How to Turn Off Tolls in Google Maps

Lee Stanton October 8, 2021

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For some of us, whenever we travel by car, avoiding roads with tolls is always more desirable. And if you want to save money and time by using the fastest route and avoiding tolls, Google Maps is a great navigation tool that can help. While there is no option to permanently turn off routes with tolls on Google Maps, you can choose to avoid them. This can be done on both the desktop and mobile app, and it will only take you a couple of minutes.

In this article, we’ll show you how to highlight roads without tolls on Google Maps using different devices. We’ll also cover the process of making sure toll roads don’t appear on your future journeys.

How to Turn Off Tolls on Google Maps on an iPhone

Even though Apple Maps is the default navigation app on your iPhone, you can still install and use Google Maps. Both these apps give you the option to turn off roads with tolls during your trips, but in this article, we’ll focus on Google Maps.

The process of turning off tolls on Google Maps is much easier on your phone than on the desktop app. Here’s how it’s done on an iPhone:

Open Google Maps on your iPhone.
Tap on the search bar at the top of your screen and type in your destination.
Go to the “Directions” button in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
Pick your form of transportation.
Choose your current location or the location from which you plan on starting your journey.
Navigate to the three dots in the upper-right corner. Make sure you don’t tap on the “Start” button yet.
Select “Route options” from the pop-up menu.
Toggle the “Avoid tolls” switch.

Doing this will not only save you money but perhaps time as well. If you want Google Maps to remember to avoid tolls when you search for your next destination, follow the same steps until you reach the “Route options” menu. Toggle the “Remember settings” switch.

Now you can start navigating. All you need to do is tap on the arrow in the upper-left corner of the screen, which will take you back to the map. Tap on the “Start” button at the bottom of your screen, and your journey can begin.

From this point on, Google Maps will remember to only show you roads where there are no tolls. If you change your mind, go back to the “Route options” menu and toggle the “Avoid tolls” switch again.

If you want to use Google Maps on your iPad, you can use the same method to turn off tolls when you’re traveling.

How to Turn Off Tolls on Google Maps on an Android Device

If you’re traveling by car and want to avoid tolls on the way, you can enable this feature on Google Maps on your Android device too. It’s a relatively straightforward process, and it will only take a minute or two of your time. To turn off tolls on Google Maps on your Android, follow the steps below:

Launch the Google Maps app on your Android.
Go to the search bar at the top of your screen.
Find your destination on the map or type it in.
Choose your form of transportation.
Type in your starting location.
Go to the three dots in the upper-right corner of your screen.
Select “Route options” from the list of options.
Next to “Avoid tolls,” toggle the switch.
Select “Done.”
Tap on the arrow in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Tap on the “Start” button at the bottom of the screen.

While you’re in the “Route options” menu, you’ll see two more options: “Avoid highways” and “Avoid ferries.” You can also choose the distance units (automatic, miles, or kilometers). These navigation settings can be very useful when you’re traveling to faraway destinations.

You can make Google Maps remember these settings as well. However, there is another way to permanently avoid tolls on Google Maps. Here’s what you need to do:

Open Google Maps.
Tap on your profile picture bubble in the upper-right corner of your screen.
Find “Settings” on the list of options.
Proceed to “Navigation.”
Go down to “Route options.”
Toggle the “Avoid tolls” switch.

Now Google Maps will remember this setting, and you won’t have to enable this feature every time you go on a new trip.

How to Turn Off Tolls on Google Maps on a PC

The process of turning off tolls on Google Maps on the desktop app is a bit different but no more complicated. Follow the steps below to find out how it’s done:

Go to Google Maps on your browser.
Find your destination on the “Search Google Maps” bar in the upper-left corner of your window.
Click on the “Directions” button on the left sidebar.
Choose your current location or the location from which you’ll start your journey.
Select your mode of transportation.
Click on “Options” on the blue ribbon.
Under “Route options,” check the “Tolls” box.
Go to the “Close” button.

That’s all there is to it. Since people shouldn’t use Google Maps on their laptops while they’re actually driving, Google Maps lets you send your directions to your phone. This is a much more convenient option than printing the map. You can do this by following the steps below:

Click on the “Send directions to your phone” on the left sidebar.
Choose whether you want Google Maps to send the directions directly to the app, via email, or through a text message.

You’ll receive the directions immediately. When you start your journey, all you need to do is open them with Google Maps and tap on the “Start” button.

Get to Your Destination Charge-Free

When we’re driving on the road, there are so many things we need to be aware of. Finding routes without tolls may be preferred but it’s often the last thing we prepare for. Luckily, Google Maps is there to help. By turning off the tolls feature, you’ll be able to relax a bit more during your journey, knowing it will save you time and money.

Have you ever turned off the toll feature on Google Maps when you were traveling somewhere? Did you follow the same steps that we went through in this article? Tell us in the comments section below.