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

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.

I updated to iOS 26.0.2 and watchOS 26.0.2 yesterday, and took three short drives this morning all with Now Playing on the screen with Maps navigating in the background. All 3 times, Maps continued to keep my current position in the background and provided alerts on the screen, and my watch counted down the distance until the next turn and provided haptic taps at each turn. The issue appears to have been resolved in 26.0.2, despite no mention of it in the release notes.

I spoke with Apple Customer Support, and they asked me to reset the iPhone’s network settings, and the issue was resolved — the GPS started working again.

Have you tried a forced restart of your iPhone, if not try that

Press and quickly release the volume up button. Press and quickly release the volume down button. Press and hold the side button.When the Apple logo appears, release the side button.

If that is not working you might want to give this to apple as feedback so that they can look into it. Please do so using this form

Product Feedback - Apple

I'm experiencing this issue when driving with Maps on an iOS 26 iPhone 12 Pro. I don't have an Apple Watch. If the screen is slept using the right button, Maps will not wake for subsequent direction instructions. If I tap the screen, it shows the old location briefly and then quickly updates to the new location and then speaks the next instruction (or sometimes "proceed to the route").

I have all Settings->Apps->Maps configured for Locations Services While Using App or Widgets, background App Refresh, Precise location, and Directions Wake Device.

I am installing 26.0.1 and will report back if there's improvement.

I did another test run. I started the route, with the watch raised and didn’t push the lock button before putting the phone away. That worked, but my phone battery drained quicker. Still not as seamless as iOS 18. Whatever they did for iOS18 needs to be done on iOS 26.

I’m having this same exact issue as well; I first noticed it while using CarPlay. If I have a different app on the screen, say, Now Playing, my location in Maps freezes in the background and I no longer receive alerts. If I glance at my Watch, I can see the distance remaining until the next turn frozen and alternating between that number and three dashes (—-). If I tap the Maps icon, my location snaps to where I am, and alerts will continue. This never happened until iOS 26, and it happens 100% of the time in both mine and my wife’s vehicles.

Additionally, if I try using my Watch for walking directions, I noticed that my position never updates without having Maps active on my phone. Devices are an iPhone 13 Pro and  WATCH Series 8 (Cellular + GPS).

I hope a fix is imminent…

I’ve done all the above. It only seems to work when the phone updates location. When used as handoff, both maps freeze, and only once I look at the phone map, does it start to work. Definitely not working as seamless as it did in ios18.

Questions from me

Which model Apple Watch?

cellular watch or GPS only? (I see Ultra, but is cellular enabled and working?)

I have not noticed a problem with maps in v26 software, but I have mainly used with CarPlay recently. I have seen position updating with prompts on screen and on my watch as I drive. But of course I just used it and didn’t check the iPhone screen had locked.

If the rain stops here I’ll try to test more when I walk out to buy lunch :)

I am experiencing the same exact issue as well as many others on reddit and other online forums. Previously, I could lock my phone screen when maps was on and it would automatically update through my Apple Watch in realtime. Thus my phone would alert me before needing to make a turn.

Now, there are no alerts at all when the screen is locked, and upon opening the screen, the location then finally loads from the old location to my current location. Even voice alerts are not announced. I believe the issue is due to location not actually updating realtime when the screen is closed. Location is only updated while the screen is on. Very frustrating as Maps is meant to be used while driving, fidgeting with the phone just to use a GPS is annoying.

I am also using an iPhone 13

The only variable you didn’t mention seems to be whether your Apple Watch is the GPS model or cellular (and cellular service working).

The problem seems to be rather random in appearance, some users are struggling but others have no issues. I suspect most users are not seeing a problem, because there are thousands of users visiting here but only about 5 reporting problems. So far there doesn’t seem to be a common factor in things like device type.

One area which would be worth checking is Settings, just in case Apple has managed to activate some non-default parameters. Even something like a bug fix for an option which didn’t work in a previous build could cause this problem. I looked in my settings and highlighted a few possible points which might be relevant. No promises, not an exclusive list this is really a wild guess… Settings/Maps then see screenshots below for my guess at likely suspects.

This happens to me too, it drives me nuts. I didn't use this feature before ios26, so I don't know if it ever worked as intended.

I have a 23 Pro, and Watch Series 9, non cellular. I have everything turned on (location services, bluetooth, fullest permissions for Maps). I even added a Maps widget on my home screen as a Hail Mary.

Before I updated the Watch to WatchOS 26, the maps stopped updating right when I locked the phone screen, after updating, it works for like 5 minutes but then freezes again. This is so annoying, because I don't want a phone mount for my bike, so the watch would've worked great...

Is there any other app that has a live map for the watch? Google Maps has only directions, no map...

ios 26 is causing issues for tracking workouts (walk, run, all gps based) with apple watch 7 and iphone 14 pro max. Even pairing for heart rate is not working when the watch goes in standby with zwift app.

Tried reseting watch, deleting Maps, revoked all permissions and add them again. Nothing works to fix it.

Great battery consumption for the watch.