Google Maps defaults to American voice after iOS 26.4 update

UPDATE May 13th

An acknowledgment from Google!

Hello Peter,

Thank you for testing that out and getting back to us so quickly.

You hit the nail on the head. It is absolutely a bug. You are not doing anything wrong, and your phone isn't broken.

What you have discovered is a known glitch that has plagued the app since the recent iOS updates. Right now, Google Maps is failing to "remember" the iOS-level language preferences once the app is completely closed. When the app restarts, it panics, forgets whether you chose English (UK) or English (Ireland), and forcefully reverts to its default factory baseline (the American voice).

The Bad News

Because this is a software bug within the current version of the Google Maps app, there is no hidden setting you can toggle to make your choice sticky. No amount of uninstalling, resetting, or troubleshooting on your end will fix a broken line of code in the app!

The temporary workaround you found (switching the language back and forth to force it to load the UK/Irish voice) is actually the only way to get it to work right now. However, I know how incredibly tedious it is to do that "language toggle dance" every single time you get in your car.

What Happens Next?

This issue has been widely reported by other iOS users over the last few weeks, and the engineering team is aware of the conflict between the new iOS system and the app's internal voice engine.

The permanent fix will come in the form of a future Google Maps app update. All you can do right now is keep an eye on the Apple App Store and make sure you install any new updates for Google Maps as they roll out.

Until that patch drops, your two options are to either keep doing your temporary workaround every time you open Google Maps, or take a temporary vacation over to Apple Maps!

I wish I had a magic button to make it stick for you today, but I hope this at least saves you from pulling your hair out trying to fix it yourself.

Thank you for your understanding and I hope this clarifies and helps.

This is the reply from Google!

Hello Peter,

This is a known behavior with Google Maps on CarPlay. The voice used in Google Maps is not fully controlled by Siri settings, even though it may seem related.

Google Maps uses its own navigation voice settings, which can sometimes reset or default (often to an American voice) after iOS updates.

You can try the following:

• Open Google Maps on your iPhone
• Tap your profile → Settings → Navigation
• Check Voice selection (if available in your region)
• Also make sure “Play voice over Bluetooth” is enabled

Additionally:

• Restart your iPhone and reconnect CarPlay
• Check if the issue persists when using Google Maps outside of CarPlay
• Ensure both iOS and Google Maps app are fully updated

If there is no option to select the Irish voice, it may not currently be supported in Google Maps navigation, even if it is set in Siri.

If the issue started right after iOS update, it could also be a temporary compatibility issue that may be fixed in a future app or system update.

I hope this helps.

Thank you Tony!

Same here with my wife's iPhone too!

However I really wanted confirmation that I wasn't the only one in the world with this...

Google have responded to me several times with settings changes which haven't worked, and I too have deleted and reinstalled the App, along with a full restore of the iPhone.

Sadly there is no definitive answer if it's the iOS update or Google maps update that broke this.

Please let me know how you get on!

Peter

just FYI here is the last communication from Google

We understand your concern about changing Google maps voice language. But no worries, we're here to help and provide accurate resolution to resolve your issue. So let's work on this together. 

Here's a list of troubleshooting steps to help you resolve your issue. 

Change Google Maps languages or domains

Google Maps automatically takes you to a country domain and shows place names in a country’s local languages. You can change the country domain or language shown in Google Maps.

Change your navigation language

When you navigate to a place using a mobile device, you can change your map language. By default, Maps uses your system's default language. To change your map language:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Tap your Profile picture or Initial   Settings.
3. Tap Navigation settings  Voice selection.
4. Select a voice and language.

We also suggest sending feedback directly to our Product Support Team.

On your computer:

1. Open Google Maps and make sure you’re signed in.
2. In the top left, click the Menu .
3. Click Edit the map.
4. Choose Your opinions about Maps.
5. To add a screenshot with your feedback, follow the instructions.
6. Click Send.

On an Android, iPhone, or iPad:

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Maps app .
2. Tap your profile picture or initial   Help & feedback   Send product feedback.
3. Leave app feedback or share your ideas  Send .

We hope this information is helpful to you because your satisfaction is really important to us, and as part of Google's commitment to providing excellent customer service, we want to ensure that all your concerns have been addressed. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact us or visit our help center at your convenience.

Thank you for that!

Everything is (as) up-to-date as it can be, so I'll have to await another update!

I just recon I can't sit by otherwise nothing will be done!

Peter