If Maps is not working on your iPhone after iOS 16 update, read through the recommended fixes in this article to get it working.
In general, users have reported Apple Maps running slow, not finding the current location correctly, not showing driving navigation and the problem of Maps crashing on iPhone running iOS 16. If you are also facing these issues, then read on to find out how to fix them.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at how to fix the problem when Maps is not working on your iOS 16 device so you can get back to where you were heading.
Use these tips to fix Maps not working on iPhone in iOS 16
1. Turn on location on iPhone
Maps needs access to your location in order to give you accurate directions.
To turn on location on your iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > toggle on Location Services.
However, if Maps still isn’t working despite turning on location, proceed to the following fixes.
2. Close and relaunch Maps
The next thing to try when Maps is not working in iOS 16 is to close and reopen the app. Force-closing and relaunching apps refresh them sometimes, and the case isn’t any different with Maps, too. Maps might crash due to caching, RAM, or in-app issues like failing to get location data.
Force-quitting and relaunching give it a fresh start. Plus, it could jumpstart geolocation data download and keep it back up and running. Once closed, tap Maps to relaunch it.
First, bring up the app switcher on your iPhone. If your iPhone has Face ID, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to the center of the screen. Hold your finger in the center of the screen until the app switcher opens. If your iPhone doesn’t have Face ID, double-press the Home button to bring up the app switcher.
Next, swipe Maps up and off the top of the screen. You’ll know Maps is closed when it no longer appears in the app switcher.
Reopen Maps to see if it’s working again. If it isn’t, keep reading!
3. Force-restart your iOS 16 device
If you find that despite force-closing and relaunching Maps, it still fails to work, it might be time to restart your iPhone. Restarting your iPhone fixes RAM issues and refreshes all your apps. You might also find this fix helpful if Maps fails to launch or freezes often.
To force restart your iPhone, quickly press and release the volume up button, then press and release the volume down button, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears.
4. Check Apple’s System Status Page
It’s possible Maps isn’t working on your iOS 16 device because of an issue with Apple’s servers. To see if Maps is experiencing a service outage, check out Apple’s System Status page and make sure the dots are green, especially the first one next to Maps.
If this dot or many others aren’t green, Apple is experiencing some issues and there’s nothing wrong with your iPhone. Apple usually resolves these issues pretty quickly, so your best bet is to be patient and check back later.
5. Allow Maps location access
Despite turning on iPhone’s location, there’s no way Apple can update your geolocation if you don’t allow it on your iPhone. While this is Apple’s way of beefing up privacy, it can work against some apps.
To see if the location is on specifically for Maps and turn it on if not:
- Open iPhone Settings.
- Go to Maps.
- Tap Location.
- Select Always to always keep location on for Maps.
Note: You can select any other option from the list except for Never.
Note: If Maps still doesn’t work, you might want to try a different location, as it might not have captured your current location after all.
6. Check your date & time settings
If your iPhone Date & Time Settings aren’t set up correctly, it can cause all sorts of problems on your iPhone — including this one! Open Settings and tap General. Then, tap Date & Time and make sure your iPhone is set to the correct Time Zone, and that the date and time are correct. Make sure the switch next toSet Automatically is turned on.
Now, try opening Maps again to see if it works.
7. Check your Wi-Fi or mobile data connection
Of course, like most apps on your iPhone, Maps also relies on a fast internet connection to work efficiently. One way to know if Map’s failure is due to a poor network is it typically pops a “no internet connection” error notification in-app.
Therefore, ensure your Wi-Fi router or hotspot provider is in good shape. Then, you might want to turn on and off Wi-Fi on your iPhone to re-establish the connection if you’re sure your router is working fine. Check out our other article if you think there’s an issue with your Wi-Fi. And if you use mobile data, ensure that your internet is stable. Check out our other article if you think there’s a problem with Cellular Data on your iPhone.
Additionally, you might want to turn on a 5G connection if you use iPhone 12 or 13 series.
8. Uninstall and reinstall Maps
If Maps freezes or is suddenly slow, you might be dealing with a bug or caching issue. This might be because you recently updated your iOS version or due to other underlying problems with the app.
Merely uninstalling and reinstalling Maps might fix the bug along. Additionally, this removes caching since reinstalling from scratch gives you a fresh start with the app.
- On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage, find Maps and tap Delete App and tap Delete App again.
- Now open the App Store app on your iPhone and find the Maps app and download and install.
9. Update Maps
Maps is a native iOS app, meaning it comes pre-installed on your iPhone. Native apps can only be updated by updating the iOS version on your iPhone. iOS updates contain bug fixes, one of which may help resolve the Maps problem your iOS 16 device is currently experiencing.
Open Settings and tap General > Software Update. Tap Download and Install or Install Now if an iOS update is available. When the update is complete, open the Maps app and see if the problem has been resolved.
10. Make Sure Maps Can Access Cellular Data
Even if Cellular Data is on, Maps still needs access to use your data. Open Settings and tap Maps. Make sure the switch next to Cellular Data is on under the Allow Maps To Access heading.
11. Enable background app refresh for Maps
Background app refresh allows apps that use an internet connection to get updated when you’re not using them. Hence, you need not wait for such apps to load the next time you launch them as they’ve preloaded data.
You can activate background refresh for any app on your iPhone. Besides, the process is similar across apps. Although enabling background app refresh might consume your data, turning it on specifically for Maps won’t cause a significant change in data consumption. Open Settings and tap Maps. Make sure the switch next to Background App Refresh is on under the Allow Maps To Access heading.
12. Reset Network Settings
An overwhelmed network might cause Maps to fail, too. And this is sometimes due to installed VPNs and proxies or custom network configurations on your iPhone. However, a network reset removes all non-native network settings on your iPhone and refreshes your mobile and Wi-Fi data connections.
Note that resetting your network doesn’t remove your files or data from your iPhone. It only resets your network configurations to their factory state. Well, this improves overall internet connectivity and might help jumpstart Maps, too.
To reset your iPhone’s network settings:
- Open Settings.
- Go to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
- Tap Reset at the bottom left.
- Next, select Reset Network Settings.
- Now, follow the on-screen instructions.
13. Reset All Settings
So while a network reset only affects your connection configurations, performing an all settings reset is more encompassing. Notably, it includes a network reset and location reset, among others.
Since it also resets your location, resetting all settings on your iPhone might help point it to the correct location. So Maps can work more optimally.
To reset all settings on your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset All Settings.
Note: Like network reset, this action also doesn’t erase data or media from your iPhone but removes information like payment cards, location, privacy settings, and more.
14. Switch to a Different App
If the issue persists and Maps is still not working in iOS 16, use a different navigation app. For example, if you need an app for auto navigation, install Waze. If you need directions for walking, bicycling, and public transportation, Google Maps is an excellent option.
Fixed maps not working on iPhone in iOS 16
I know how frustrating it gets when you call on Maps to save you from getting lost, but it fails to respond. For many like us, it can be a daily compass. If you don’t use it often, you might get tempted to ignore it even when you know it’s faulty.
Fixing it before the rainy days might help remove an impending frustration. Who knows? You might need to rely on Maps one way or the other earlier than you imagined.
Did you get a solution to Maps not working in iOS 16? Let me know in the comment section below.
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