Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment OpenAI announcement Switch 2 Restock Galaxy Z Fold 7 iPhone 17 Air Best laptops Wordle Today Best Mattress Recommended reading I stopped using Apple Maps in my car after this major Google Maps update — and now I'll never go back Android Phones YouTube on Android has been hit by a major bug — here’s what you need to know Android Phones Android Auto is getting support for web browsers — but is that a good idea? Smartwatches Google just killed one of my favorite Apple Watch apps — at the same time as introducing another one Android Phones Google Gemini's biggest UI issue could be getting fixed — here's how Mobile Apps Google Maps lets you customize your car icon on Android and iOS — here’s how to do it I tried the new CarPlay with the iOS 26 beta — and Apple just solved my biggest issue with infotainment interfaces Android Phones Google Maps just lost a useful feature — this will make future road trips more frustrating Josh Render 21 July 2025 We hope that Google rewinds this choice When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future) Google Maps remains one of the most popular navigation apps on the market, but a recent change might turn users off of it. Last year, Google removed Assistant Driving mode from the bottom of the Google Map app, which allows users to interact with Google Assistant while navigating, a useful way of controlling media playback while on the move. When this mode was removed, users instead had to use the Show media playback control feature, which works with apps like YouTube Music and Spotify, to easily control what they were listening to while driving. However, as first reported by 9to5 Google, the playback control feature appears to have been removed. In past versions, the playback bar would appear at the bottom of the screen while you navigated, allowing you to pause, play and skip songs or podcasts without needing to leave the app. However, as of Google Maps version 25.28, the controls have vanished alongside the toggle to show them. You may like I stopped using Apple Maps in my car after this major Google Maps update — and now I'll never go back YouTube on Android has been hit by a major bug — here’s what you need to know Android Auto is getting support for web browsers — but is that a good idea? I checked the app on my Galaxy Z Fold 5 with the most up-to-date version of the app and, sure enough, I could not find the toggles, which usually live in the Navigation tab. However, my colleague's Honor 400 Pro, running Google Maps version 25.29, did have the toggles in place. (Image credit: Future) It should be noted that, at time of writing, the feature still appears on the iOS version of Google Maps. As such, we can’t say for certain if the removal from Android is an intentional choice or a bug in the app. A useful feature disappears The advantage of easy Playback Control tools is that they allow users to quickly change songs without needing to divert their focus from the road. If you remove them, it means that a user has to leave Google Maps, find the relevant media app, change the song and then head back to Google Maps. At best, that’s a solid ten to twenty seconds where they are not focused on the road as much as they should be. (Image credit: Future) If this removal is an intentional choice, it will certainly be a disappointment and will likely lead some users to head to alternative apps like Waze, which still has media controls in the app. However, Google Maps has released several recent updates that might help to keep users on the app. For instance, Google Maps on iPhones recently rolled out a screenshot recognition feature that can find locations from images you’ve saved in your camera gallery. Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. For the time being, we’ll need to wait and see if Google keeps this change, or if this is simply a hiccup that will be addressed. If this is going to be the new normal for the app, let us know what you think and if this will lead to you changing navigation apps. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. 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