There are two ways to disable Waze on your iPhone or Android device. First, you can stop an active navigation route. This is probably what you want to do as soon as you reach your destination. It also makes sense when you need to change where you’re going, no longer need directions, or just want to use a different navigation app.
The second way to disable Waze is to close the app completely. This is usually the way to go (pun intended) when you’re not using Waze for the rest of the day and don’t want it running in the background, potentially collecting location data and draining your battery. When you have issues with Waze, it’s also a good excuse to turn off Waze by closing the app.
The problem is that doing either isn’t really intuitive on Waze. It’s quite confusing how to exit the navigation screen or close the app without having to go to your recent apps menu. If you’re stuck, here’s how to turn off Waze on iPhone and Android.
Step-by-step guide to disable Waze on iPhone and Android
If, when you turn off Waze, you want to leave its navigation screen, this is only easy to do on Android Auto and Android Automotive. It’s because there is evidence X button in the upper right corner of the map. Just tap it, and that’s it: the navigation will stop and you will be taken to the Waze home screen immediately afterwards. On Android and iPhone, however, the option to turn off Waze navigation isn’t as prominent. First you need to tap or swipe up on the bottom panel with the current time displayed at the bottom of the screen. Once it expands, press the Stop button.
In the meantime, if you’re done using Waze for the day and want to turn it off completely, you can access one of Waze’s hidden features: Sleep Mode (on iOS) or Shutdown (on Android). This setting essentially disables Waze and ensures that it no longer uses your phone’s resources or earns Waze points.
There is, however, a difference between iOS sleep mode and Android shutdown. Sleep mode does not automatically remove Waze from your phone’s recent apps screen. The app is still there when you go to your phone’s recent apps menu, but it’s actually inactive. The judgment is the opposite. As soon as you deactivate Waze via Stop, the application closes and is automatically cleared from the recent applications menu. If you want to be sure that Waze is not running in the background on your iPhone, you can always remove Waze from recent apps.
To enter sleep mode or shutdown on Waze, press the button hamburger icon at the top left of the home screen. The option should be at the bottom of the menu.
