In this article I’ll explain exactly why Apple Maps is not working properly and how to fix Apple Maps problem on iPhone and iPad.
The iPhone Maps app is Apple’s mapping and navigation application. Despite a disastrous launch in iOS 6, the Maps app soon met the needs of iPhone owners on the go. Even with its high level of support and popularity, the app can stop working correctly at times. The Maps app shows an incorrect location, the GPS doesn’t work correctly, or the Apple Maps app doesn’t work at all. Each of these problems—and others—can respond to fixes you can use on your phone.
Note: the troubleshooting tips given in this article applies to iPhones running iOS 13 and earlier.
The following are some of the bugs that you may encounter with the Maps app:
- Apple Maps app crashes.
- Maps voice doesn’t work.
- iPhone location is not accurate in Maps.
- GPS doesn’t work in Maps.
- Location services are not working.
- Location is not available.
Why is iPhone Apple Maps Not Working
You may experience Apple Maps app errors or glitches if you select incorrect settings related to Map data or how the iPhone can use it. Because the Maps app depends on GPS and internet or cellular connectivity to accurately display information, any interruption of these services may lead to incorrect directions or wrong locations.
How to Fix Apple maps problem
Problems associated with the Apple Maps iOS app vary greatly. That being said, there are several fixes you can try to fix the issue. The following are some of the most effective solutions that you can try if your iPhone Maps app isn’t working correctly:
- Restart the iPhone Maps app.
If the iPhone Maps app isn’t working properly, one of the best and fastest troubleshooting step is to close the app completely and then reopen it.
Please note: Returning to the Home screen or switching to a different app doesn’t close the Maps app. Swipe up from the bottom of the display to bring up the app switcher. Now, find the iPhone Maps app, and then swipe the app upward to close it. - Restart the iPhone.
Restarting your iPhone can reset the Maps app and fix any error that make it not work correctly. - Turn off Airplane Mode.
If you get an Apple Maps error saying your iPhone can’t connect, check to ensure Airplane Mode is not turned on. Your iPhone cannot connect to the Apple servers if it’s on Airplane mode.
Pro tip: If Airplane Mode is turned off, turn it on, wait a few seconds, and then turn it off again. This resets your connections and may fix the Maps app problem. - Turn off Wi-Fi.
There could be a problem with your Wi-Fi network. Disable Wi-Fi and use the Maps app over cellular signal instead. - Turn on Bluetooth.
If you have problems connecting the Maps app to a car or another device, make sure that the Bluetooth is enabled on your iPhone . It may have inadvertently been turned off. - Turn off Bluetooth.
Connecting your iPhone to another device, such as a Fitbit tracker over Bluetooth may cause the Apple Map app not to work properly. If you don’t need Bluetooth, turn it off and see if that resolves your issue. - Check Location Services.
If you experience the iPhone’s GPS not working, the GPS permission may have been disabled. You can go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and turn it back on.
Pro tip: If Location Services is turned on and you still get an iPhone error that location services are not working, turn it off, wait for a few seconds, and then turn it back on. - Check the Maps app location setting. Besides activating the general device Location Services, you also need to give the Maps app specific permission
to use this functionality. You can do this by heading over to Settings > Maps > Location > While Using the App. - Enable cellular data.
Being unable to connect to your preferred cellular network could be the reason why the Maps app is not working properly. Although turning off cellular data is a great way to limit data usage, it can interfere with the Maps app when no Wi-Fi signal is available and can cause the location to be inaccurate on your iPhone. - Set the iPhone Maps voice level. When the iPhone Maps voice doesn’t work as expected, or at all, head over to Settings > Maps > Driving & Navigation and select Low, Normal, or Loud Volume. If No Voice is selected, you won’t hear the voice.
- Turn off nearby Bluetooth speakers. If you can’t hear the iPhone Maps app, turn off all nearby Bluetooth speakers. The app may be sending the voice narration to the Bluetooth speakers instead of your car or another device.
- Reset Location & Privacy.
If you experience an iPhone error saying a location is not available, reset the Location & Privacy settings by going to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Location & Privacy. - Reset the Network Settings.
Resetting your network settings deletes your stored Wi-Fi passwords, but it can fix some Maps app connectivity issues on the iPhone. - Uninstall and reinstall the Maps app.
If the Apple Maps app isn’t working correctly on the iPhone, delete it as you would any other iOS app and then download a fresh copy from the App Store. - Free up storage.
When the iPhone Maps app crashes randomly, the problem may be a lack of storage space on the device. Deleting some large apps or video files may free up space the Maps app can use.
Tip: Use a cloud storage service such as iCloud Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox to back up your files before deleting them. - Restore the iOS device to factory settings.
This should be your last resort because it is time-consuming and deletes all your personal information and data from the iPhone.