Google Maps is the go-to app for getting directions in and around your neighborhood, but it can produce some surprises when you need to travel further.
Some users have complained about Google Maps not showing route on their phones. This can be frustrating if you’ve tried to get somewhere new and ended up somewhere you shouldn’t have been.
Luckily, there’s help! This article walks you through some ways to fix it when Google Maps is not showing route on your phone.
Why is Google Maps Not Showing Route?
In a nutshell, Google Maps won’t show routes if you have disabled the Location Services on your phone. Google Maps can’t show you routes without access to your phone’s location.
Besides that, there are many other reasons why Google Maps may not show routes. Below we’ve listed some of the most common reasons why Google Maps not showing route:
- Disabled location services
- Internet issues
- Outdated applications
- Corrupted cache files
- Traffic delays or closed roads due to construction
Now that you have an idea of what could be the problem with your Google Maps not showing route, it should make it easier for you to pinpoint the problem and find the appropriate fix. Let’s get to it.
How to Fix Google Maps Not Showing Route
Before we jump into the troubleshooting tips, you should complete two important tasks to determine the issue’s severity.
- Start by checking the internet connection. Yes, you can use Google Maps offline. However, to use it offline, you must download the maps beforehand. On the other hand, using live maps requires a strong internet connection. So, ensure you have a strong and reliable internet connection on your phone.
- Next, you need to check the status of the Google Maps Server. If the server is down for some reason, Google Maps won’t work. You must wait for Google to fix the issues.
After checking, if you find both the internet connection and Google server are working, you will need troubleshooting assistance.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for fixing Google Maps issues on your phone. The fix will depend on the cause of the problem. The tips below have proven to fix it when Google Maps won’t show routes.
These tips will also help you troubleshoot crashing Google Maps.
1. Restart Your Phone
If you are having issues with an app, whether, on an Android smartphone or an iPhone, you need to reboot the device before jumping into all the versatile and complicated solutions.
Because most often, the problem is something simple like a system glitch or an app glitch that can be fixed with a simple restart. So, why would you go through all that trouble?
So, reboot the device and hope for the best.
If you are an Android user, press and hold the Power Button on the side of your smartphone.
Wait for the Power Menu to appear on the screen and tap on the Restart option.
If you own an iPhone, press and hold the Side and Volume Up buttons simultaneously and wait for the Power Slider to appear on the screen. Drag the slider to the edge of the screen to turn off the device.
Alternatively, you can navigate to the iOS Settings app and navigate to General. Tap the Shutdown option, and the Power Slider will appear on the screen.
For every iPhone model, check out our guide on how to restart an iPhone.
After successfully turning off the iPhone, wait for at least a minute before turning on the device.
2. Turn On Location Services
Google Maps won’t work if your smartphone’s location services are disabled. For Google Maps to work optimally, location services need to be enabled.
Android Users:
Enabling location is easy for Android users. Swipe down the Android Quick Settings Panel and tap on the Location/GPS option to enable location.
Alternatively, launch the Settings app and tap on Location. You will be able to enable it from the Location Menu.
iPhone Users:
On iOS devices, you need to navigate to the Privacy option via Settings. Tap on Location Services and toggle the switch on to enable it.
3. Clear Cache and Data for Google Maps and Google Play Services (Android Only)
Corrupted cache files can be blamed if Google Maps is not showing the route. The cache files don’t usually cause any issues unless one or all have become corrupted.
The problem is that every time an application is launched on Android, a cache file is created for the launched app.
If you use the app frequently, the cache files pile up and may lead to corruption. And an app with a corrupted cache file doesn’t function properly. So, you need to clear the cache files for the Google Maps and Play Services.
We also recommend clearing data for these apps as well. Clearing data doesn’t have any impact except all your customization will be erased.
- Launch the Settings app and tap on Apps.
- Locate Maps (Google Maps) and tap on it.
- On the App Info page, tap on the Storage option.
- Scroll down and tap “Clear cache” and “Clear data.”
- Now, do the same for the Google Play Services, and you can clear the cache files successfully.
- To clear app data, tap on the Manage Storage option.
- Under Manage Storage, you will find the Clear App Data option. Tap on it to remove app data.
Google Maps should show your routes after removing all the cache and data for the app and the Google Play Services.
4. Enable High Accuracy Mode
High Accuracy Mode is an advanced feature that helps Google Maps to know your location as accurately as possible.
If Google Maps is still not showing routes, you should consider enabling this feature. Usually, people refrain from enabling the high accuracy mode as it consumes too much data and battery life.
Android Users follow the steps below to enable “Location Accuracy.”
- Launch the Settings app and tap on Location.
- In the Location Menu, find the Google Location Accuracy under Location Services.
- Enable Improve Location Accuracy if it wasn’t enabled already.
iPhone Users follow the steps below to turn on “Precise Location.”
- Launch the Settings app and tap on Privacy.
- Enter Location Services and then tap on Maps.
- Enable Precise Location if it wasn’t already.
You shouldn’t have any more issues with Google Maps after enabling the high-accuracy mode.
5. Reset Location & Privacy (iPhone Only)
If you are an iPhone user and still having issues with Google Maps, then we recommend resetting Location & Privacy.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap General.
- Select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap on Reset.
- Then, a pop-up will appear on the screen, and select the Reset Location & Privacy option.
You will be asked to provide your iPhone passcode before performing the reset. It’s an additional security measure. So, be sure to provide it.
6. Update Google Maps
If the problem with Google Maps persists, you might want to look for a new Google Maps update and install it.
An outdated app is a burden. It can create conflicts, crash and create other problems. So, if you are facing unprecedented problems with an app, it is safe to say that updating the app may keep the issues at bay.
If you are an Android user, go to the Google Play Store and locate Google Maps. In the App Info, you should find an Update button if a new update for the app is available.
On the other hand, iPhone users should do the same from the App Store for updating Google Maps.
7. Uninstall and Reinstall Google Maps
If updating the app didn’t solve the issue, you need to uninstall it and install it again from the Google Play Store/App Store.
If the app data is corrupted, then the application won’t be updated properly. So, a clean installation is always a good idea.
Final Thoughts on Google Maps Not Showing Route
Hopefully, the Google Maps not showing route issue has been resolved using the above troubleshooting tips.
If you commute the same route regularly, we recommend using the offline maps feature of Google Maps. Doing this will save mobile data and conserve your smartphone’s battery life.
Speaking of saving your phone’s battery life, we’ve put together two helpful guides for you. One will show you how to save battery life on iPhone, and the other will show you how to increase your Android phone battery life.
If you’ve tried something different that fixed the Google Maps not showing routes issues for you, let us know in the comment.
