Apple Maps in iOS 26: Track Visited Places and Get Smarter Route Alerts
With iOS 26, Apple Maps introduces two major upgrades: Visited Places and enhanced commute alerts. If you’ve ever wanted to revisit that amazing café you stumbled upon last month or get real-time updates about traffic delays on your daily route, the new features in Apple Maps are built just for you. These updates bring Apple closer to Google Maps’ long-offered timeline functionality, but with Apple’s signature focus on privacy. Whether you're traveling, commuting, or simply curious about where you’ve been, Apple Maps in iOS 26 makes navigation smarter and your location history easier to access—all while keeping your data on your device.
In this post, we’ll guide you through how the new Visited Places feature works, how to enable or disable it, and how Apple’s smarter route alerts can help you plan your day better. If you're searching for how to view your location history on iOS 26, manage route notifications, or keep your travel data private, you're in the right place.
Visited Places in iOS 26 Apple Maps: What It Is and How It Works
Apple’s new Visited Places feature finally brings a long-awaited addition to Apple Maps. It keeps a record of locations you’ve physically visited—whether that’s a local shop, a park, or a landmark during travel. This means you can easily look back on where you’ve been, organized neatly by month. Similar to Google Maps Timeline, the feature allows users to scroll through their movement history and relive memorable locations, without needing to manually log them.
To access Visited Places, simply open the Apple Maps app, tap your profile picture, then tap Places > Visited Places. You’ll see a chronological list of all your visited locations, complete with a search bar to quickly find past visits. Apple has also included flexible data retention settings—you can choose to keep your history for 3 months, 1 year, or indefinitely. Want to remove certain locations? No problem—you can delete them individually, clear the entire history, or turn the feature off completely.
Best of all, Visited Places data is stored locally on your device, not uploaded to Apple servers. That means your privacy is maintained, while still enjoying the convenience of a digital travel log.
How to Turn Visited Places On or Off in Apple Maps
Not everyone wants their location history stored—even if it’s on-device. Apple makes it easy to manage this feature from your iPhone’s settings. If you skipped the initial setup prompt or want to change your preferences later, here’s how to enable or disable Visited Places in iOS 26:
Go to:
Settings > Apps > Maps > Location
Then toggle Visited Places on or off as desired.
Alternatively, you can access this via:
Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Maps
Keep in mind that Precise Location needs to be turned on for Apple Maps to accurately track where you've been. If this setting is off, the app won’t be able to pinpoint your locations well enough to log them under Visited Places. For those concerned about battery life or privacy, you can limit how long Apple keeps your travel data—or turn the feature off entirely.
Whether you're a privacy-conscious user or a travel enthusiast, iOS 26 offers full control over your location data. You decide how your history is recorded and for how long.
Smarter Route Alerts for Daily Commutes in iOS 26 Apple Maps
Apple didn’t stop with just tracking where you’ve been. The new smarter route alerts in iOS 26 are designed to make your commute more efficient. Using real-time traffic data, Apple Maps can now notify you if there are delays, road closures, or major traffic jams that could impact your daily journey.
Once you set a regular route—say from home to work—Apple Maps learns your routine and can automatically send alerts about disruptions before you even head out. This feature not only saves time but also reduces stress by helping you avoid sudden detours or missed appointments.
To set this up, allow Apple Maps to access your frequent locations under Settings. Then, go to Maps > Commute Options and enable alerts for your routes. You’ll start getting proactive notifications about alternate routes or delays, so you’re always one step ahead.
This upgrade positions Apple Maps in iOS 26 as more than just a navigation tool—it’s now a personal commute assistant, designed to adapt to your habits and keep your day running smoothly.
Apple Maps in iOS 26: A More Intelligent, Private Navigation Experience
With the release of iOS 26, Apple continues to elevate its Maps app with features that are both functional and privacy-conscious. Visited Places brings a valuable way to remember your past adventures or track everyday movement—all while keeping your data securely on your device. The new smarter route alerts add a layer of intelligence that anticipates disruptions and keeps you informed before they become problems.
Compared to Google Maps, Apple now offers a competitive experience, especially for users who prioritize privacy. These additions are particularly helpful for frequent travelers, commuters, or anyone interested in viewing and managing their location history on iPhone.
So, if you’ve just updated to iOS 26 and want to get the most out of Apple Maps, start by exploring these new features. Turn on Visited Places, enable commute alerts, and let your iPhone become a smarter, more helpful part of your day-to-day travel.
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