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Apple Maps already runs on CarPlay the moment you connect an iPhone. It's the default map app and needs no setup. Google Maps and Waze work on CarPlay too, once you install them from the App Store. Their icons then appear on the CarPlay home screen automatically, and you can switch between any of them per trip.
All three apps work the same way once CarPlay loads them: full-screen maps, turn-by-turn voice, and a search bar for typing or dictating an address. What changes between them is routing data and how each one reports traffic, not the CarPlay screen itself. Pick whichever app's directions you trust most in your area. That choice matters more than which one launches first.
None of this requires a newer car. Apple Maps, Google Maps, and Waze all run on any CarPlay-equipped vehicle, whether it's wired-only or supports wireless CarPlay. The gap shows up only in cars with no CarPlay screen at all. That's a separate problem, covered further down.
The 30-second test
Before switching apps, confirm CarPlay itself is working. Start the car, plug in or connect wirelessly, and watch for the CarPlay home screen to load on the dashboard display. If Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze already show as icons there, tap one and you're navigating in seconds. If no CarPlay screen appears at all, the fix is on the car side, not the map app. Check Settings → General → CarPlay on the iPhone for an error, or try a different USB cable.
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Method 1: Use Apple Maps on CarPlay
Apple Maps comes built into iOS, so it's the one app that works on every CarPlay-equipped car with no setup. Connect your iPhone, and its icon appears on the CarPlay home screen without installing anything extra.
Tap the icon and type or dictate a destination. Apple Maps gives full-screen turn-by-turn directions with spoken prompts through the car's speakers. Say "Hey Siri, navigate to [address]" and it starts routing without you touching the screen at all. If traffic builds up mid-drive, Apple Maps reroutes and updates the estimated arrival time on its own. Apple's own CarPlay support guide covers how the home screen decides which apps show up and how to rearrange them.
The tradeoff: Apple Maps' routing and traffic data come only from Apple. If you've found Google Maps or Waze more accurate for your commute, Apple Maps won't change that. That's exactly why CarPlay supports both as alternatives.
Method 2: Add Google Maps to CarPlay
Google Maps has supported CarPlay for years. It just has to be installed on the iPhone first. It doesn't come with iOS the way Apple Maps does.
- Install Google Maps from the App Store and open it at least once so it finishes its own setup and location permissions.
- Connect CarPlay. Google Maps' icon should appear on the CarPlay home screen automatically, next to Apple Maps.
- If you don't see it, open Settings → CarPlay → your car → Customize on the iPhone. Turn Google Maps on from the list of available apps.
Once it's on the CarPlay screen, Google Maps works the same way it does on the iPhone. Type a destination, pick a route, and get turn-by-turn voice directions through the car speakers. That's the fastest way to answer "how do I get Google Maps on my car's display." On an iPhone, that display is CarPlay, not a separate screen-mirroring step.
Method 3: Add Waze to CarPlay
Waze works on CarPlay the same way Google Maps does: install it first, then let CarPlay pick it up.
- Install Waze from the App Store and sign in, or continue as a guest.
- Connect CarPlay. Waze's icon typically appears on the home screen right away.
- If it's missing, check Settings → CarPlay → your car → Customize — the same screen you'd use for Google Maps. Enable it from there.
Waze's main difference on CarPlay is its driver-reported alerts. Other Waze users flag police, hazards, and crashes in real time. Those reports show up as icons along your route. Apple Maps and Google Maps rely on different traffic sources and don't surface the same driver reports.
Method 4: Choose which app opens by default
CarPlay doesn't force you to pick a map app from a menu every trip. It also doesn't offer one master switch for "always open Waze." Here's what actually controls it.
Say "Hey Siri, navigate to [address]" without naming an app, and Siri opens Apple Maps by default. That's the app iOS uses for unlabeled navigation requests. To route through Google Maps or Waze by voice instead, name the app in the request itself. For example: "Hey Siri, navigate to [address] in Waze."
