Become an expert in using Waze, Google’s community GPS app, by discovering thirteen tricks to master all the mysteries.
Bought in 2013 by Google, Waze has become in a few years one of the most used free GPS in the world.
Its success is undoubtedly due to the many features offered by the application, but also to a mapping that is always (or almost) up to date, thanks to the information provided by other users: work areas, accidents, objects on the roadway, weather phenomena. localized, traffic jams, all the current events on a defined route allow drivers to anticipate problems, and sometimes even to opt for an alternative route.
But Waze is full of small functions, sometimes hidden, which make it possible to further improve its use.
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1. Find the best time to go
To make sure you arrive on time, why not check the best time to leave? Waze has a built-in feature that lets you set a departure time based on what time you want to arrive. The route calculation takes into account the traffic forecast and tells you the best time to leave, being sure to arrive on time.
To do this, press the magnifying glass icon to deploy the left column, and access the Planned trips menu on iOS, or the Planned tab on Android.
Create a new planned trip by pressing the appropriate button and enter your destination address. If necessary, customize the departure location and the day and, in the Arrive at column on the left, scroll through the arrival time.
Waze automatically indicates the departure time and the duration of the trip. Confirm by pressing Save. The GPS will send you an alert as soon as it is time to leave.
2. Add a stopover to your trip
Rather than stopping haphazardly in uninteresting places on your long journeys, plan your breaks in advance by choosing a place to stop before you leave by adding a stopover to your trip.
Start a route to your final destination, and press the magnifying glass to search for a new location. When you validate the address of the new location, select Via from the Navigation Options menu that appears.
3. Control the GPS by voice
Waze prevents the user from manipulating the app while driving. If you need to change your destination, however, it is possible to do so by voice.
Tap the red microphone icon grafted into the search field and simply dictate the address of your destination. Then all you have to do is validate the destination address and press Go to start the route.
4. Configure a speeding alert
Those with only a few points left on their license would do well to ease off and watch their meter. To help them, Waze offers the option of setting up a speeding alert.
Go to the app’s Settings, then in Speedometer, activate Play an audible alert, and select at the speed limit in the Show alert menu.
5. Customize the guidance voices
Have you always dreamed of lending your voice to a blockbuster? Rejoice, since you will be able to train yourself by personalizing Waze’s voice guidance with your own voice.
Open the App Settings, enter the Sound & Voice menu, then Voice Instructions.
Tap Record voice and confirm the alert by tapping Understood. You must register all the announcements that Waze offers one by one.
Touch the first announcement and press the record button. Speak the announcement intelligibly. You can check if your recording is suitable for you by pressing the Play button. When you’re happy with the ad, tap Saved.
Repeat for each of the announcements. Name your voice by tapping on Name this voice, and save it by tapping Save at the top right.
6. Easily find a gas station
Do not wait for fuel to run out to find a gas station. Waze offers the ability to search for a station near your location while you are browsing. To take full advantage of it, you will first need to customize your preferences.
Enter the application’s Settings, then in the Gas stations & prices menu, choose your Preferred Fuel and, if you wish, customize the sorting by price, distance or brand.
Return to browse mode, drag the bottom pane up, and scroll through the options. Add a stopover by tapping on the gas pump icon and select the gas station of your choice.
7. Take an alternative route
By default, Waze selects the fastest route to direct you to your destination. However, it is possible to take another path by consulting the list of other possible routes.
Unfold the lower pane while navigating, and tap Routes. All you have to do is select the route of your choice to get to your destination.
8. Save money by avoiding tolls
Besides being able to make substantial savings, avoiding tolls will also allow you to reduce your fuel consumption, and in some cases even allow you to reach your destination almost as quickly.
To do this, open Waze’s Settings and enable the Avoid Toll Roads option. Return to navigation mode. Waze should automatically recalculate possible routes excluding tolls.
Be careful, however, avoiding tolls will not necessarily mean you can avoid the freeways if they are free. If you do not want to take motorways or “Express” roads, you will have to go to Settings, then choose your preferences in the Navigation menu.
9. Configure Waze to suit your vehicle
Planning to use Waze on a motorcycle? The application has a dedicated mode which, once activated, will adapt the calculation of routes, and in particular their duration, taking into account the fact that you are traveling on two-wheelers, and that you can therefore dodge more or less easily plugs.
To turn it on, open Waze Settings, then from the Navigation menu, enter Vehicle Type and select Motorcycle. If you are a taxi driver, Waze will also be able to adapt your routes according to the lanes that are reserved for you.
10. Configure your audio player
While it is advisable to listen to the radio station dedicated to highways from time to time, nothing prevents you from enjoying your favorite music when there are no shadows on the horizon. Waze is compatible with several streaming audio players including Spotify and Deezer. If you have either installed on your device, you can link Waze to your music streaming app to control it directly from the GPS interface.
Enter the Application Settings then access the Audio Player menu. Make sure the Show music player icon option is checked, and then activate your music player app.
Then return to the navigation window, and press the pink music icon, grafted at the top right of the interface. Select your audio player. Waze should open your player, then return to the browse page with an alert asking you to accept connection with your audio player.
Once the connection between Waze and the audio player is established, you should see the buttons appear to control your music.
11. Inform your relatives of your arrival time
Did you leave without telling your loved ones? To avoid unnecessary worries, Waze offers to send them by SMS an estimate of your arrival time, also called ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival).
To activate the function, during navigation, unfold the lower panel and press Send ETA. Entrust the navigation to a passenger, enter a phone number allowing you to identify yourself, press Next and enter the verification code received by SMS.
When the option is activated, redeploy the lower pane, press Send ETA again, authorize, if necessary, Waze to access your address book (essential to send your ETA to your contacts) and select a contact in your address book addresses. Confirm the sending by pressing the dedicated button.
12. Clean up the map
Too much information displayed simultaneously on the map can impair the readability of the map. Therefore, it is better to do a little cleaning, especially since several elements are not or little useful.
Open Waze Settings, then from the View & Map menu, enter Show on Map. Uncheck all the items you don’t need.
Go back to the previous menu, and this time enter Alerts on my journey to deactivate the alerts that do not seem to you, or not very relevant.
13. Activate the battery saver
If for one reason or another, you temporarily cannot charge your smartphone in the car for lack of a cigar lighter socket available, it is possible to reduce the use of your smartphone’s battery by activating the energy saver integrated into the vehicle. Waze.
To activate this option, available only on Android, you have to go to Settings. Once set up, Waze’s Battery Saver will automatically reduce the brightness of your device on long stretches without bends.
The screen returns to normal brightness when approaching a turn, an intersection, etc. and when you touch it.