Google Maps’ media control feature missing on Android

By Nguyen Hai Long July 24, 2025 | 12:53 am PT

Google Maps is missing a toggleable option that allows Android users to play and control music while driving.

Earlier this year, Google decided to retire its Assistant Driving Mode, a feature that offered integrated navigation, media playback and communication tools. With this function gone, Google Maps users were forced to control media via individual app settings.

According to 9to5Google, the "Default media app" option that lets users choose between YouTube Music or Spotify as the default music app has also disappeared from navigation settings.

Google Maps interface on Android. Photo by Pexels

This option is fully functional in the iOS version of Google Maps, Android Police says.

Since there is currently no substitute for in-app media playback controls during navigation, users expected this removal to be a technical glitch.

On July 21, Google said that it is "actively working to fix an issue that is affecting media playback controls on Google Maps." The disappearance was just a bug. For now, Android users will have to manage their music through regular app controls.