Quick Answer
Waze rolled out 5 new features on July 13, 2026, led by personalized navigation, a “less chatty” mode, and Gemini-powered reporting. Personalized routes, less chatty mode, and conversational reporting are live globally on Android and iOS, including in the US. Gemini destination search is in beta, and motorcycle mode is not yet available in the US.
Key Takeaways
- Waze’s July 13, 2026 update added 5 features, most powered by Google’s Gemini assistant.
- Personalized navigation learns your route habits, and you can turn it off in settings.
- “Less chatty” mode cuts voice prompts while still alerting you to hazards and turns.
- Gemini destination search is limited to Waze’s beta community for now.
- Motorcycle mode launched in 7 countries first and is not yet in the US.
What are Waze’s new features in 2026?
Waze’s 2026 update adds 5 new features, most of them built around customization and Google’s Gemini assistant. Waze announced the changes on July 13, 2026, describing a shift from a helpful companion toward a more adaptive navigation partner, on the official Waze blog. Waze is owned by Google, which acquired it in 2013.
The headline additions are personalized navigation, a less chatty voice mode, conversational map reporting, Gemini-powered destination search, and a dedicated motorcycle mode. Not all of them are available everywhere yet, so it helps to know what you can actually use in the US today. Here is the full set.
| Feature | What it does | US availability |
|---|---|---|
| Personalized navigation | Suggests routes based on your driving habits | Live now, and can be turned off |
| Less chatty mode | Reduces and shortens voice prompts | Live now |
| Conversational reporting | Report road issues by speaking naturally | Live now |
| Gemini destination search | Find places by asking in plain language | Beta community only |
| Motorcycle mode | Two-wheeler routing and hazard alerts | Not yet in the US |
Most of these focus on giving you more control over how the app behaves. The practical takeaway is that Waze now adapts more to your habits, which is helpful for some drivers and annoying for others. The good news is that the features you may not want are easy to turn off, which the sections below cover.
How does personalized navigation work, and how do you turn it off?
Personalized navigation makes Waze learn your route preferences and prioritize similar routes automatically. If you historically pick highways over local streets with lots of stops, Waze will start suggesting highway routes first, even when traffic on both is similar. It draws on your past trips plus the app’s understanding of local traffic patterns.
For many drivers this saves taps, but it can also override the route you would have chosen. If you would rather not have Waze steer you toward your usual habits, you can turn personalization off. Open Waze’s settings, find the navigation or route preferences, and disable personalized routes, or simply pick an alternate route manually on any trip.
Personalized navigation is rolling out now globally on Android and iOS, so US drivers should see it if their app is updated. It is on by default, which is why knowing how to switch it off matters. If your phone is sluggish and the app feels slow to respond, our guide on speeding up a slow Android phone can help.
What is Waze’s “less chatty” mode and how do you enable it?
Less chatty mode reduces how often Waze talks to you, keeping the prompts it does give short. It is designed for drivers who want to listen to music or a podcast without constant interruptions. Importantly, you still receive critical alerts about hazards, turns, and lane changes, just less frequently and more briefly.
To turn it on, open Waze, go to your settings, and enable the less chatty option for voice guidance. Stop here and set this before you start driving, not while you are on the road, since adjusting app settings behind the wheel is unsafe. Once enabled, your drive gets noticeably quieter without losing the safety-critical cues.
This is one of the most requested kinds of controls in navigation apps, since default voice guidance can feel relentless on a long trip. Less chatty mode is available now globally on Android and iOS. If you also want fewer distractions on your phone generally, our guide on how to stop pop-ups on an Android phone is worth a look.
How do you use Waze’s new Gemini features?
Waze’s Gemini features let you interact with the app by speaking naturally, for both reporting and searching. Conversational reporting, which is live now, lets you report road issues just by talking, such as saying “the road is closed here.” Waze passes those details to local map editors who verify them before updating the map for everyone.
The second Gemini tool is destination search, which lets you tap the voice search icon and ask for places in plain language. You can ask things like “find a coffee shop that’s open right now,” “find parking close to Grand Mall,” or “find a gas station nearby with the lowest prices,” and Waze returns matching options. This search feature is currently limited to Waze’s beta community, so not everyone has it yet.
Both features reflect Google’s wider push to weave Gemini across its apps, and they aim to make routine driving tasks faster to handle by voice. If you use other Google AI tools, our explainer on using Apple Intelligence on iPhone offers a useful comparison for the assistant on the other major platform.
Is the new motorcycle mode available in the US?
No, Waze’s new motorcycle mode is not available in the US yet, since it launched in 7 other countries first. Those are Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines, with more regions expected over time. Waze has not given a US date, so US riders will need to wait.
The feature itself is genuinely useful for riders, since motorcycles need different routing than cars. Motorcycle mode uses AI to account for two-wheeler shortcuts and road restrictions, and it flags hazards that matter more on two wheels, including potholes, speed bumps, raised crosswalks, shoulder endings, and narrow bridges. It also aims to give riders more accurate arrival times.
For now, US motorcyclists using Waze will continue with standard car routing, which does not account for those rider-specific factors. It is worth checking your app periodically once Waze expands the rollout. The broader pattern of these launches is covered in our roundup of the latest app and platform trends, and our look at Snapchat’s new music sharing covers another recent app update.
How do you get the new Waze features?
To get the new Waze features, update the app and then check your settings, since the rollout is gradual rather than instant. Open your device’s app store, install the latest version of Waze, and restart the app. Some features may take time to appear on your account even after updating.
- Update Waze to the latest version from the App Store or Google Play.
- Open Waze and go to your Settings, usually via your profile or the gear icon.
- Enable less chatty mode under voice or sound settings if you want fewer prompts.
- Turn off personalized routes under navigation settings if you prefer standard routing.
- Tap the voice search icon to try Gemini destination search, if it is available on your account.
If a feature has not shown up yet, that is normal during a phased rollout, and forcing the app to update is the best you can do. Because Waze is free and cross-platform, the same steps work on both iOS and Android. For its official settings help, see Waze’s official Help Center.
FAQ
What are the new Waze features in 2026?
Waze added personalized navigation, a less chatty voice mode, conversational reporting, Gemini destination search, and a motorcycle mode on July 13, 2026. Most are powered by Google’s Gemini assistant.
How do I turn off personalized routes in Waze?
Open Waze’s settings, go to navigation or route preferences, and disable personalized routes. You can also just pick an alternate route manually on any trip.
How do I make Waze talk less?
Enable “less chatty” mode in Waze’s voice settings to reduce and shorten voice prompts. You will still get critical alerts for hazards, turns, and lane changes.
Is Waze’s motorcycle mode available in the US?
No, motorcycle mode launched in 7 countries first and is not yet available in the US. Waze has not announced a US release date.
Do the new Waze features cost anything?
No, Waze is free and the new features are included at no cost on both iOS and Android. Some, like Gemini destination search, are still limited to the beta community.