps activity can feed into Google's larger advertising profile, so I like to turn off ad personalization to limit how much my searches, routes, and location affect the ads I see.

To do this, I open my Google account's Ad Center, look for the "Personalized ads" button, and switch it off. Since this is a Google account-specific setting, I don't have to do it every time I re-download Maps.

Also: How to blur your home on Google Street View - and why

Tip: Like my Google app activity, I can access my personalized ads settings from the Google Maps app itself. I just open it, tap my profile icon, select Your data in Maps, and look for the "Personalized ads" section.

3. Turn off personalized ads — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

4. Turn on Incognito mode

It's useful for sensitive searches

This is my last privacy suggestion. Let's say all my recommendations above sound like too much. Or maybe it doesn't bother you if Google Maps saves your search history, navigation routes, or location data, or if it maintains a Timeline and uses your activity to personalize your experience (and ads) in Google Maps.

Cool. But what if you want to go somewhere undetected, even for a moment, for whatever reason? Maybe you're picking up a birthday cake or present for your spouse and don't want them to accidentally see in Maps that you went to a place one day. That's when I'd use "Incognito Mode." It's just like the Chrome version.

To use it, I open Google Maps, go to my profile icon, and tap "Turn on Incognito Mode." It's that easy. When active, it prevents the app from saving my history and location data to my Google Account.

4. Turn on Incognito mode — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

5. Turn off unnecessary notifications

For the love of God, no more alerts, please

Something weird about me is I turn off notifications for everything. Even my Phone app. I get fatigued and stressed too easily, and I hate them, and... I could go on. So, of course, Maps notifications have to go, too. But I recognize not everyone is as extreme as I am, so I'll explain how to shut off the unnecessary ones.

Also: This hidden Google Maps feature is making people emotional

Open Google Maps, tap the profile icon, go to "Settings," and select "Notifications." From there, I go category by category and switch off the alerts I don't want, like reviews, questions and answers, photos, contributions, recommendations, and local updates. Why do I need all these on, flooding my screen with alerts?

5. Turn off unnecessary notifications — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

6. Turn on offline maps auto-update

I live in the middle of nowhere, so this is a must

Offline maps are one of those features I use constantly because I live in upstate New York, literally along the Quebec border, and cell service somehow still hasn't managed to grace the area, despite it being 2026.

So, I turn on offline maps auto-update so the saved areas I need don't go stale. I open Google Maps, go to my profile icon, tap "Offline maps," hit the settings cog, and toggle on the switch. I can also enable "Auto-download recommended maps" and specify my download preferences, such as "Wi-Fi only."

A lifesaver, truly.

6. Turn on offline maps auto-update — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

7. Turn on the speedometer and speed limits

Especially useful on unfamiliar roads

Living rurally like I do, I've noticed that street signage on backcountry roads is sparse, to say the least. Sometimes I'll drive for quite literally miles and have no idea what the speed limit is... 30? 45? 55? Not a clue.

Also: You can Google the world around you by video now for free

Instead of winging it, the safer option, by far, is to use Google Maps. It can show me not only an estimated speedometer but also posted speed limits during my drive. Nice. So, to turn them on, I open Maps, tap my profile icon, go to "Settings" > "Navigation," and switch on "Speedometer" and "Speed limits" under driving options.

7. Turn on the speedometer and speed limits — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

8. Turn on fuel-efficient routing

It's needed with the price of gas today

Where I live, gas prices are hovering around $4.50 a gallon. That's super unfortunate, considering my nearest grocery store is 28 miles away. I put a lot of mileage on my truck. Yes, truck, not car, which makes the price of gas even worse for me. So it's important that Google Maps shows me the most economical route.

I also set my engine type in Maps so it can better estimate my fuel efficiency.

To do both, I open Google Maps, tap my profile icon, go to "Settings" > "Navigation," and turn on "Prefer fuel-efficient routes." Then I go back to the "Settings" page and choose "Your vehicles." From there, I set my engine type to gas. If you own an EV, you can specify what you own and add the year and trim package.

8. Turn on fuel-efficient routing — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

9. Turn on media playback controls

Useful for pausing music and podcasts

I like to turn on media playback controls so I can pause, skip, or resume my music and podcasts without leaving the Google Maps navigation screen. I find it annoying and distracting to bounce between apps while driving.

Also: A hidden Google Earth slider lets you travel back in time

To enable playback controls, I open Google Maps, tap my profile icon, go to "Settings" > "Navigation," and tap "Music playback controls." There, I can choose my preferred app, such as Apple Music or Spotify. Easy peasy.

9. Turn on media playback controls — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

10. Set volume to louder

I need to hear directions or else Maps is useless

I'm hard of hearing, but even if you aren't, Google Maps directions are useless if you can't hear them over road noise, music, or people talking in the car. So, on a new phone, I always check the navigation volume and set voice guidance to louder so I'm not constantly glancing down at the screen while driving.

I open Google Maps, tap my profile icon, go to "Settings" > "Navigation" > "Guidance volume," and choose "Louder."

10. Set volume to louder — Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

FAQs

Does turning off Timeline make Google Maps worse?

Not at all. I can still search for places, get directions, use offline maps, see speed limits, and navigate like normal.

Where can I learn more Google Maps tips?

Check out my master guide to 41 Google Maps tips and tricks.

Is there a better navigation app I can use?

Not in my experience.

I've tested Google Maps against Waze and Apple Maps to see how it compares for navigation, traffic, smart features, and everyday use. Spoiler alert: Google Maps blows them both out of the water.

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