Level 1

57 points

in ios26, maps don't update when the screen is locked

Ever since installing ios26, maps no longer updates when the iPhone screen is locked. I first noticed this when using maps for Apple Watch walking directions. No matter how long I walked for, the position on my watch never changed. If I tap the iPhone screen to wake it up, suddenly both the watch map position and the iPhone position warp to my current location. Because of this, I think this is a Apple Maps issue and not just Apple Watch. Things I tried / additional info:

0) google maps updates fine, so it doesn't seem like a system-wide issue. Although google maps doesn't display any maps on the watch, so maybe its not a direct comparison?

1) tried deleting Apple Maps and reinstalling it, reallowing any permissions it asks for, so its probably not a permissions issue

2) worked fine in all previous iOS versions, so its new to iOS 26

3) location services is on, and background update is allowed for Apple Maps

4) not an issue with the watch always on display, as the compass direction is updating fine, its just the position that never updates

5) watch seems to be able to detect when I walk a long time and start a walking workout, but that isn't maps and that might be based on gyroscope/other sensors

6) resetting the Apple Watch obviously did nothing since the problem is with the iPhone. Wish I knew that before resetting the watch :)

So thats basically it. Maps no longer works, google maps updates fine, probably not permissions, probably not background update, reinstalling maps doesn't help

I am really hoping there is fix for this, because bike/walking directions in maps is the number one reason I bought the Apple Watch Ultra, and right now its completely unusable without constantly stopping my ride to tap the iPhone screen to get maps to update

iPhone 13 Pro

Posted on Sep 16, 2025 2:16 AM

Top-ranking reply

terryb

Level 4

3,358 points

Posted on Oct 3, 2025 10:19 AM

To follow up on my earlier post, after updating the iPhone 12 Pro to iOS 26.0.1, Maps on the phone now correctly wakes to announce the next instruction. I don't have a Watch but I'd expect it to work also.

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39 replies

Sep 29, 2025 7:23 PM in response to okonomiyonda

Is it fixed now? with the 29 September update

MrOctavv

Level 1

14 points

Sep 17, 2025 5:48 AM in response to okonomiyonda

Hello,

I’m experiencing exactly the same issue.

I use Apple Maps on my Apple Watch (Series 10 GPS) while biking, after selecting my destination on my iPhone 13 Pro.

Before updating to iOS 26, everything worked perfectly. Since the update, however, navigation no longer updates on my Watch once my iPhone is locked. It only refreshes when I take the phone out and unlock it.

I haven’t been able to find a solution so far.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Branta_uk

Level 7

32,892 points

Sep 17, 2025 9:40 AM in response to Branta_uk

Replying to self with my test result. Summary: Problem report not replicated. No fault found.

Heading out to the shop I set a route on the iPhone 15 Pro Max (tapped on lunch shop in Maps) then deliberately locked by pressing the side button and put the phone in a pocket. The route duly appeared on my Watch Series 9 cellular, and tracked every step of the route. When I arrived at the store I pulled the phone out and found it was displaying the option to end the route.

Returning home I used Apple Pay from my phone, then locked with side button. I set the route from my Apple Watch. Every movement on my walk home was tracked on the watch screen without touching the iPhone.

Branta_uk

Level 7

32,892 points

Sep 17, 2025 9:39 AM in response to MrOctavv

MrOctavv wrote:

Hello,

I’m experiencing exactly the same issue.

I use Apple Maps on my Apple Watch (Series 10 GPS) while biking, after selecting my destination on my iPhone 13 Pro.

Before updating to iOS 26, everything worked perfectly. Since the update, however, navigation no longer updates on my Watch once my iPhone is locked. It only refreshes when I take the phone out and unlock it.

I haven’t been able to find a solution so far.

Thank you in advance for your support.

