Google Maps users, you’ve got some new voice commands to try.
Google today announced that it’s got new voice commands in Google Maps for Android. When you’re in navigation mode or driving mode, you can say “Ok Google” and then give a voice command, allowing you to perform tasks without looking at your phone’s display. Any time that you see a white microphone in the upper right corner of your screen, you can give a voice command.
One example of the voice commands that you can give Google Maps is “Ok Google, find gas stations.” Some of the other commands that you can give Google Maps include “Show/Hide traffic”, “How’s traffic ahead?”, “Show alternate routes”, and “Avoid tolls/highways/ferries”.
Here are a bunch of other voice commands that you can use in Google Maps:
- “Mute.” or “Mute voice guidance.”
- “Unmute.” or “Unmute voice guidance.”
- “Show traffic.” or “Hide traffic.”
- “Show satellite.” or “Hide satellite.”
- “Navigate home.” or “Navigate to Starbucks.”
- “Show route overview.” or “Show alternate routes.”
- “What road is this?”
- “What’s my next turn?”
- “What’s my ETA?”
- “How’s traffic ahead?” or “How’s traffic to home?”
- “What’s the weather like?”
- “Avoid tolls.” or “Enable tolls.”
- “Avoid highways.” or “Enable highways.”
- “Avoid ferries.” or “Enable ferries.”
- “Exit navigation.”
- “Call Mom.”
- “Find gas stations.” or “Find restaurants.”
- “Send a text to Larry.” or “Send a SMS to Sergey, I’m feeling lucky.”
- “What’s the weather like?” or “How’s the weather in Seattle?”
- “Play some jazz.” or “Play happy birthday on Google Play Music.”
- “What’s the closest hotel?”
- “When’s my next meeting?”
It’s good to see Google Maps offering lots of voice commands, because many people use Google’s mapping app while driving, and those people shouldn’t be using their hands to control their phone. In order to use these voice commands, you’ll need the latest version of Google Maps for Android, which you can find here.
