When enabled, the playback controls within the app allow quick access to your music player. You can listen to your favorite tracks and stay alert to road conditions at the same time. Let’s take a look at how you can set up music controls in Google Maps.
1. Enable Media Playback Sync Settings
You’ll need to enable playback controls manually within Google Maps. This feature works with smartphones running at least Android versions 10.43.2 or higher. Here’s how to do this:
Open the Google Maps app, select your Profile icon (top-right corner), and go to Settings > Navigation settings. Toggle on Show media playback controls. We will use Spotify as an example. Select Spotify as your preferred media app, and tap Next on the pop-up screen. Tap OK to enable playback settings within Google Maps. To view these settings, go back to Google Maps and enter your desired location in the search bar. Tap on Start to begin navigation. You’ll notice a Spotify music icon on the right, just below the Plus sign. Tap on the Spotify icon to view the controls at the bottom of the screen.
With the help of these settings, you can now play, pause, or skip tracks. The Browse button at the very bottom of the page shows your recent playlist or album history. You can also open the Spotify app directly by tapping on the Open Spotify button at the top of the page.
2. Use Google Assistant to Control Your Music App
The Google Assistant integration within the Maps app offers a convenient way to interact with your music player, hands-free. To play tracks directly on Spotify, follow the steps listed below:
Open Google Maps and go to Profile > Settings > Navigation settings > Google Assistant settings. Under the Popular settings section, go to Music > More music services > Spotify. To link your Google and Spotify accounts, you need to grant the necessary permissions to both applications. On the full-screen pop-up banner, accept the terms to connect your accounts. Once done, you can ask Google Assistant to play random tracks on Spotify via voice commands while also navigating. You can switch to the default playback controls at any time.
It’s important to note that these settings will only work for streaming music and podcasts with the main Spotify app and not the Spotify Lite version. Also, the playback controls may not always be visible in the landscape orientation.
Enjoy Your Favorite Music While You Drive
Google Maps makes driving a whole lot more fun. Whether it’s an upbeat playlist or your favorite podcast, Google Maps will help you change tracks easily without taking your eyes off the road. So get on the road, hit play, and leave your stress behind.
