July 21, 2025, 2:31 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
The media control during navigation appears to have been removed from Google Maps. It is still unclear whether this is an intentional move or a mistake.
The absence of the media player has so far only been observed on Android smartphones. Reports have come from both the U.S., as reported by “9to5Google,” and Germany. Android users no longer have the ability to control music playback during navigation–such as through streaming services like Spotify. However, the change came without announcement and seems to apply only to Android devices.
Media Player Disappears from Google Maps Navigation
Previously, the media player in Google Maps for Android could be accessed through the “Show media playback controls” setting. When enabled, users saw large buttons for controlling audio files during navigation–including play, pause, and track switching. The interface also displayed cover art, song title, and artist, and provided direct access to the music app. With the update to the official version 25.28 or the beta version 25.29, the media player and its settings have disappeared.
On Apple devices, however, the media control in Google Maps remains available for now. This raises hope that the removal on Android is a mistake–and not a permanent change. Google has not yet officially commented on this. The fact that the Assistant Driving Mode was previously discontinued suggests that Google may be further streamlining its navigation app.
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Significant Reduction in User Convenience
With the disappearance of the media player within navigation, Google Maps loses significant user convenience. It allowed users to control their music without leaving the navigation app. Now, they have to switch to other apps. This could lead to more frequent smartphone use while driving, which is potentially dangerous and distracting from road traffic.
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Due to these safety aspects, the media player was initially integrated into Google Maps. The integration of music control through the navigation app did not occur in an update but rather gradually. Supported services included Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play Music (later YouTube Music), provided they were installed and connected on the smartphone used.