How to change your route on Google Maps on desktop or mobile, to choose an alternate route or make your own

• It's easy to change your route on Google Maps if you prefer a different route than the one that the service suggests. 
• Google Maps will highlight the quickest route for you in blue, but you can always change your route by selecting one of the grey alternative routes, or clicking and dragging the route to customize it.  
• You can change your route on Google Maps on the desktop version or the mobile app. 
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Google Maps makes traveling to another town, state, or even country a simple and straightforward process. 

The navigation app gives detailed but easy-to-follow instructions to get users where they want to go, whether it's a new restaurant on the outskirts of town or a bed and breakfast several hundred miles away from home. 

However, you may not always want to follow the default route provided to you by Google Maps. 

Whether you want to make another stop or avoid traffic along the way, Google Maps allows you to choose alternate routes. 

Here's how to do it. 

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How to change your route on Google Maps on desktop 

1. Open Google Maps and type in the address or name of the location you wish to travel to before pressing Enter. 

2. Once the location comes up, click the Directions button beneath the info card. 

3. Enter the starting point for your journey. This could be your home address or wherever you'll be departing from. 

4. Using the menu box above the journey information, choose which directions you would like to use — options for the purposes of this article include driving, public transit, cycling, and walking. 

5. On the map, you'll notice outlines for several routes. The default one, or the one Google Maps believes is best, will be highlighted blue. 

6. To choose an alternate route, either click on a greyed-out route on the map or click on one of the other routes listed on the left-hand side menu. Note that you can also change routes by clicking on one and dragging it so that the directions will take you via certain roads.

How to change your route on the Google Maps mobile app

1. Open the Google Maps app on your iPhone or Android and type your destination into the search bar. 

2. On the lower left-hand side of the pop-up info card, tap Directions. 

3. In the box titled Your location, type in the starting point for your journey. 

4. Tap your chosen mode of transportation from the menu bar running across the top of your screen. Choices include driving, public transport, walking, taxi, and cycling. 

5. All suggested routes will be highlighted on the map displayed on screen, with Google's top choice highlighted blue. To choose an alternate route, simply tap on one of the greyed-out route lines.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to change the Google Maps voice on an Android phone or iPhone

• How to calibrate your Google Maps app to give more accurate directions, on iPhone or Android

• How to change your default home address on an iPhone, in both Google Maps and Apple Maps

• How to change the 'Significant Locations' saved on your iPhone, or delete the list

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