You can change the default browser on your iPhone, but you still can't change the default Maps app - at least not officially. This is annoying for those who prefer to use something like Waze, which has excellent traffic data and tons of other features. If you get a navigation link in iMessage, it will open in Apple Maps, and if you find a navigation link in Google Search, it will open in Google Maps. But there's actually a way to get any map link in Safari to open in the map app of your choice.
This is possible thanks to a simple Safari extension called Map Link Map Redirect. With this app set up, any link can be opened in Apple Maps, Google Maps, Waze, Bing Maps or HERE WeGo Maps. If you like different map apps for different purposes, you can set up the extension so that it asks you which app you want to use every time.
How to Set Up the Safari Maps Redirect Extension
Start by downloading the Map Redirect for Map Links app ($1.99) from the App Store. When you open the app, it guides you through setting it up in Safari. To enable it, open Safari and tap Aa after opening the web page. Select the Manage extension at the top and enable map redirection .
Return to the AA menu in Safari and click "Map Redirect" to customize the app. Here you can select the target app so that any map link opens in that app by default, or you can configure the extension to ask you every time a link is clicked. This is a good idea if your default map is Apple Maps but you occasionally use Waze to check traffic conditions on longer routes. You can jump back into these settings at any time if you want to switch default apps.
