4 of the best Apple Maps features you might not know about TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. 4 of the best Apple Maps features you might not know about By Hamish Hector last updated 7 September 2022 Here are our favorite hidden Apple Maps features (Image credit: Shutterstock) Apple Maps might not offer everything that its rivals Google Maps and Waze do, but it's still a fantastic choice, especially if you value privacy. Whether you've recently picked up an iPhone 13, are thinking of transitioning over to the new iPhone 14 from Android, or have had one of the other best iPhones out there for years, there may be a few features you aren't aware of – so to help you out we've highlighted four of our favorites below so you can get more out of Maps. Do you take Apple Pay If like me you're often leaving your wallet (or purse) at home, then you'll know how helpful Apple Pay and Google Pay can be. But even though the services are pretty ubiquitous these days, there are still some places that still won't let you pay using your phone. Apple Maps can help you avoid the embarrassment of not being able to pay at the checkout by letting you see if a shop, cafe or other outlet accepts Apple Pay before you arrive. After you've found your potential destination, scroll down through its general business information and look for the Useful to Know section. Here you should see if Apple Pay is listed or not; if it is, you're golden, if it isn't, and you don't have your payment card with you, you'll need to head elsewhere. You can check that a business accepts Apple Pay before you're stuck with a bill you can't pay (Image credit: Visa) Make a few extra stops Now that iOS 16 is available on the iPhone 13, iPhone 12, and other compatible Apple phones, there are a few new features users can take advantage of. One of these is multi-stop routes, which lets you plan a journey that isn't just a straight A to B. While working out your directions between the start and end of your journey in Apple Maps you can press the Add Stop button to add a stop along the way – you can add up to 15 stops in total, including your final destination. Once they've all been added you can start your journey, with Maps showing you the best route between stops. Plus, if you forgot to add a stop before setting off – or need to add one, such as an emergency trip to a gas station – you can use Siri voice commands to add one in. Peaceful travels  While you're driving, the last thing you want is to be distracted by notifications that you can't safely check until you've stopped. To avoid these distractions you can set Apple Maps to automatically turn on 'Do not disturb' mode using Driving Focus. Start by opening your iPhone's Control Centre – you do this by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen. Then you'll want to tap on the Focus tile, and then on the + button at the bottom of the screen. You'll then be able to select the Driving Focus option. Tap 'Next' to go through the options that you can set for Driving Focus, which include allowing certain calls and notifications to break through the Driving Focus block. With fewer distractions from your iPhone you can stay focused on the road (Image credit: Unsplash) Who needs instructions   If you want to listen to music, or a podcast on Spotify or Apple Music, undisturbed by Siri's spoken instructions on where you need to head next, you'll be glad to know that you can turn them off. To do this open your iPhone's Settings and select Maps, then scroll down and go into Driving & Navigation settings, where you should then see Navigation Voice Volume. Here you can select the No Voice option, so that Siri will stop disturbing your drives – although without Siri's reminders you'll need to pay extra attention to Apple Maps' on-screen directions. Looking for more things to do with your iPhone? Check out the best iPhone apps that you can download today. Hamish HectorHamish is a Staff Writer for TechRadar (@Hamish_Hector (opens in new tab) on Twitter) and has been writing about tech for almost five years. He now lends his experience to cover news and reviews across everything on TechRadar (from Computing to Audio to Gaming and the rest). In his free time, you'll likely find Hamish humming show tunes while building Lego or playing D&D with his mates. TechRadar Newsletter Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. 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