Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors.

apple maps 3d feature
‌Apple Maps‌ does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in ‌iOS 18‌. Apple has pushed an ‌iOS 18‌ file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed by the file except for the name, it does mention that this upcoming feature will be limited to the United States at launch.

Custom routes would allow users to set what specific roads they want to travel down, whether for scenic purposes or for the familiarity of a route. Route options beyond the default have been a highly requested ‌Apple Maps‌ feature for several years now, and other services like Google Maps allow users to create custom routes on a computer and then view them on an iOS device.

‌iOS 18‌ will be introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, June 10. For more details about the update, check out our iOS 18 roundup.

(Thanks, Nicolás!)

Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18
Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...

Top Rated Comments

coachgq Avatar
15 months ago

Another Apple app that has failed to gain any traction despite years of work and investment. It lags so far behind Google Maps it is embarrassing!

Add it to the ever growing bonfire of failures…. Fire is roaring now!
How does it lag behind? I put an address in and it tells me how to get there. Is there stuff I’m missing out on?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jarman92 Avatar
15 months ago
I wanna switch to Apple Maps so bad but I just can't stand the Yelp integration ?

Also: FIRST!
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
15 months ago

Another Apple app that has failed to gain any traction despite years of work and investment. It lags so far behind Google Maps it is embarrassing!

Add it to the ever growing bonfire of failures…. Fire is roaring now!
This was true up until like 5 years ago. Now, even people on Android forums complain about how Google Maps has fallen behind.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrGimper Avatar
15 months ago
I’ve always wanted a feature since Sat Nav existed that would allow you to record a route. Many times I’ve had someone tell me they know a better route and they either guide me or I follow their car. Would be great if you could record the journey and then reference it as the preferred route for future journeys.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eric5h5 Avatar
15 months ago
Yeah, the only way Apple maps lags behind is not having street view in most areas. But where it does exist, it's much smoother and nicer than Google's. Otherwise, the idea of "lags so far behind it's embarrassing" is just...er...how to say..."special". Or mindless trolling.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iObama Avatar
15 months ago

Street view? Can’t just use Apple Maps have to keep another app around.
Look Around was launched a while ago (iOS 13, as a matter of fact! lol). Definitely not as pervasive as Street View yet, but I use it quite frequently in the Bay Area.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)