Apple Watch: Get Directions

With Apple Watch, you can quickly get directions to where you need to go. Either by starting from an app or by asking Siri, you can get directions to a contact’s address, to a favorite location or to a location you have recently viewed. You can also get direction to a new location that you specify by speaking. Starting from the Calendar, you can get directions to go to an event that has a location set.

Contents

1 Apple Watch: How to Get Directions
2 Links

Apple Watch: How to Get Directions

Opening Maps App and Options Screen

Lift your wrist to wake Apple Watch and display the watch face.
Click the Digital Crown and open the Home screen.
Tap Maps to open the Maps app and display your current location.
Force-touch the screen, and the Option screen opens.

Get Directions to Locations

To get directions to a favorite location, recent location or new location, do as follows:

On the Options screen, tap Search.
When the Search screen appears, tap Dictation to launch Siri. Then dictate the new location to which you want directions. You can also start the process of getting directions by activating Siri and asking for directions.
You can tap a recent location in the Recents list.
Tap Favorites and the Favorites screen will open.
Tap the favorite to which you want directions, and the directions will appear.

Get Directions to a Contact’s Address

Tap Contacts on the Options screen.
When the Contacts list appears, tap the contact.
When the contact record appears, turn the Digital Crown clockwise to display the map.
Tap the map.

How to Turn On Location Services

If Apple Watch prompts you to turn on Location Services, it may mean that Location Services is either turned off or disabled altogether or turned off for the Maps app. In this case, the message Turn On Location Services to Allow Maps to Determine Your Location.

Press Home on iPhone.
Tap Settings.
Tap Privacy.
Tap Location Services on the Privacy screen.
When the Location Services screen displays, set the Location Services switch at the top of the screen to On.
Scroll down, tap Maps.
Tap While Using the App in the Allow Location Access area.

Starting to Get Directions

After you tap Start to indicate you are starting your journey, Apple Watch will monitor your progress. It will alert you with a gentle tap on the wrist, and turn-signal noises indicating left and right turns, to each subsequent stage of your journey. No matter which way you start getting directions, you follow them in the same way. When you want to see more of the map, switch to iPhone and use Handoff feature. Handoff will put your current map and directions right on the lock screen for instant access.

The details screen appears. It shows the information for the location.
Turn the Digital Crown clockwise to see the Directions section appears.
Tap Walking or Driving, as needed, and the directions will appear.

Get Directions for a Calendar Event

With the event open in the Calendar App, force-touch the screen.
On the Options screen that appears, tap Directions.
When the Directions appear, follow the steps indicated earlier in this article, to get directions. Maps displays a map showing the area.
The green pin will show your current location.
The red pin shows the destination.
The blue line will show the route.
The ETA readout will show your estimated time of arrival assuming you start immediately.
Now tap Start and the first direction will appear. Follow it.

As you complete this stage, Apple Watch taps you on the wrist to alert you. It also plays turn-signal noises when you need to turn left or right. Maps will display the next direction.

(You can also swipe left to display the next direction).

Continue following the directions.
When you need to stop the directions, force-touch the screen.
The Stop Directions icon will appear.
Tap Stop Directions, and Maps will display the map area.

Use Handoff to iPhone

Press Home on iPhone, while using Maps on Apple Watch.
When iPhone wakes, the lock screen displays the current map and directions (you must unlock iPhone to use other features than Maps).

Get Directions On iPhone and Continue On Apple Watch

Important: The Handoff feature enables you to use iPhone to get the directions, and then use Apple Watch while navigating. This approach may be easier, beacuse the iPhone will give you a larger map. It also enables you to type in addresses while Siri must struggle to interpret correctly addresses from spoken unput.

How to Finish Using Directions

To finish using directions in the Maps app on iPhone, just tap the screen to display the on-screen controls. Then tap End in the upper-left corner of the screen.