How do I change my Google Maps voice from female to male?

The default voice in Google Maps is a female voice. This synthetic voice provides turn-by-turn navigation instructions and details about locations. While some users find the default female voice pleasant and helpful, others may prefer using a different voice.

There are a few key reasons why someone might want to change the default Google Maps voice:

• Personal preference – Some simply like the sound of a male voice more than the female voice.
• Clarity – Certain accents or voices can be easier to understand for some users.
• Familiarity – Users may want a voice with a familiar accent or language.
• Novelty – Some users enjoy experimenting with funny celebrity voices or accents.

Luckily, Google Maps makes it simple to change the default voice to a male voice or other options. The steps are a bit different on iPhone vs Android devices, but we’ll cover both methods in this guide.

Check Your Google Maps Voice Setting

To change the voice on Google Maps, you first need to navigate to your voice setting. This setting allows you to see your current voice selection and make changes.

On Android, open the Google Maps app and tap on your profile icon in the top right corner. Then select “Settings” and choose “Navigation settings.” Under “Voice selection,” you will see your current voice pack. Tapping here allows you to pick a new one (Google Support).

On iPhone and iPad, open the Google Maps app and tap on your profile icon. Go to “Settings” and select “Navigation.” You will see “Voice” with your current voice pack selected. Tapping here lets you change to a new voice (WikiHow).

The mobile Google Maps site also has a voice setting under “Settings” and “Navigation” that you can update. So whether using the app or mobile web, the voice customization option is in the same general place.

Change to the Male Voice

Changing the voice on Google Maps from female to male is easy to do on both iPhone and Android devices. Here are the step-by-step instructions:

On Android:

1. Open the Google Maps app
2. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner
3. Go to Settings > Navigation settings
4. Tap on Voice selection
5. Choose the ‘Default (male)’ option

The voice will now change to the default male voice. You can also download additional male and female voices if you prefer something other than the default.

On iPhone/iPad:

1. Open the Google Maps app
2. Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner
3. Go to Settings > Navigation
4. Tap ‘Voice’ and select the ‘Male voice’ option

The voice will now change to the default iOS male voice. Unfortunately there is only one male and female voice option for iPhone users.

That’s it! Google Maps navigation should now use a male voice when giving directions. Let us know if you encounter any issues changing the voice from female to male.

Change Back to the Female Voice

If you want to switch the voice back to a female voice after changing to a male voice, the process is simple:

On Android:

1. Open the Google Maps app
2. Tap on the hamburger menu in the top left
3. Go to Settings > Navigation settings
4. Tap on “Voice selection”
5. Choose one of the female voice options, like “English (female)”

That’s it! Google Maps will now use the selected female voice for navigation instructions.

On iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the Google Maps app
2. Tap on your profile icon in the top right
3. Go to Settings > Navigation
4. Under Voice, choose “English (female)” or another female option

The voice will be changed back to female immediately. It’s that easy to revert to the original female voice in Google Maps on both Android and iOS.

Other Google Maps Voice Options

In addition to the male and female voice options, Google Maps provides several other voice choices from around the world ( source). These include:

• Australian English
• British English
• Canadian English
• Indian English
• Irish English
• Scottish English
• South African English
• US Spanish

So if you want a navigation voice with a specific accent, Google Maps provides options beyond just male or female. The various English choices let you pick a voice localized to different countries and regions.

To change to one of these alternate voices, simply select it from the Voice selection menu in your navigation settings. You can test out the different options until you find one that you prefer.

Voice Settings on iPhone vs Android

The voice settings on Google Maps work a bit differently depending on if you’re using an iPhone or an Android device. On iPhone, you don’t have the ability to change the voice within the Google Maps app itself. Instead, you have to go into the iOS Settings app and change the region and language to one that has a male voice option for navigation [1]. This will change the voice for all navigation apps on your iPhone, not just Google Maps.

