How to Safely Control Spotify from Google Maps and Waze

Using your smartphone to control music streaming while driving can be a recipe for disaster. Many accidents occur each year because people are fiddling with their phones while driving, yet you don’t want to stop every time you want to change what you are listening to on your music apps. Fortunately, road trip music can be controlled directly from some navigation apps. This guide shows you how to safely use Spotify (and other apps) directly from Google Maps and Waze.

Tip: need a positive moment in your day? Check out the best uplifting Spotify podcasts.

Which Streaming Services Are Supported in Google Maps?

The embedded music feature in Google Maps allows you to control your music streaming apps with a button on the navigation screen. With a tap, you can access the audio player and make selections while actively navigating. You don’t have to leave one app to use another.

The audio player on Google Maps supports YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Spotify (iHeartRadio also seems to be available in some regions) on Android phones and Apple Music and Spotify on iOS.

How to Enable the Music Player from Google Maps

To control your music streaming app from within Google Maps, you’ll have to first enable the music player feature.

Android

1. Open Google Maps on your phone.
2. Tap your Google account’s profile picture in the top-right corner.

3. Scroll down to “Settings” and tap it.

4. Tap “Navigation Settings.”

5. Tap the “Assistant default media provider” option.

6. Select your preferred music service from the next screen. YouTube Music is already added by default. If you want to connect Spotify or Apple Music to your Google Maps, you’ll need to tap the respective option.

7. A new window will appear where you’ll be asked to link your Google account (the same one you use in Google Maps ). It will be enabled on all devices. Tap “Continue.”

8. On the next screen, tap “Agree and continue.”

9. If linking to Spotify, you’ll be taken to a page where you’ll be asked to allow Google to view your Spotify activity and account data (among other things). Tap the green “Agree” button at the bottom.

10. Your chosen music streaming app will now be your default music service in Google Maps. If you wish to remove it, press “Unlink” underneath.

Good to Know: if you’re constantly traveling to a particular location, it may be handy to know how to save a route in Google Maps.

iOS

1. Open Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on your Google account profile picture in the search bar at the top.

3. Select “Settings.”

4. Tap “Navigation” at the top.

5. Tap the “Music playback controls” option.

6. Select either Apple Music or Spotify. If you want to use the latter service in Google Maps, make sure you’ve downloaded the app from the App Store. Apple Music is preinstalled on your iOS device.

7. Press “Open” in the following pop-up.

8. If you selected Spotify, authorize Google to access your Spotify info by pressing the “Agree” button.

9. Your chosen music streaming app will now be your music player in Google Maps on your iPhone or iPad.

Tip: you can easily transfer your Spotify playlists to YouTube Music if you like this service better.

How to Control Your Music App in Google Maps

Once you have enabled your music player and are ready to start your trip, follow these steps to access your music without leaving Google Maps.

Android

1. Open Google Maps.
2. Open the Spotify app (or any other, depending on your preference) on your device and start playing music.
3. In Google Maps, enter your destination and begin navigation. You should see the music bar at the bottom.

4. It will display the artist’s name as well as the song playing. You can control music playback from there with a single tap. Press either Pause/Play or skip to the next song. If you have already created a playlist for your trip, learn how to create collaborative playlists with Blend on Spotify.

5. You can collapse the music bar by tapping on the downward arrow at the top of the card.
6. The streaming service’s icon will be visible in the app tray.

7. Interestingly, you can add content from more apps from the Navigation menu in Google Maps. Tap on the icon shaped like four tiny squares in the lower right corner.
8. You’ll be able to select the streaming apps you have installed on your device. In this example, we can get access to Castbox, Audible, and Podcasts.

9. Once you tap on the app, you can select a podcast from Google Maps.

10. Tap on what you want to listen to, and it will immediately start playing.

Tip: Looking for a Google Maps alternative? This list includes the best ones currently available.

iOS

1. Follow the first three steps outlined in the Android section to bring up the music-playing bar at the bottom of Google Maps.
2. Interestingly, on iOS, you get an extra “Browse” button.

3. This takes you to a page offering recommendations based on the music you previously listened to. You can “Open Spotify” from there too.

4. The bar also features music controls, just like on Android. Although on iOS, you have an extra “Go to previous song” button.

Which Streaming Services Are Supported in Waze?

Google Maps is not the only app that allows integration with music apps. The Waze app also does so on a larger scale. Whereas Google Maps only gives you two options for your media player, Waze gives you a choice between multiple services! You can use Audible, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, TIDAL, TuneIN or Scribd on Android. On iOS you have all these options as well, plus TuneIN Pro.

How to Enable the Music Player in Waze

As with Google Maps, you’ll need to first enable the music player in Waze before controlling music streaming from the navigation app. The steps for Android and iOS are similar, with a few minor exceptions.

1. Open the Waze app on your device.
2. Tap on “My Waze” at the bottom. On iOS, swipe left to bring up a side menu.

3. Press on the gear icon in the upper-left corner.

4. Look for the “Driving preferences” section and select “Audio player.”

5. Make sure the “Show on the map” toggle at the top is enabled. “Show next song” is optional.

6. Check the list of supported streaming apps. If the app you want to use isn’t installed on your device, there is a handy “Install” button that takes you directly to the Google Play Store.

Tip: provide more accurate directions with pins on Google Maps.

How to Control Your Music App from Waze

1. Once you ensure the music player option is visible within the app, enter your destination in the “Where to” bar.

2. Pressing the “Go now” button will kickstart the app’s navigation mode.
3. Tap the floating pink music note icon.

4. Select an app from your list. Waze does not have a default player, so select which one you want to use from inside the navigation app.

5. The first time you use each app, you must accept the permissions.

6. When Spotify finally connects, press “Play.” There are also controls for navigating to the next or previous song, shuffling, and “Loving” the song that’s playing.

7. If you want to change songs/albums quickly, tap on the “Show list” button underneath.
8. A pop-up will display your most recently played music.

9. To change the streaming app in Waze, tap “Audio apps” at the top of the screen and select a different one.

10. The music app you’ve used in Waze’s navigation mode will show under “Audio player” in Settings under “Your apps.”

-2. Tap “Disconnect” if you don’t want to be connected to the app anymore while in Waze.

Remember, it is still risky to change apps or playlists while driving, but these features in Google Maps and Waze make it almost as easy as changing a channel on the radio. It’s also possible to create a radio station on Spotify and find new music to listen to while you’re out cruising.

Good to Know: wondering which music streaming service is the best? Check out our Spotify vs. Apple Music comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does music and podcasts continue playing even after I've exited and closed the Google Maps app?

This can happen if you’ve forgotten to “Pause” the song or the podcast you’re listening to from the Google Maps app. Even if you’ve closed the navigation or music apps properly before, you’ll need to open Maps again, add a destination, and go to navigation mode. You’ll notice that the audio is still running. Pause it,before exiting the app and you’ll have total silence.

How can I set my default music service for Google Maps with Google Assistant?

On your Android device, say “Hey Google, open Assistant settings.” Select “See all Assistant Settings -> Music.” Tap on your preferred streaming service. On an iOS device, you’ll need to go through the Google Assistant app. Find “Services -> Music” to adjust your preferences.

Image credit: Freepik. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.