How do I get Google Maps to use my own voice?

Google Maps is one of the most popular navigation apps, providing turn-by-turn driving, walking, bicycling and transit directions. One handy feature of Google Maps is its voice navigation, which gives spoken, turn-by-turn instructions to guide users to their destination.

By default, Google Maps uses a computer-generated voice for navigation directions. However, Google allows users to record their own voice and upload it to the app. This customized voice will then be used for voice navigation instead of the default computer voice.

Having a personal voice for directions can make navigation feel more natural. It allows users to put their own spin on the pronunciation of street names and locations. This guide will walk through the steps to record, upload and activate your own voice on Google Maps for Android or iOS.

Why Use a Custom Voice?

Using a custom voice for your Google Maps directions can help create a more personalized and enjoyable experience. Here are some of the main benefits:

More personal connection to directions – Hearing directions in a familiar voice, like your own or a friend’s, can help you feel more engaged with the navigation process.
Fun for kids – Children often find it entertaining and silly to have directions spoken in a parent’s or their own voice. It can make car trips more fun!

Stand out from the default voice – Custom voices let you differentiate your Google Maps app from others and avoid the generic robotic voice.

According to this Reddit discussion, custom voices can help create a more unique and personalized navigation experience, outweighing the high cost of recording a custom voice.

Requirements

Using a custom voice in Google Maps requires meeting a few key requirements:[1]

You’ll need an Android or iOS device. Custom voices are not yet supported on the web version of Google Maps.
Your Google Maps app must be updated to the latest version. Older versions may not support custom voice functionality.
You’ll need an active Google account. This allows you to upload your custom voice recording, which is then tied to your account.

As long as you meet these core requirements, you should be able to utilize a custom voice in Google Maps on your mobile device. Just make sure your app is updated, you’re signed into your Google account, and you have an Android or iOS phone or tablet.

[1]: https://www.lifewire.com/change-the-google-maps-voice-4178493

Recording a Voice

To record your own voice for Google Maps directions, you’ll need to use the Google Maps voice recorder. This allows you to record audio clips that will then be used for navigation prompts. Here are some tips for getting a clear audio recording:

Speak slowly and clearly. Enunciate each word.
Reduce background noise by recording in a quiet room.
Position the microphone close to your mouth.

Speak directly into the microphone and project your voice.

When recording sample scripts, make sure to read them exactly as you want them to sound. For example:

“In 500 feet, turn right onto Main Street. In 500 feet, turn right onto Main Street.”

“Turn left onto Elm Street. Turn left onto Elm Street.”

Recording a few different phrasings will help Google Maps generate better voice directions. Just be consistent with your tone and pacing.

Uploading the Recording

Once you’ve recorded your custom voice directions, the next step is to upload the audio file to your Google account. According to Waze’s help documentation, you’ll need to upload the recording to your Google Drive or Google Photos library.

Google accepts audio files in common formats like .MP3, .WAV, .OGG, and .M4A. You may want to edit the recording first to trim any unwanted pauses or mistakes. Audio editing tools like Audacity (for desktop) and Trim Voice Recorder (for mobile) can help polish the audio before uploading.

The key is to have a clear, high-quality recording without background noise that’s uploaded to your Google account. Once uploaded, you can select the custom voice file in your Google Maps settings.

Activating Your Voice

Once you’ve recorded and uploaded your custom voice, you need to activate it in the Google Maps settings. Here are the steps to select your custom voice:

According to AndroidPolice, open the Google Maps app on your Android device and tap your profile icon in the top right corner. Select “Settings” and scroll down to “Navigation settings.” Under “Voice selection,” choose your custom voice from the list.

If you’re using an iPhone, as described by Lifewire, open Google Maps and tap the hamburger menu in the top left. Go to “Settings” and select “Navigation settings.” Under “Voice selection,” you can pick your custom voice.

Google Maps allows you to set different voices for different profiles. So if you have multiple people using your device, each person can choose their preferred voice in their profile settings. This way, Google Maps will speak directions in the appropriate custom voice for each user.

Using Your Voice

One of the main benefits of using a custom voice for Google Maps is being able to hear driving directions spoken in your own voice. Instead of the default robotic voice, you’ll hear your familiar voice guiding you to your destination. This can make navigating feel more natural and personalized.

To ensure the directions sound right, listen to a few test directions after uploading your custom voice to catch any issues. Make sure your voice is clear and easy to understand. If certain directions are garbled or hard to comprehend, try re-recording those specific phrases to get a clearer version.

Here are some troubleshooting tips if you run into problems using your custom voice:

Make sure your audio recording is a high quality MP3 file. Lower bitrate recordings can sound distorted.
Check that the volume of your voice recording is normalized consistently. Drastic volume spikes or drops can impact directions.
If directions cut out or skip words, try trimming any extra silence from the start/end of your audio file.

Re-record any directions that sound robotic, echoey or hard to understand clearly.
Update the Google Maps app and/or clear the cache to make sure you’re running the latest voice version.

With a well-recorded voice and these troubleshooting tips, you can enjoy accurate turn-by-turn directions spoken in your own personalized voice.

Additional Customizations

The Google Maps app allows users even more control over the voice by customizing the language, accent, speed, and celebrity voice options. To adjust the language and accent, open the Settings app, go to General > Language & Region, and add additional languages. You can then select between the newly added languages and accents in the Google Maps voice settings. Users can also control the speed of the voice guidance, choosing between slow, normal or fast speeds under Navigation Settings.

For a more unique voice option, Google has partnered with celebrities to offer special celebrity voices. Currently, the selection includes comedian Kevin Hart, actress Issa Rae, singer John Legend, and rapper Ice-T (source). By selecting one of these celebrity voices, users can enjoy navigation guidance in a fun, personalized voice. With the ability to customize language, accent, speed, and celebrity status, Google Maps provides ample options for users to tailor the voice guidance to best fit their needs and preferences.

Privacy Considerations

Using a custom voice in Google Maps provides convenience, but also raises some privacy concerns. Google has access to all voice recordings made through Google Maps and other Google services. According to this article, some users have found Google Maps making recordings without explicit permission. Google states they use voice data to improve speech recognition across products, but do not associate recordings with user accounts. However, some users may find the collection of voice data concerning.

There are a few things to keep in mind regarding privacy when using a custom voice in Google Maps:

Google has access to all custom voice recordings made through their services.
Voice data may be used by Google to improve speech recognition technology.

Users can delete past audio recordings through Web & App Activity, but this does not prevent future recordings.
Turning off Web & App Activity prevents storage of new voice recordings, but also impacts other Google services.
Users concerned about privacy may want to reconsider using a custom voice in Google Maps.

While custom voices provide a personalized maps experience, users should weigh the benefits against potential privacy risks. Proceed with caution and manage settings appropriately to prevent unwanted voice data collection.

Conclusion

This guide has provided a step-by-step process for how to set up a custom voice for Google Maps navigation. You learned about the requirements, how to properly record your voice, upload the audio files to Google Maps, activate the custom voice, and use it for turn-by-turn directions.

In the future, we may see additional customization options added to allow tweaks to pitch, speed, and more vocal parameters. Google may also expand language support as automatic speech recognition continues improving. We could see seamless integration with other apps and services to leverage your custom voice beyond just navigation.

Using a familiar voice for maps and directions can make travel simpler and more enjoyable. With just a little effort, you can set up Google Maps to navigate in the voice of a friend or loved one instead of the default computerized voice.