To connect Spotify to Google Maps on an iPhone, open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, and go to Settings > Navigation > Music playback controls. Choose Spotify, tap Next, then OK to accept the terms. Spotify controls then appear at the bottom of the screen whenever you use turn-by-turn navigation.
The steps below follow Google’s navigation help page for iPhone and iPad and Spotify’s Google Maps and Spotify help page. The rest of this guide covers what you need first, how to use the controls, how to switch apps or undo the link, and what to check when the controls do not show up.
What You Need Before You Start
The setup takes about a minute, but a few things have to be in place first.
- Both apps on the same iPhone. Spotify says you need Spotify and Google Maps installed on your phone. If Maps is missing, see how to get Google Maps on an iPhone.
- A current version of Google Maps. Google says you must update the Google Maps app to version 26.03 or later. Updating both apps from the App Store is the simplest way to meet this.
- A Spotify account you are signed in to. The last step connects your Spotify account to Google Maps, so open Spotify once and confirm you are logged in.
- A supported location. Google notes that this feature is not available in all locations. If the setting never appears, that may be the reason.
- Navigation basics. For navigation itself, Google says to let Google Maps use your current location and your audio speakers.
The steps are the same on an iPad, because Google documents them for iPhone and iPad together.
How to Connect Spotify to Google Maps on iPhone
Do this while you are parked. Spotify’s own safety advice is to set things up before you drive and avoid interacting with your phone while the car is moving. Also note that the final step asks you to accept terms that connect your Spotify account to Google Maps. Read that screen before you agree.
- Open the Google Maps app.
- Tap your profile picture or initial. It sits at the top of the screen, next to the search bar.
- Tap Settings. A list of Google Maps settings opens.
- Tap Navigation. Spotify’s help page calls this screen Navigation settings.
- Tap Music playback controls. You see the media apps Google Maps can connect to on your iPhone.
- Select Spotify.
- Tap Next, then OK to accept the terms and connect your account.
Result: Spotify is now the media app for Google Maps navigation. You do not need to repeat these steps for each trip.
Menu names can shift a little between app versions. If you do not see Music playback controls right away, look through the whole Navigation screen before assuming it is missing, then check the troubleshooting section below.
On Android
The path is the same on an Android phone, but Google and Spotify both say the setting is called Show media playback controls. Tap it, select a media app, then tap Next and OK.
How to Use Spotify in Google Maps
The controls only exist inside navigation. Looking at the map or previewing a route is not enough.
- In Google Maps, search for a place or tap it on the map.
- Tap Directions and choose how you are traveling.
- Tap Start to begin navigation.
- Look at the bottom of the screen. Google says this is where you find the controls for your chosen media player.
- Use the controls to play, pause, or skip.
- Tap the Spotify logo to browse more playing options, as Spotify describes it.
Result: you can change what is playing without leaving the map. To make the music louder or quieter, Google says to press the iPhone’s volume buttons after you start navigation, which changes the media volume.
If a passenger is with you, let them handle the phone. Spotify’s Spotify in the car page says to use your mobile device only when the law allows it and conditions permit safe use.
How to Confirm the Connection Worked
There are two quick checks.
- Check the setting. Go back to Settings > Navigation > Music playback controls. Spotify should be the selected media app.
- Check the navigation screen. Start directions to any nearby place and tap Start. The media controls should be at the bottom of the screen. You can end navigation right after you see them.
How to Switch Music Apps or Disconnect Spotify
Google documents one place to change your media settings: tap your profile picture or initial, tap Settings, then tap Navigation > Music playback controls. Choose a different media app there to replace Spotify. The apps you can pick depend on what Google Maps offers on your iPhone, so go by the list on that screen rather than a list from an older guide.
Google’s help page does not describe a separate off switch on iPhone. If your version of the screen offers a choice with no app, selecting it should remove the controls from navigation, but treat that as something to confirm on your own phone.
You can also remove a linked app from the Spotify side. Spotify’s Spotify on other apps page says to log in to your Apps page on Spotify’s website and click Remove Access next to the app. Use this if Google Maps appears in that list and you want to withdraw the permission completely. Spotify also states that your account never links to a third-party app without your explicit permission.
Troubleshooting: Spotify Controls Not Showing in Google Maps
Work through these checks in order. Each one is tied to a requirement that Google or Spotify lists.
- You have not started navigation. The controls appear during navigation, at the bottom of the screen. Tap Start on a route first.
- Google Maps is out of date. Google requires version 26.03 or later. Open the App Store, search for Google Maps, and tap Update if the button is there. Update Spotify the same way.
- Spotify is not installed or not signed in. Both apps must be on the phone. If you recently signed out, sign back in to Spotify and select it again in Music playback controls. Our guide on logging out of Spotify shows where the account options are.
- A different media app is selected. Open Settings > Navigation > Music playback controls and pick Spotify again.
- The setting is missing. Google says the feature is not available in all locations. If your apps are current and the option still is not on the Navigation screen, it may not be offered where you are.
- Nothing plays. That points to Spotify rather than Google Maps. Spotify’s general advice is to make sure the app is up to date, check your internet connection, and restart the app.
Guides on other sites suggest extra fixes such as reinstalling both apps or changing notification settings. Neither Google nor Spotify lists those for this feature, so try the checks above first.
Voice requests are a separate setting from the on-screen controls. Google’s iPhone help page says you can choose a default music service for Google Assistant: open the Google Assistant app, tap your profile picture or initial at the top right, then tap Services > Music and select a music service. Google adds that some services ask you to sign in. This only matters if you use Google Assistant on your iPhone. You do not need it for the controls at the bottom of the navigation screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Spotify Premium to connect Spotify to Google Maps?
Spotify’s help page does not list a Premium requirement. The only requirement it names is having both Spotify and Google Maps installed on your phone. What you can play, and features such as shuffle, still follow your Spotify plan. See how to turn off shuffle on Spotify for those limits.
Why don’t I see the music controls in Google Maps?
The most common reason is that navigation is not running. Google says the controls appear during navigation, at the bottom of the screen. If you have tapped Start and still see nothing, update Google Maps to version 26.03 or later and confirm that Spotify is selected under Settings > Navigation > Music playback controls.
Can I switch to a different music app later?
Yes. Google says you can change your media settings at any time under Settings > Navigation > Music playback controls in Google Maps. Select a different media app from the list shown there.
Does this work with podcasts?
Google describes the controls as a way to play, pause, skip, and change music from your chosen media player, and Spotify plays podcasts as well as music. Neither help page spells out how podcasts look in the Google Maps controls, so start the episode in Spotify first if the browse options do not show it.
Does connecting Spotify to Google Maps play music through my car?
No. The link only puts Spotify controls on the Google Maps navigation screen. Sound still goes wherever your iPhone is sending audio. Spotify lists Bluetooth, an AUX or USB cable, Apple CarPlay, and Spotify Connect as ways to play through a car. For speakers and other devices, see how to play Spotify on other devices with Spotify Connect.
Is the setup the same on an iPad?
Yes. Google’s instructions cover iPhone and iPad together, and Spotify lists the same Music playback controls setting for both.
Next Steps
With Spotify connected, start a route and check that the controls show at the bottom of the navigation screen before your next drive. Once you arrive, Google Maps also lets you write a review on Google for the place. The same Settings menu is also where you can always show the map scale in Google Maps.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read hundreds of millions of times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.