Google Maps for Wear OS now auto-launches when you need it most, and it’s a delight [Video]

Ben Schoon | Sep 4 2025 - 3:45 am PT

Google Maps for Wear OS has always been a handy tool, but countless times using it to navigate a city on foot or by bike has often led to a headache for me. That’s why I’m thrilled that Google Maps for Wear OS now automatically launches, but only when you need it to.

If you’ve ever tried to use the Google Maps app for Wear OS, you probably know that it can be a little finicky to get going. Often you have to juggle through your tiny smartwatch display to input an address, or end up using voice when that gets too frustrating. As a personal example, I had quite a headache getting Maps up and running for a bike ride through NYC, and ended up having Maps open on my phone as a backup through the whole ride.

As a part of the latest Pixel and Android feature drop, Google is updating the Maps app on Wear OS to auto-launch when you start navigation. However, it doesn’t auto-launch for all navigation. Rather, it only kicks in when you start navigation on your phone for walking or biking. If you start a drive, it won’t auto-launch because, well, you probably don’t need it there.

Google explains:

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Continue navigation on your Wear OS watch for seamless directions across your devices. Now, when you launch walking or biking navigation from your phone, Google Maps will automatically display it on your smartwatch as well.

In practice, this works wonderfully.

Navigation starts up immediately on my Pixel Watch 3 after starting the bike trip on my Galaxy Z Fold 7. It’s absolutely seamless, and what I’ve wanted for a while.

Now, technically speaking, this isn’t new functionality. As of 2023, users had the choice to enable an auto-launch setting, but it wasn’t the default behavior, and mostly applied in the other direction, bringing up directions on your phone when it was started on the watch.

But, either way, I’m just glad this is the default behavior now. And it’s not exclusive to Pixel Watch either, this applies across all Wear OS watches.