Where to find the distance unit setting in iPhone Maps

Open the Maps app on your iPhone and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down to Settings and tap it. Look for Distance Units — you'll see options for Miles or Kilometers. Tap whichever unit you want to use going forward.

The change takes effect when ready. All distances shown on your map — route times, walking distances between locations, and directions — will display in your chosen unit from that moment on.

If you don't see a Settings option in the menu, make sure you're running iOS 15 or later. Older versions of iOS don't have this setting built into Maps itself, though your phone's regional settings may still influence what unit appears.

Key Takeaways

  • The distance unit setting is in Maps > menu icon > Settings > Distance Units, where you choose Miles or Kilometers.
  • Your choice applies to all distances shown in the app — route directions, walking times, and location spacing all switch at once.
  • The change happens when ready and persists until you switch it back.
  • If the setting doesn't appear, your iPhone is running an older iOS version that doesn't include this feature in Maps.

What happens when you change the unit setting

Once you select your preferred unit, Maps recalculates and redisplays every distance measurement. If you were looking at a route that showed "5.2 miles," it will now show the kilometer equivalent. Turn-by-turn directions update the same way — "in 0.3 miles, turn left" becomes "in 0.5 kilometers, turn left."

The setting sticks with your iPhone, not with individual routes or locations. If you switch back to Miles later, all your saved places and previous searches will display distances in miles again.

If the setting doesn't appear on your phone

The Distance Units setting was added in iOS 15. If you're running iOS 14 or earlier, you won't see this option in Maps Settings. Check your iOS version by going to Settings > General > About and looking at the OS number.

If you need to update, go to Settings > General > Software Update and follow the prompts. Updates usually take 15 to 30 minutes depending on your internet speed and how much storage your phone has free.

Until you update, your phone will use the regional setting you chose during setup. If you set your region to the United States, Maps defaults to miles. If you set it to a country that uses the metric system, it defaults to kilometers.

Changing your region setting as an alternative

If updating iOS isn't an option right now, you can change which region your phone thinks it's in. Go to Settings > General > Language & Region and tap Region. Choose a country that uses kilometers (like Canada, Australia, or the United Kingdom) or one that uses miles (like the United States).

Be aware that changing your region affects more than just Maps — it changes the units used in Weather, Health, and other apps, and it may change how dates and currency display. This is a workaround, not a permanent solution. Updating to iOS 15 or later is the cleaner approach.

Why your Maps might show a different unit than you set

If you've set the distance unit to kilometers but Maps is still showing miles, the most common cause is that the setting didn't save properly. Close Maps completely (swipe up from the bottom of the screen to close it), wait a few seconds, and reopen it. Then check the setting again and make sure you tapped the unit you wanted.

Another possibility is that you're looking at a shared route or location from someone else's phone. If a friend sends you a Maps link, it may display distances in their unit setting, not yours. Once you open it in your own Maps app and navigate from there, your unit preference takes over.

Using Apple CarPlay or Siri with your chosen unit

Your distance unit setting carries over to Apple CarPlay, so if you've set Maps to kilometers, directions spoken by Siri and shown on your car's screen will use kilometers too. The same applies if you ask Siri for directions by voice — it will give you distances in your chosen unit.

If you're using a third-party navigation app like Google Maps or Waze instead of Apple Maps, those apps have their own distance unit settings. Changing your iPhone Maps setting won't affect them. Open each app and look for its own Settings or Preferences menu to change units there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing the distance unit affect other Apple apps?

No. The distance unit setting in Maps only affects the Maps app itself. Weather, Health, Fitness, and other Apple apps use the regional setting on your phone. If you want to change units across your whole phone, go to Settings > General > Language & Region > Region and pick a country that uses your preferred measurement system.

Will my saved places show distances in the new unit?

Yes. Any saved location, favorite, or route you've bookmarked will display distances in whichever unit you've selected. The change is automatic and applies to everything in your Maps library.

Can I set different units for different routes?

No. The distance unit setting is global — it applies to all routes, all locations, and all directions in the app. You can only have one unit active at a time.

What if I'm traveling to a country that uses a different unit system?

You can switch your distance unit in Maps Settings at any time, even while traveling. Just open Maps, tap the menu, go to Settings, and change Distance Units. There's no need to change your phone's region or language.