For a faster option, open Google Maps or Waze on the iPhone and set up a Siri Shortcut for destinations you drive to often. Both apps support this from their own settings. Once set up, one phrase launches that app's directions directly, skipping Apple Maps entirely. Outside of Siri, tapping an app's icon on the CarPlay home screen opens that app directly, no default setting needed.
Build your CarPlay
No CarPlay screen at all? There's still a dashboard
Tesla and pre-2016 cars don't get CarPlay, but Car Play Connect's Mount Mode turns an iPhone into a maps-ready dashboard instead — free to try on the App Store.
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Method 5: Navigate without CarPlay (Mount Mode)
None of the methods above work if your car has no CarPlay screen at all. That's true for Teslas, which still don't ship with native CarPlay, and for most cars built before 2016. For those, Car Play Connect's Mount Mode turns the iPhone itself into the dashboard instead.
Mount Mode runs Apple Maps and Google Maps as full-screen views with auto-rotate. The map fills the phone's screen the way it would fill a CarPlay display. A voice-only mode hides the screen entirely when you don't need to look at it. Spoken directions keep running in the background.
Mount the phone, open Car Play Connect, and pick Apple Maps or Google Maps from inside Mount Mode. Waze isn't part of this particular mode. If its driver-reported alerts matter to you, keep using it in the regular iPhone app. Mount Mode can still handle the dashboard view.
Apple Maps vs. Google Maps vs. Waze on CarPlay
| App | Built into iOS | Needs install | Standout CarPlay feature | Best if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Maps | Yes | No | Siri works without naming an app | You want zero setup |
| Google Maps | No | Yes, from the App Store | Matches the Google Maps you already use elsewhere | You're used to Google's routes and places data |
| Waze | No | Yes, from the App Store | Driver-reported police, hazard, and crash alerts | You want live road reports from other drivers |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Apple Maps work automatically on CarPlay?
Yes. Apple Maps is built into iOS, so its icon appears on the CarPlay home screen the moment you connect. No app install or setup is required. Tap it to search a destination, or say "Hey Siri, navigate to [address]" to start directions hands-free. It's the only one of the three apps in this guide that works without installing anything first.
How do I get Google Maps on CarPlay?
Install Google Maps from the App Store on your iPhone and open it once so it finishes setup. Connect CarPlay, and its icon appears on the CarPlay home screen automatically, next to Apple Maps. If it doesn't, open Settings → CarPlay → your car → Customize on the iPhone and turn Google Maps on from the app list there.
How do I get Waze on CarPlay?
Install Waze from the App Store, sign in or continue as a guest, then connect CarPlay. Waze's icon usually shows up on the CarPlay home screen right away. If it's missing, check Settings → CarPlay → your car → Customize and enable it from the same screen used for Google Maps. Waze then runs full-screen with its driver-reported traffic alerts intact.
How do I connect Waze to my car's Bluetooth without CarPlay?
Pair your iPhone with the car under Settings → Bluetooth, the same way you'd connect any phone call audio. Waze then plays spoken directions through the car speakers even without a CarPlay screen, while the map itself stays on the iPhone. This works in any car with Bluetooth audio, CarPlay or not. You'll still be looking at the phone to see the map, though.
How do I switch my default navigation app on CarPlay?
Tap Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Waze directly on the CarPlay home screen to open that app for the current drive. There's no single switch that changes all of them at once. By voice, Siri opens Apple Maps unless you name a different app, like "Hey Siri, navigate to [address] in Waze." Set up a Siri Shortcut inside Google Maps or Waze for faster voice access to that specific app.
Related guides
Want to customize the rest of the CarPlay screen once navigation is sorted? See our guides on CarPlay widgets, a custom CarPlay startup sound, and synced lyrics on CarPlay. Driving a Tesla or an older car with no CarPlay at all? Mount Mode covers maps and more. Or browse the full CarPlay blog for more guides like this one.
