Google Maps is designed to get you to your destination as quickly as possible. Because of this, it is constantly monitoring real-time traffic data in the background while you drive. If a sudden traffic jam forms on your current path, and Google Maps calculates that an alternate route is even one minute faster, it will automatically switch your navigation to the new route, often with a quick audio chime that you might miss over your car stereo.
While this sounds helpful, it is incredibly dangerous and frustrating if you are driving a large RV, towing a trailer, or simply prefer to stick to a familiar highway rather than being unexpectedly dumped onto narrow, winding residential backroads just to save 45 seconds of drive time.
Unfortunately, Google Maps does not have a simple “Never Reroute” button, but there are strict workarounds to prevent it from hijacking your journey.
How to Stop Automatic Rerouting
To lock Google Maps onto your chosen path, you must strip away its ability to communicate with the live traffic servers.
- Start your navigation normally. Enter your destination, select your preferred route (even if it is slower), and hit “Start.”
- Turn off your cellular data. Swipe down from the top of your phone to access your quick settings panel. Tap your Mobile Data icon to turn it off (or put your phone into Airplane Mode, ensuring your GPS remains on).
Because Google Maps already caches your entire active route the moment you press “Start,” the app will continue to give you flawless, turn-by-turn voice navigation entirely offline. However, because it cannot connect to the internet to check for traffic updates, it is completely incapable of suggesting or forcing an alternate route.
The “Download Offline Maps” Pre-Requisite
To ensure this method works flawlessly and that you don’t lose the map imagery if you zoom out, it is highly recommended to download your local area for offline use first:
- Open Google Maps and tap your Profile Picture.
- Select Offline maps.
- Tap Select your own map.
- Pinch and zoom to capture your entire commuting area, then tap Download.