I want Google Assistant to open Waze when I ask it to take me somewhere, not Google Maps.

[Winton Vernon]

I got it to work before once, but now it isn't working again. I went through settings > apps > all apps > Waze > Open by defaults > Clear Defaults > Open supported links > Open in this app. I even disabled and uninstalled Google Maps. It worked once, but then I had to reinstall Google Maps, and now it isn't working again. I did all the above steps again, uninstalled Google Maps, yet when I ask Google Assistant to get me directions to somewhere, it keeps trying to use Google Maps and it's pissing me off! It does open Waze, but with it trying to use Google it messes it all up and doesn't give me directions to where I asked, it just opens the Waze app. ... thought technology was supposed to be getting better, not more frustrating.

Can anyone help?

 

[Gus_Gutz]

re:

I always say OK Google start Waze then say OK Waze navigate to... Not exactly how you want it to work, but a little bit of a workaround.

 

[toiday]

re:

To be honest, Google Maps is much better than Waze. Google Maps is better in voice commands, better in directions. It not just telling you to turn left or right, it tells you which lane you should be in. It shows you alternate route and now much faster or slower. Waze has a couple of things better: showing speed and show where the cops are. Therefore, I use Waze for commuting and use Google Maps when I need navigate to a new place.

 

[chanchan05]

re:

To be honest, Google Maps is much better than Waze. Google Maps is better in voice commands, better in directions. It not just telling you to turn left or right, it tells you which lane you should be in. It shows you alternate route and now much faster or slower. Waze has a couple of things better: showing speed and show where the cops are. Therefore, I use Waze for commuting and use Google Maps when I need navigate to a new place.

My problem with Google Maps is that in my case it tells me turn right 100m away from the point where I should. I have to keep glancing at the phone to tell if I'm at the right place to turn because there could be like 3, 4, even 5 available turns for me in some places before I reach the point where I should turn right. Kind of dangerous. Waze tells me to keep to the right or left lane though, and has more accurate traffic data in my region compared to Google. I guess that would depend on locale.

 

[Almeuit]

re:

My problem with Google Maps is that in my case it tells me turn right 100m away from the point where I should. I have to keep glancing at the phone to tell if I'm at the right place to turn because there could be like 3, 4, even 5 available turns for me in some places before I reach the point where I should turn right. Kind of dangerous. Waze tells me to keep to the right or left lane though, and has more accurate traffic data in my region compared to Google. I guess that would depend on locale.

For me either works but I have Android Auto in my car so glancing at the screen isn't so bad.

 

[GSDer]

I got it to work before once, but now it isn't working again. I went through settings > apps > all apps > Waze > Open by defaults > Clear Defaults > Open supported links > Open in this app.

Perhaps the way to attack the problem is by turning off any defaults for Google Maps rather than fiddling with the Waze settings?

 

[Winton Vernon]

I want to be able to just say "ok Google, take me home" and it will pull up Waze and start directions to my house without me having to touch it... Seems a little picky, but it's nice when I'm in the car and my phone isn't readily accessible.

I didn't know there was an "Ok Waze" feature... That might work a little better

 

[Winton Vernon]

Re:

I always say OK Google start Waze then say OK Waze navigate to... Not exactly how you want it to work, but a little bit of a workaround.

I want to be able to just say "ok Google, take me home" and it will pull up Waze and start directions to my house without me having to touch it... Seems a little picky, but it's nice when I'm in the car and my phone isn't readily accessible.

I didn't know there was an "Ok Waze" feature... That might work a little better

 

[Winton Vernon]

Perhaps the way to attack the problem is by turning off any defaults for Google Maps rather than fiddling with the Waze settings?

I've reset all defaults and even disabled and uninstalled Google Maps... It worked the first time I did it, but then I reinstalled it and now this second time it just isn't working.

It almost works, but every time I ask Google Assistant to take me somewhere, it just opens Waze instead of getting the navigation started. It seems like a pretty small problem, but the only reason I use the voice assistant is when I'm driving and I can't take the time to pick up and fuss with my phone

 

[hallux]

This may be a Waze problem - it may not be able to interpret the command that Assistant is sending as Assistant is expecting Maps.

 

[Morty2264]

Re:

I always say OK Google start Waze then say OK Waze navigate to... Not exactly how you want it to work, but a little bit of a workaround.

That's a very clever way to get Waze to work! Good for you!

 

[N4Newbie]

Re:

My problem with Google Maps is that in my case it tells me turn right 100m away from the point where I should. I have to keep glancing at the phone to tell if I'm at the right place to turn because there could be like 3, 4, even 5 available turns for me in some places before I reach the point where I should turn right. Kind of dangerous. Waze tells me to keep to the right or left lane though, and has more accurate traffic data in my region compared to Google. I guess that would depend on locale.

Interesting. Google Maps always seems to start warning me "In one quarter mile, turn left..." and then "In one thousand feet, turn left on Main Street..." and, finally, "Turn left"

 

[N4Newbie]

A while back, someone said "I have just found a way of opening the waze navigation App just say "navigate to bristol using the W.A.Z.E app" SPELL OUT waze with each letter" https://forums.androidcentral.com/showthread.php?t=320869&p=5138914&viewfull=1#post5138914

Another suggestion was to simply disable Google Maps entirely.

And, perhaps the best of all -

Did you know you can "OK Waze... Take me to..."?

Open Waze, go to Settings -> Sound & voice -> Talk to Waze and turn on Listen for "OK Waze"

 

[Itsa_Me_Mario]

This can also probably be set up through routines or through IFTTT

 

[LeoRex]

I've always wondered why Google just doesn't merge the two apps. Maps is superior as a directions and information app, Waze is best at having changing traffic conditions and routes...

But the silly thing is that Google owns both. Maps already uses data gathered by Waze, and vice versa...

But Google does have a habit of developing redundant, overlapping apps that would be best served as one...

 

[Mike Dee]

I've always wondered why Google just doesn't merge the two apps. Maps is superior as a directions and information app, Waze is best at having changing traffic conditions and routes...

But the silly thing is that Google owns both. Maps already uses data gathered by Waze, and vice versa...

But Google does have a habit of developing redundant, overlapping apps that would be best served as one...

I think it was part of the agreement when they aquired Waze.

 

[LeoRex]

I think it was part of the agreement when they aquired Waze.

If so, I hope that has an expiration date.

 

[chanchan05]

Re:

Interesting. Google Maps always seems to start warning me "In one quarter mile, turn left..." and then "In one thousand feet, turn left on Main Street..." and, finally, "Turn left"

Tried it several times. Maps won't notify me again at below 100m. Waze notified me at 200, 100, 30, and then says turn left maybe 5-10m away from the turn itself.

 

[N4Newbie]

Re:

Tried it several times. Maps won't notify me again at below 100m. Waze notified me at 200, 100, 30, and then says turn left maybe 5-10m away from the turn itself.

Just for the sake of curiosity, I wonder what would happen if you changed the Distance Units (it's in Maps Settings) to Miles.

 

[chanchan05]

Re:

Just for the sake of curiosity, I wonder what would happen if you changed the Distance Units (it's in Maps Settings) to Miles.

I wouldn't know, haven't been driving around lately, but even if it works then I won't use miles because I'll just have to think about it more regarding estimating distances. Unlike with metric it's nearly instinctive for me.