I was unable to reproduce this problem in a test attempt. Please post back with more details, and if possible some exact steps to follow when setting up the route etc.

khari87

Level 1

12 points

Sep 17, 2025 7:52 PM in response to Branta_uk

Devices used: iPhone 16pro AW series 8. Open maps on iPhone, select cycling route, and place phone in holder. Raise Watch to wake and show map. Begin route, then maps freeze. With ios18, the handoff feature worked smoothly.

okonomiyonda Author

Level 1

57 points

Sep 18, 2025 6:17 AM in response to Branta_uk

Ok so right off the bat, our options look very different. Under location services, you seem to have four options and I only have three. I have don’t allow, confirm, and allow when using the apli, but you seem to also have a fourth option about widgets. That’s suspicious…

[Edited by Moderator]

Branta_uk

Level 7

32,892 points

Sep 18, 2025 9:55 AM in response to okonomiyonda

Missing Widget so missing or wrong permissions leading to missing location data. That is really good work to follow up on my guess for possible causes. Hopefully this will help others with a similar problem.

okonomiyonda Author

Level 1

57 points

Sep 21, 2025 7:38 AM in response to Branta_uk

So I think Apple has taken an interest in what causes this. They previously had me install a certificate that enables what I assume is extra logging for Maps. I think I had submitted two new issues with the additional logging data in the dump, and Apple people appear to be looking at it, so hopefully someone works out what is actually causing the issue in the first place

Sep 25, 2025 3:00 AM in response to okonomiyonda

Yeah, same for me. This iOS 26 update has been a complete nightmare, full of bugs and glitches. Tried doing the app and widget reinstall to no success. I'm on AWU2 and iPhone 13 Pro Max, both on WatchOS 26 and iOS 26. Anyone else found any other workarounds? Thanks

okonomiyonda Author

Level 1

57 points

Sep 27, 2025 5:41 PM in response to okonomiyonda

been trying for two days now. Last night I even walked home 2.75 hours from Big Sight to Sky Tree, and it worked the entire time. So I’m starting to get more confident this has been fixed, and you’ll just have to wait for iOS 26.1

Oct 18, 2025 3:30 PM in response to okonomiyonda

I’m also having this issue. Made sure to use a brand new cable, restart phone. Happens in both Apple Maps and Google Maps. Restarted head unit, phone, all settings like background updating running and precision location are turned on. Only started happening after iOS26.

The only thing I haven’t tried is re-pairing. I’m on the latest iOS version.

Arronaj

Level 1

8 points

Oct 27, 2025 10:22 PM in response to okonomiyonda

iPhone 13 Pro, Waze and Carplay. Daily commute of 35 mile, first few miles are suburban streets and it manages to update GPS location at 40mph and below, once I get onto the interstate above 60mph it seems to lose ability to update. Once I am off the interstate 25 miles later and back to below 40mph speeds it finds the location again. Very frustrating not having GPS every day. I even did a full phone reset to try and fix it but no luck. I also have a Series 7 watch paired, but don't use that for nav.

terryb

Level 4

3,358 points

Oct 28, 2025 1:08 PM in response to terryb

To follow up on my follow up, when my iPhone 12 Pro is paired via BT to a vehicle, waking and announcements seem to be normal. (No Apple Watch in the mix.) But when in a car not connected via BT, the phone sometimes does NOT wake for the next instruction. This made for distracted driving because you're now more focused on phone and whether the next instruction is going to be missed.

Another issue in the non-paired scenario was each instruction's volume randomly changed from the normal, audible level of speakerphone to almost inaudible, almost like it went from delivering via speakerphone to the speaker for the ear. That added to the driving distraction -- "Wait, what did she say? Am I turning here?"

Again, once connected to a vehicle via BT, it so far seems to behave normally as it has always done prior to iOS 26.

Arronaj

Level 1

8 points

Oct 28, 2025 7:36 PM in response to terryb

This was my problem! Thank you so much. I was tethered via cable to the factory head unit for charging and playing audio, and my aftermarket Carplay unit is wireless. Once I disconnected the cable and went just wireless to the Carplay and Bluetooth to the head unit the GPS was good again. I guess being tethered is interrupting the wifi data connection to Carplay?

Arronaj

Level 1

8 points

Oct 31, 2025 6:15 PM in response to Arronaj

While using only Bluetooth did seem to fix my gps issue, I found another thread which identified Carplay widgets as an issue on underpowered Carplay units. Once I turned them off, it was good as new, I could tether via USB and no lag at all on gps in maps. Not really sure why we need widgets in Carplay anyway.

CarPlay stopped working after iOS 26 upda… - Apple Community

in ios26, maps don't update when the screen is locked