How to switch the navigation voice in Apple Maps — language, accent and volume.
⏱ 2 min read•Easy•Updated June 2026
Quick Answer
Settings → Maps → Driving & Navigation → Navigation Voice Volume to adjust loudness. To change the voice language or accent: Settings → Siri & Search → Siri Voice — Apple Maps uses the same voice as Siri.
Change Navigation Voice Volume
1
Settings → Maps → Driving & Navigation
Open Settings. Scroll down and tap Maps. Tap Driving & Navigation. Under Navigation Voice, choose: No Voice, Low Volume, Normal Volume, or Loud Volume. Loud Volume is useful when navigating with the phone in a mount in a noisy car.
Change the Navigation Voice (Accent/Language)
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Settings → Siri & Search → Siri Voice
Apple Maps uses the Siri voice for navigation. To change it: Settings → Siri & Search → Siri Voice. Choose a different Voice (American, Australian, British, Indian etc) or Variety. The new voice downloads and applies to both Siri and Apple Maps navigation. Australian English voice is available and sounds more natural for Australian place names.
Change the Navigation Language
Apple Maps navigation speaks in the language set as your iPhone’s primary language. To change: Settings → General → Language & Region → iPhone Language. Changing the primary language affects all apps and the system interface, not just Maps.
Navigation voice not working?Check: Do Not Disturb is not muting sound, Ring/Silent switch is not on silent (Maps audio follows this on some iOS versions), volume is turned up during navigation (use the physical buttons while navigating — this adjusts navigation volume independently of ringer volume).
Frequently Asked Questions
Not directly — Apple Maps uses Siri’s voice engine and does not support third-party voice replacements. If you prefer a different navigation voice, consider using Google Maps or Waze instead — both offer slightly different voice options and are available on iPhone. Google Maps also uses a more natural-sounding voice for Australian English navigation.
Settings → Maps → Driving & Navigation → set Navigation Voice to Loud Volume. Also check that your car stereo volume is up if connected via Bluetooth or AUX. During active navigation, use the iPhone’s volume buttons to adjust — pressing volume up during a spoken direction increases navigation volume specifically.