How to Change the Voice on Apple Maps
Wondering how to change Apple Maps voice? The short answer: Apple Maps speaks with your Siri Voice, so you change it once and every device follows. Pick your device below for the exact, up-to-date steps — whether you want a new accent, a different Siri voice, or to silence “the annoying voice directions” for good.
Pick Your Device
Every Apple device reaches the voice setting a little differently. Choose yours and follow the numbered steps — the wizard already reflects the iOS 18 menu paths that most older guides still get wrong.
Open Settings and tap Siri & Search (on devices with Apple Intelligence turned on this appears as Apple Intelligence & Siri).
Tap Siri Voice — this is the voice Apple Maps speaks during navigation, because Maps has no separate voice setting of its own.
Choose a Variation first — the accent: American, British, Australian, Indian, Irish or South African.
Then choose a Voice by number (Voice 1–4). Your device downloads the voice pack over Wi-Fi.
Once the pack finishes downloading, Apple Maps, CarPlay and Apple Watch all switch to the new voice automatically.
To set the spoken-directions volume, go to Settings > Apps > Maps > Spoken Directions and pick Softer, Normal or Louder (iOS 18 moved this out of the old Settings > Maps location).
During an active trip you can also change or mute the voice from the route card at the bottom of the screen — tap Audio, then choose normal narration, Alerts Only, or mute.
No Voice on Apple Maps? Quick Self-Check
You changed the Apple Maps voice but hear nothing? A silent Maps almost always comes down to one of the settings below rather than a broken voice. Work down the list and tick off each item you have already ruled out — most people find the culprit within the first two or three checks.
Set the spoken-directions volume
If the voice is on but too quiet, open Settings > Apps > Maps > Spoken Directions and pick Softer, Normal, or Louder. On iOS 18 this moved out of the old Settings > Maps screen, which is why turning it up used to feel impossible. During a trip you can also press the physical volume buttons while a direction is actually being spoken — pressing them at any other time only changes the ringer.
Does Changing Siri’s Voice Also Change Apple Maps?
This is the single most common point of confusion, so here it is plainly: Apple Maps has no voice of its own — it borrows the Siri Voice. There is no “Maps voice” menu hidden anywhere. When you change your Siri Voice, you are changing the exact voice Apple Maps uses to read out turn-by-turn directions.
What you set
Siri Voice
Settings > Siri & Search > Siri Voice → Variation + numbered Voice
What changes with it
Maps · CarPlay · Apple Watch
All three follow the same Siri Voice automatically — no per-app setting to touch.
The trade-off is that you cannot give Maps a different voice from the rest of Siri on the same device — they are one and the same. If you specifically want a quieter navigation experience rather than a new voice, jump back to the no-voice self-check and volume controls above.
Available Voices, Accents & Languages
Most guides mention “different accents” without ever listing them. Here are the six English variations you can choose for the Apple Maps voice under Siri Voice, each with numbered voices spanning different genders. Pick a Variation first, then a numbered Voice, and the pack downloads over Wi-Fi.
| Accent / Variation | Voices | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| American (US) | Voice 1–4 | Male & female options |
| British (UK) | Voice 1–4 | Male & female options |
| Australian | Voice 1–2 | Male & female options |
| Indian | Voice 1–2 | Male & female options |
| Irish | Voice 1–2 | Male & female options |
| South African | Voice 1–2 | Male & female options |
Looking ahead: the Siri update expected with iOS 27 in late 2026 adds expressiveness and speaking-rate sliders (currently in beta, American English only, on newer models), which will give the Apple Maps voice even finer control.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change the voice on Apple Maps?
Apple Maps does not have its own voice setting — it speaks with the Siri Voice. On iPhone open Settings > Siri & Search (or Apple Intelligence & Siri) > Siri Voice, pick a Variation (accent) and then a numbered Voice. Once the voice pack finishes downloading, Apple Maps uses it automatically for turn-by-turn directions.
Does changing Siri's voice also change the Apple Maps voice?
Yes. Apple Maps has no separate voice of its own, so whichever Siri Voice you choose becomes the Apple Maps navigation voice on that Apple ID. Changing the Siri Voice on your iPhone also updates the voice used on CarPlay and Apple Watch.
How do I turn off voice directions in Apple Maps?
Start navigation, tap the route card at the bottom of the screen, tap Audio, then choose "No Voice" or "Alerts Only" to silence spoken directions while keeping the on-screen route. You can also lower the spoken-directions volume in Settings > Apps > Maps > Spoken Directions.
How do I change the Apple Maps navigation volume?
On iOS 18 go to Settings > Apps > Maps > Spoken Directions and choose Softer, Normal, or Louder (this moved out of the old Settings > Maps location). During a trip you can also press the physical volume buttons while a direction is being spoken.
Why is there no voice on Apple Maps even after I set it?
The most common causes are Audio set to "Alerts Only", spoken-directions volume turned down, a Silent/Focus mode, or audio being routed to Bluetooth headphones or the car. On iOS 18 the Vocal Shortcuts accessibility feature can also misroute CarPlay navigation audio to the phone — turn it off if your car has gone silent.
Can I change the Apple Maps voice to a different accent or language?
Yes. Under Siri Voice you can pick from six English variations — American, British, Australian, Indian, Irish, and South African — each with numbered voices covering different genders. To change the spoken language itself, change your device or Siri language, and Apple Maps will speak directions in that language.