This New Apple Maps Feature 'Tracks' You, but You Can Turn It Off

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If I told you Apple rolled out a new feature with iOS 26 that allows Maps to track your movements, and save that information for later, what would you think? On the surface, it does sound pretty invasive, especially from a company that typically promotes user privacy. While this really is a new feature, here's the thing: It isn't as bad as it sounds. And, if you really don't like it, you can turn it off.

The feature, "Visited Places," is actually intended to be a private way to keep tabs on the places you've been to, and to easily recall your favorites in the future. When the feature is enabled, Maps will take note of places you visit, even if you don't use Maps to get there. It's like a passive, automatic journal, taking note of restaurants, malls, parks, or simply general locations you venture to day-to-day. According to Apple, all of this information is stored on your synced devices only, and is end-to-end encrypted, which means Apple has no way to access this data.

If you have the feature enabled, you'll find your Visited Places appropriately tucked away in the "Places" menu when you launch Maps. I've only had the feature turned on for a day or so, so I only have three locations currently saved, but all three were destinations I visited without using Maps to guide me there.

Personally, I have no issue with keeping this setting turned on: Nobody has access to the data except for me, and I can imagine it reminding me of the places I've enjoyed visiting during a future scroll.

Apple says you will be asked to turn on the feature when you open Maps after updating to iOS 26, and, in my experience, that was the case. However, for CNET writer Zachary McAuliffe, the feature was already enabled without his input. As such, it might be smart to double-check that the feature is set to whichever setting you prefer, lest you allow Maps to track your movements without your knowledge.

How to manage 'Visited Places' in Apple Maps

To check whether the feature is turned on or off, head to Settings > Apps > Maps > Location. Alternatively, you can go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Maps. Either way, check the toggle next to "Visited Places."

You can also delete any Visited Places without needing to turn the feature off altogether. Open Maps, tap "Places," then "Visited Places." Here, you can swipe left on any place to delete it, or choose "Clear History" to delete them all. Plus, you can choose how long you want Maps to store your Visited Places: The default is "Forever," but you can also select "3 Months" or "1 Year," if you wish.

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