Is there a way to turn off the turn-by-turn navigation voice from the map app itself without ending the directions?

No. because you would have to disable and enable Siri each time.

Or you could try using the side controls to lower the volumne down and see if that works.

I don't think there's any way to do it, but I'd like that feature as well: on long trips I listen to an audiobook and when I'm travelling routes that I already know well, I mostly want to use navigation to route around any traffic that might occur.

In both cases, the voice directions aren't welcome, and I can get by with the on-screen display… and in other GPS navigation software or hardware I've had, muting the voice was an easily accessed option. (Garmin USA on the iPhone, for example, has a 'mute' icon available right on the maps display).

I've requested that feature at http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html - you may wish to do the same.

On the iPhone 4 there is setting "mute voice guidance" - tap on the 3 dots at lower right.

Nick189 wrote:

On the iPhone 4 there is setting "mute voice guidance" - tap on the 3 dots at lower right.

Gee... that's interesting, since the iPhone 4 doesn't get turn by turn voice guidance...

Nick189 is clearly referring to the 'Google Maps' app's turn-by-turn navigation feature, which has that 'three dot' UI element at the lower right, which provides that option to mute voice guidance.

But, of course, this thread is about Apple's 'Maps' app.

I would dearly love this feature as well. I understand that Apple strives for a consistent means of setting application features, via Settings. However, in this case, considering the fact that you are almost by definition operating a vehicle at the time, having to navigate through many different menus and settings, just to disable or enable voice guidance, is particularly undesirable and even unsafe.

Google Maps for iOS allows you to enable and disable voice guidance with the click of a single button from directly within the app, so clearly this could be accomplished.

Malacandran wrote:

Nick189 is clearly referring to the 'Google Maps' app's turn-by-turn navigation feature

"clearly" is something of an overstatement... Perhaps they should have mentioned that...

three dots! thanks, i needed to silence google maps navigation. the map app that comes with the phone ***** but i couldn't figure out how to silence the google maps navigation until now