Turn Google Maps notifications on or off

To check things that interest you, like train schedules or traffic on routes you travel often, turn on notifications in the Google Maps app.

  1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app Maps.
  2. Tap your profile picture or initial Account Circle and then Settings Settings and then Notifications.
  3. Tap a category.
    • Turn on a notification: Next to the notification, turn on the switch.
    • Turn off a notification: Next to the notification, turn off the switch.

Notifications you might find

Traffic updates when not using Maps

Important: This feature is only available in certain countries and regions.

You can get notifications about unexpected disruptions on your phone’s home screen while you drive. This feature is designed to be proactive and does not require the user to navigate with Google Maps. You’ll get traffic updates when not using Maps if you’ve turned on all required settings:

  1. Traffic updates when not using Maps
  2. Physical Activity permissions
  3. Location permissions

Turn on traffic updates when not using Maps

  1. On your Android phone or tablet's homescreen, press and hold the Google Maps app Maps.
  2. Tap App info and then Notifications and then Getting around.
  3. Turn on Traffic updates when not using Maps.

Allow Physical Activity permissions

  1. On your Android phone or tablet's homescreen, press and hold the Google Maps app Maps.
  2. Tap App info and then Permissions and then Physical activity.
  3. Select Allow.

Allow location permissions

  1. On your Android phone or tablet's homescreen, press and hold the Google Maps app Maps.
  2. Tap App info and then Permissions and then Location.
  3. Select Allow all the time.
  4. Turn on Use precise location.

Prompts to add photos of places that you've visited

If Google thinks that the photos you’ve taken are interesting to other people, like restaurants and bars, you might get notifications to add a photo.

When you are at a place where you can be the first to add a photo, you might also get a notification.

Questions about places you've visited
You might get notifications to answer a question about a place or business you visited.

Tip: To get these notifications, turn on Timeline.

Replies to reviews you've posted

You might get notifications when someone replies to a review you posted of a place or business.

To read the reply, tap the notification. You'll be taken to the place's detail page, where your review and its reply appear at the top.

Traffic from nearby events

You get notifications about nearby events or road closures when Google Maps thinks it might affect a route that you travel often.

If we know about a scheduled event, you’ll get an alert ahead of time so you can plan an alternate route. For example, if there is a concert on your way home from work, you might get a notification one day before the concert.

Tip: To help you plan around events, tap Get a Reminder and Google Maps will remind you about the event closer to when it starts.
Navigation warnings for nearby crisis-related events
If your route enters an area affected by a crisis-related event, like an earthquake, Google Maps will warn you before and after you start navigation.

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