Google Maps Drawer; Mic, Home & Apps buttons & Random Quick Access Apps; how do I change these?

[Ivanlc]

Hi.

I'm running Maps v10.68.1.

When I open the app and set a destination, I get the following screen which incorporates a "Start" button. Perfectly normal:

However, when I then click the Start button, I get the following screen:

Again, no biggie; except that at the very bottom of the screen, I have a drawer with 3 icons.

There's the familiar Google Voice Search microphone (which, when pressed starts Google Voice search. Fine).

In the middle there is a button which takes me to my home screen, and overlays a minimised image of Maps in the corner of the screen somewhere.

Then there's a third button to the bottom right which opens some seemingly randomly chosen apps that you have quick access to:

This last would be useful except I don't know how to change the default apps included to my own app set.

Pressing the Settings button in the centre of the bottom row of apps brings up this screen:

... Which is really no help at all - except to confirm that the phone *is* in Driving Mode, which I already know!

Does anyone know how to control any of this or what the whole setup is for if you can't actually *change* any of the apps to something more relevant to driving...?? It's driving me insane (no pun intended )

ivan

 

[Dannydet]

Update to the latest version of maps. 10.74.1

 

[Ivanlc]

Hi Danny.

Have updated, but as I suspected, this has made no difference whatsoever.

There's still no explanation of how to change the quick access apps or what the drawer buttons do differently to the standard drawer buttons.

How do you use the buttons/change the quick access apps??

Ivan

 

[ocnbrze]

what phone do you have? i would turn off driving mode.

 

[Ivanlc]

... Oh, and of course, I have already Googled this, but all I get back are guides on how to use Maps - which I can already do.

Browsing images in the search reveals no screenshots which show the drawer I posted above:



Any wise words, other than

what phone do you have? i would turn off driving mode.

what phone do you have? i would turn off driving mode.

I have a Galaxy S20FE.

Aha! If I turn off driving mode, the drawer at the bottom of the screen does indeed vanish (cheers; hadn't realised it was auto-flipping in to DM) but I'm still curious to know how to change the layout in the apps screen below.

There must be a way...!!

 

[ocnbrze]

I have a Galaxy S20FE.

Aha! If I turn off driving mode, the drawer at the bottom of the screen does indeed vanish (cheers; hadn't realised it was auto-flipping in to DM) but I'm still curious to know how to change the layout in the apps screen below.

There must be a way...!!

i believe in driving mode only select few apps are shown so that you do not go searching while you are driving.

from here:https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/10217503?hl=env

it does say this:

App Launcher gives you quick access to apps you can use while you drive, like YouTube Music, Google Podcasts, or other music providers.

Important: Recommendations given by apps like Spotify or Pandora are based on your history in those apps, not Google.

but it never mentions that you can manually change the app suggestions, unfortunately.

 

[ocnbrze]

personally i have drive mode turned off. never use it nor do i plan to use it.

 

[Ivanlc]

i believe in driving mode only select few apps are shown so that you do not go searching while you are driving.

from here:https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/10217503?hl=env

it does say this:


but it never mentions that you can manually change the app suggestions, unfortunately.

Right.

 

[Ivanlc]

Right.

Yeah, I guess that's the way it is. I've just turned it off.

You'd think you'd be able to to select "driver friendly" apps though. Some of the apps shown in this mode aren't exactly non-distracting; eg. VLC which is primarily a video player...!