How to Change the Route on Google Maps: A Complete Guide
Google Maps is one of the most widely used navigation tools in the world, but knowing how to adjust a route mid-journey — or before you even start — is a skill many users never fully explore. Whether you're avoiding traffic, skipping a toll road, or adding a stop, route editing is built into the app across all major platforms. Here's how it works.
Why You Might Need to Change a Route
Google Maps calculates routes based on real-time traffic data, distance, and your selected travel mode. But its suggestion isn't always the one you want. Common reasons to change a route include:
- Avoiding tolls, highways, or ferries
- Adding a waypoint — like a gas station or restaurant mid-trip
- Dragging around a specific area — roadworks, flooding, or a neighborhood you prefer
- Switching between multiple route options Google has already calculated
The method you use depends on when you want to make the change and what kind of change you need.
Changing a Route Before You Start Navigation
On Mobile (Android and iOS)
Once you've entered a destination and Google Maps shows your route options, you'll typically see two or three alternative routes displayed in grey alongside the main suggested route in blue.
To switch between them:
- Tap any grey route line on the map to select it
- The estimated time and distance will update at the bottom of the screen
- Tap "Start" when you're happy with your selection
To filter route preferences before starting:
- Tap the three-dot menu (top right) or "Options" depending on your app version
- Toggle on preferences like "Avoid tolls," "Avoid highways," or "Avoid ferries"
- Google Maps will recalculate using those constraints
These preferences can also be set globally under Settings → Navigation settings so they apply automatically to every trip.
On Desktop (Google Maps in a Browser)
On the web version, alternative routes also appear as lighter lines on the map. Click any alternative route to make it the active selection. The route details panel on the left will update accordingly.
To adjust route options on desktop, look for the "Options" link that appears in the directions panel — this lets you toggle tolls, highways, and ferries on or off.
Adding a Stop (Waypoint) to an Existing Route
One of the most commonly needed changes is adding a stop without completely rebuilding the route.
On Mobile:
- While viewing your route (before or during navigation), tap the three-dot menu in the upper right corner
- Select "Add stop"
- Search for your waypoint — a store, charging station, rest area, etc.
- Google Maps will insert it into your route and recalculate the total journey
You can add multiple stops this way and reorder them by holding and dragging the waypoint entries in the list.
Dragging the Route to Change It Manually 🗺️
This is one of the more powerful — and underused — features in Google Maps.
On Mobile:
- Plot your route but don't start navigation yet
- Press and hold on the blue route line at the point where you want to divert
- A small blue circle will appear — drag it to reroute around a specific area
- Release to let Google Maps recalculate through that adjusted path
This works well when you know a specific road you want to take that Google Maps isn't defaulting to, or when you want to loop through a particular area.
On Desktop:
The same drag behavior applies — click and hold on the route line, then drag to your preferred path. Desktop gives you a bit more precision due to screen size.
Changing the Route During Active Navigation
Once you've started turn-by-turn navigation, your options are slightly different.
| Action | How to Do It |
|---|---|
| Switch to an alternate route | Tap the route card at the bottom if Google suggests a faster option |
| Add a stop | Tap the search bar or menu icon → "Add stop" |
| Avoid an upcoming section | Tap the bottom bar → "..." → "Avoid tolls/highways" |
| Reroute around an incident | Tap "Detour" if the option appears during navigation |
Google Maps also reroutes automatically if you miss a turn or take a different road than suggested — you don't always need to intervene manually.
Factors That Affect How This Works for You
Not every user will experience these features the same way. A few variables matter:
- App version: Google Maps updates frequently. Some features (like the detour button during navigation) have appeared, disappeared, and been redesigned across versions. If you don't see an option, your version may differ.
- Platform: Android and iOS have slightly different UI layouts. Android users on newer versions may see different menu placements than iOS users.
- Travel mode: Route editing works differently depending on whether you're navigating by car, cycling, walking, or transit. Dragging the route, for example, behaves differently in transit mode where you're constrained to fixed lines.
- Offline vs. online maps: If you've downloaded an area for offline use, route alternatives and live rerouting may be limited or unavailable.
- Google account settings: If you're signed in, preferences like toll avoidance sync across devices. If you're using Maps without an account, these reset between sessions.
When Google Maps Doesn't Give You What You Want
Sometimes the route Google suggests is the only one it's willing to calculate — especially in areas with limited road options, or when using transit or walking modes. In those cases, manual dragging may not be possible, and waypoints become your main workaround.
In driving mode, adding intermediate stops is generally the most reliable way to force Google Maps through a specific corridor when the drag method doesn't produce the result you're after.
How much flexibility you have — and which method works best — ultimately depends on your device, your app version, your travel mode, and exactly what kind of route adjustment you're trying to make. 🧭