How to Open Google Business Profile Links in Apple Maps (Without Installing Google Maps)

Every local business has a Google Business Profile link. It’s the one you share for directions, the one that shows up when someone searches your business name, the one sitting on your website’s contact page.

On an iPhone, that link does one of two things: opens Google Maps if it’s installed, or opens a clunky web version of Google Maps in Safari. Neither is ideal if you prefer Apple Maps. And plenty of iPhone owners do.

There’s a simple fix. It takes 30 seconds to set up, and it gives you the choice of which maps app to use.

A Quick Note on Google Maps

Before we get into the workaround, let’s be clear: Google Maps is an incredibly powerful tool. For local businesses, it’s essential. Your Google Business Profile is the single most important listing you have for local search visibility. We help clients optimise their GBP listings every day, and the results speak for themselves.

This article isn’t about ditching Google Maps as a business tool. It’s about giving iPhone users a choice when they’re the ones navigating. If you run a business, keep your GBP in great shape. If you’re a consumer who prefers Apple Maps for personal use, read on.

The Problem with Google Business Profile Links

Google controls the link format. When someone taps “Directions” from a Google search result, or clicks a GBP link a business has shared, the URL always points to maps.google.com. Apple can’t intercept it. Your iPhone can’t redirect it.

For people who prefer Apple Maps, this creates friction. You either need Google Maps installed as a second maps app, or you end up using a stripped-down browser version that’s slower and clunkier than the native experience.

The Fix: An Apple Shortcut That Redirects Google Maps Links

There’s an Apple Shortcut called Open In Maps that handles this. It intercepts Google Maps links and lets you choose where to open them: Apple Maps, Waze, or another mapping app.

Here’s how to set it up:

Step 1: Install the Shortcut

Open this link on your iPhone:

Open In Maps Shortcut

Tap “Add Shortcut” when prompted. That’s the installation done.

Credit: this shortcut was originally shared by the community on r/shortcuts.

Step 2: Use It on Any Google Maps Link

When you come across a Google Maps link (from a Google Business Profile, a shared location, a website’s directions button), don’t tap it directly. Instead:

1. Long-press the link (or tap it, then tap the Share button in Safari)
2. Scroll down and tap “View More…” in the share sheet
3. Select “Open In Maps” from the actions list
4. Choose Apple Maps or Waze as your destination

The shortcut extracts the coordinates from the Google Maps URL and passes them to your preferred maps app. Same destination, your choice of app.

Step 3 (Optional): Remove Google Maps

If you want to go all-in, you can delete Google Maps from your phone. Apple Maps handles turn-by-turn navigation, transit directions, and business lookups without needing Google’s app sitting alongside it.

Waze is another solid option if you want crowd-sourced traffic data and real-time road conditions. It’s owned by Google but operates with a different data model.

This step is entirely optional. Plenty of people keep both apps and just use the shortcut to choose which one opens for a given link.

The Privacy Angle

This part is for people who care about minimising their data footprint. If that’s not you, skip ahead to the local SEO section.

Google Maps is one of the most data-intensive apps on any phone. It collects:

• Location history: Where you’ve been, when, and for how long
• Search history: Every business, address, and place you’ve looked up
• Route patterns: Your commute, your regular stops, your habits
• Linked activity: Cross-referenced with your Google account, Chrome browsing, and YouTube history

Apple Maps takes a different approach. It processes directions on-device. Apple doesn’t build a profile of your movements, and your search history isn’t tied to an advertising identity.

For privacy-conscious users, this is a meaningful difference. For everyone else, Google Maps works brilliantly and the data collection is the trade-off you make for a very good product. Neither choice is wrong. It just depends on what matters to you.

What This Means for Local SEO

If you run a local business, here’s the part worth paying attention to.

Google Business Profile Is Still King

Let’s not bury the lead. Your Google Business Profile is the most important local listing you have. The majority of local searches happen on Google. The Map Pack drives calls, direction requests, and website visits. If you’re only going to optimise one platform, make it Google.

We work with local businesses across Australia, and GBP optimisation is a core part of every local SEO engagement. Nothing in this article changes that.

But Your GBP Link Isn’t Reaching Everyone

When you put your Google Business Profile link on your website, your social media, or your email signature, you’re assuming everyone has Google Maps. They don’t. A portion of iPhone users either don’t have it installed or prefer Apple Maps for their personal navigation.

Those users hit your GBP link and get a clunky browser experience. Some will push through it. Some won’t.

Apple Maps Listings Are Worth Your Time

Apple Maps has its own business listing system through Apple Business Connect. If you’ve been ignoring it, it’s worth 15 minutes of your time to get it set up. iPhone users who search in Apple Maps, use Siri for directions, or use shortcuts like the one above will see your Apple Maps listing, not your Google Business Profile.

Make sure your Apple Business Connect listing has:

• Correct business name, address, and phone number (matching your GBP exactly)
• Accurate categories that reflect your services
• Business hours that are current
• Photos that represent your business
• Action links for ordering, booking, or reservations if applicable

Consider Offering Both Map Links

Instead of only linking to Google Maps on your website, you could offer both options:

<a href="https://maps.google.com/?q=Your+Business+Address">Google Maps</a>
<a href="https://maps.apple.com/?q=Your+Business+Address">Apple Maps</a>

It’s a small UX improvement that removes friction for Apple Maps users. It also shows you’ve thought about the experience beyond just dropping a Google link and calling it done.

The Bigger Picture

Local SEO in 2026 isn’t only about Google. Apple Maps, Bing Places, and Waze local ads are all part of the landscape. Your Google Business Profile should be your priority, full stop. But the businesses that also show up on secondary platforms pick up customers that their competitors miss.

Think of it like this: Google is where you compete. Apple Maps, Bing, and Waze are where you pick up extra business with minimal effort.

The Bottom Line

For iPhone users: Install the shortcut. It gives you the choice of which maps app to use when someone sends you a Google Maps link. If privacy matters to you, it also means you can remove one more app that tracks your location. If you’re happy with Google Maps, keep using it. No judgement.

For business owners: Your Google Business Profile is critical. Keep it optimised, keep it updated, keep it working for you. But also spend 15 minutes setting up Apple Business Connect, and consider offering both map links on your website. A portion of your audience is on Apple Maps, and right now you might be making it harder for them to find you than it needs to be.

Good local SEO covers every surface where customers look for you. Start with Google, then fill in the gaps.