It’s easy to get turn-by-turn directions on your Wear OS smartwatch. Plus, with Wear OS, you can do it without being connected to your smartphone if your smartwatch has built-in GPS. Here’s how to use Google Maps on your Wear OS smartwatch, using a voice command and manually.
If you want to use navigation on your smartwatch, the first step you need to take is to download the Google Maps app from the Play Store on your watch.
As I said earlier, if your watch has GPS and Wear OS, you can navigate without being connected to your smartphone. You can even have the map always on with the ambient display. But, even if you have the older version of Wear OS, you can still navigate on your watch if your phone is locked, as long as your location is still enabled.
Get turn-by-turn directions by voice
You can tell your watch to give you directions to a particular place using your voice. That is how:
1- Wake up your watch and say “OK Google…”
2- Then say “…navigate to [your destination]…”
3- Then specify the mode of transportation “… by [foot, bike or car]. «
4- A Google Maps card will appear and you may need to further clarify your destination.
5- Then the navigation will start step by step
You can request navigation help by voice or manually
Get step-by-step instructions manually
If you don’t want to set a destination by voice, you can do it manually. That is how:
1- Open the Google Maps app on your smartwatch
2- Touch a destination on the map
3- Press the Browse button at the bottom of the screen
4- Swipe left to see the address of the destination you chose, and swipe left again to change the mode of transportation between walking, biking, or driving, then swipe again to close that menu and you’re good to go.
Other Google Maps tips for Wear OS
1- Once you’ve started browsing, you can see a list of addresses by swiping up on the green card at the bottom
2- To see the time and distance remaining until you reach your destination, swipe left once
3- To take a break from full-screen navigation and mute directions, swipe right. To return to navigation, tap the blue arrow on the directions notification
4- To cancel your navigation, swipe the card up then left and tap Exit navigation
It’s easy to get directions on your Wear OS smartwatch, either by voice or manually. Are there any other step-by-step instructions you’d like us to create for your smartwatch? Do you have more tips to share? Let us know in the comments!