On Android devices, you can change the Google Maps voice directly within the app’s own settings. Just open the Google Maps app, go to Settings > Navigation settings > Voice selection, and you’ll have multiple voices to choose from. Here you can specifically switch Google Maps to a male voice without impacting any other apps on your device [2]. So Android provides more customization for the Google Maps voice, while iPhone links it to your overall iOS region and language settings.

[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/how-to-change-google-maps-voice
[2] https://www.wikihow.com/Change-the-Google-Maps-Voice

Troubleshooting Tips

If you are having issues changing the voice in Google Maps, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Check that the sound on your device is turned on and the volume is up. Tap the speaker icon in the top right of the Maps screen to ensure voice navigation is enabled.

Make sure you have a stable internet connection. Voice navigation requires data to stream the voice files.

Force close and restart the Maps app if the voice is distorted or cutting in and out. This will reset the app and reload the voice files.

On Android devices, clear the app data and cache for Maps. This will reset all settings in the app including voice. Go to Settings > Apps > Maps > Storage > Clear Data and Clear Cache.

Update Google Maps to the latest version. There may be bug fixes related to navigation voices in app updates.

Try changing the voice in Maps on another device signed into your account. If the issue persists, your account may have a technical problem.

As a last resort, uninstall and reinstall Maps to fully reset the app. Make sure you backup any saved data first.

If nothing works, contact Google support for further help on troubleshooting.

Third-Party Navigation Apps

Google Maps isn’t the only navigation app that offers voice guidance. Here’s a look at some of the voice options available in other popular navigation apps:

Waze – This community-based navigation app allows you to choose between a male and female voice. You can select the voice in Settings > Voice & Sound. According to Waze’s support site, they currently offer 39 different voices across various languages.

Apple Maps – On iOS devices, Apple Maps offers a choice between a male and female Siri voice in English. You can change the voice in Settings > Maps > Siri Voice. There are limited options, but the voices sound more natural than the Google Maps options.

TomTom – TomTom’s mobile app provides both male and female voice options in various languages. You can download additional high-quality voices for a more natural experience. Change the voice by going to Settings > Audio > Voice selection.

Overall, while Google Maps offers the most voice options, other navigation apps provide higher quality voices and a more seamless experience for iPhone users. However, most alternatives have fewer choices compared to Google Maps on Android.

The Future of GPS Voices

GPS navigation systems have come a long way in terms of voice quality and natural language capabilities. Early GPS voices sounded robotic and unnatural. However, advances in speech synthesis technology are leading to more human-like voices with natural inflection and expression.

According to ClearBridge Mobile, future GPS systems will likely integrate conversational interfaces and more personalized voice options. Users may be able to select or even create their own navigation voice assistant with a unique name and personality [1].

Contextual awareness is also expected to improve. Voice assistants will get better at understanding conversational commands and questions in context, rather than just pre-defined phrases [2]. This will enable more natural interactions while driving.

As speech synthesis and recognition improves, we may see GPS systems that can detect multiple voices and maintain separate user profiles. Voice assistants may also exhibit more personality and emotion depending on driving conditions and navigational prompts.

While female voices are still dominant, continued demand for diversity could lead to more gender, accent and language options. Overall, expect navigation voices to sound less robotic and more conversational, personalized and situationally-aware.

Conclusion

In summary, changing the voice on Google Maps from female to male or vice versa is easy to do on both iPhone and Android devices. The voice setting is located in the app’s settings menu and can be toggled between the default female voice or a male voice. While some users may simply prefer hearing directions spoken by a voice that matches their gender, others feel the male voice is clearer or easier to understand.

Regardless of your reason for wanting to change the Google Maps voice, the ability to alternate between the female and male options provides helpful flexibility. As GPS voices continue to improve and sound more natural in the future, we may also see additional voice choices added. For now, being able to toggle between the two main options ensures you can pick the voice that provides you the best navigation experience.