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UPDATE: 2025-08-11 10:40 EST BY JOHN KANELLAKOS
A Google spokesperson has reached out to Pocket-lint stating: “We’re actively working to fix an issue that is affecting media playback controls on Google Maps.”
This implicitly confirms that the missing music playback controls within Maps is a bug and not a feature, though there’s no timeline as to when a patch will be pushed out to Android users.
One of the most convenient features within Google’s Maps app for mobile is its inline music playback controls. While navigating from place to place, the app can surface media controls across the bottom of the display, with quick access buttons for playing, pausing, and skipping tracks. With hooks that tie intoApple Music,Spotify, andYouTube Music, having this multimedia strip displayed on screen is particularly useful while driving, as it promotes visual concentration on the road in front of you.
As firstreported by 9to5Google, it appears that Google Maps' playback control feature has disappeared from the latest stable application release. WithinSettings>Navigation, the Music playback controls toggle has simply vanished, for no particular rhyme or reason.
Taking a look at my ownPixel 9 Pro’sMaps app, which is currently on version 25.29.00.782600971, playback controls are indeed absent. Interestingly, this appears to only be the case on Android devices – when I launched the most up-to-date version of Google Maps on myiPhone 15 Pro, it was business as usual – playback controls and all.
Google Maps
Google Maps is the most commonly used navigational app for traveling. The popular tool helps drivers, commuters, walkers, and cyclists get to where they are going with features like scheduled departures, incident reporting, and slowdown warnings.
Google Maps is great, but tweaking these 5 settings makes it way better
Thanks to these settings and features, Google Maps is easily my preferred navigation app.
Could this be chalked up to a simple bug?
It’s unclear whether this Maps change is an intentional move by Google
For its part,Googlehasn’t made any official announcement regarding the removal of music playback controls within Maps. As such, there’s a good chance that this change was merely accidental, perhaps attributable to a software bug. Google Maps Version 25.28 and newer for Android appears to be the culprit, but it’s unclear if there’s an additional server-side component at play as well.
In any case, I personally hope to see music controls reinstated by Google. I’ve long relied on the feature for quickly jumping from song to song, or for controlling my podcasts while actively on the road and in navigation mode. I reckon I’m not the only one upset to see such an invaluable feature suddenly disappear, and if there’s enough public backlash, it might compel Google to course correct in response.
For the time being, the Google-ownedWaze app for Androidis an excellent Maps alternative that continues to support multimedia playback controls within its navigation interface.
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