Apple Maps is undoubtedly one of the best navigation apps alongside Google Maps and others. Some of its top features include the ability to share your live ETA, find your parked cars, avoid tolls or highways, and much more. Simply put, if you use an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, Apple Maps is no less than a life-saver.
Now imagine you landed in a foreign country that uses the imperial system of measurement as opposed to the metric system that you’ve been using in your homeland. While it is easy to simply Google things, it can be quite frustrating while you traveling in a new country or driving through different places.
If you have been in this situation, I’m pretty sure you must have thought how do I change km to miles on Apple Maps? Before you start scouring the internet, let me tell you it is possible to change distance units for Apple Maps on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Although you could easily change km to miles on Apple Maps’ preference settings in iOS 15, Apple has clubbed the distance units in the system settings in iOS 16, iOS 17, and iOS 18.
Instead of allowing you to change Apple Maps distance unit from km to miles, you are now given three different options to choose from i.e. “US,” “UK,” and “Metric.” Trust me, it’s quite confusing especially when you don’t know what these options represent.
What are US, UK, and Metric measurement systems in Apple’s device settings?
In case you are unaware, Apple has been using the International Components for Unicode (ICU) set of globalization libraries for measurement units including US, UK, and Metric. Here are the differences:
- US and UK: These include the customary system of measurement. For distance, it’s inches (in), feet (ft), yards (yd), and miles (m).
- Metric: This uses the International System Units (SI). For distance, it’s kilometers (km), centimeters (cm), and meters (m).
In this case, you want to change km to miles. So, you have to either choose the “US” or “UK” measurement system. Since you are here to learn the method, we’ll walk you through each and every step on how to change Apple Maps from km to miles. So, without wasting further time, let’s jump right in.
Note: The process to change distance units from kilometers to miles in Apple Maps depends on what version of iOS your iPhone is running on.
Also read: How to Turn Off Spoken Directions on Apple Maps
How to Change Apple Maps from Km to Miles on iPhone
If you have any iPhone running on iOS 16, iOS 17, or iOS 18, please make sure to follow the instructions given below to switch Apple Maps from kilometers (km) to miles (mi).
- First, go to your iPhone’s settings.
- Now, tap General.
- Then, tap Language & region.
- Next, tap the Measurement System.
- Finally, choose the desired system of measurement. Since you are willing to change Apple Maps to miles from kilometers, you can either choose “US” or “UK.”
We have gone with the “US” option as you can see in the screenshots above. Now, every time you use Apple Maps on your iPhone running iOS 16 or newer, you’ll see distance in miles and not kilometers anymore.
Please note that you can also follow the above instructions to change distance units from kilometers (km) to miles (mi) in Apple Maps on your iPad as well.
Remember, changing the aforementioned settings will be reflected system-wide. In the case of temperature, you don’t have to worry much since it is handled by a specific Temperature setting altogether.
Also read: iPhone Won’t Connect to Apple CarPlay? Here’s How to Fix
How to change kilometers to miles on Apple Maps on an iPhone running iOS 15?
For those who are still using an iPhone that runs on iOS 15, make sure to follow these steps to change distance units from km to miles in Apple Maps.
- First, head to the settings from your iPhone.
- Now, scroll down to find Maps and tap on it.
- Next, scroll down to the DISTANCES section and tap “Miles” to ensure your Apple Maps displays distances in Miles (mi).
Note: Changing this settings won’t affect any other measurement system on your iPhone running iOS 15.
How to Change Apple Maps from Km to Miles on Mac running newer macOS versions
Do you know that changing distance units in Apple Maps is possible on Mac as well? Here’s how can you change km to miles in Apple Maps on your beloved MacBook Air and MacBook Pro:
- First, go to your MacBook’s settings.
- Now, tap General.
- Then, tap Language & region.
- Next, tap the radio button next to the “US” or “UK” option in the Measurement System.
Your MacBook will also display a preview of changes you are likely to see after making these changes as seen in the image above.
Also read: How to Use Apple Maps on Windows and Android [Easy Guide]
Just in case you have an old generation MacBook running on older macOS versions, you can follow the below instructions to change Apple Maps from kilometers to miles easily.
- Open Apple Maps on your Mac.
- Next, tap Maps from the top left of the screen.
- Then, tap Preferences.
- Under the General settings, you’ll see an option for Distance Units with a drop-down list alongside.
- From there choose the option Miles.
Once you are done, try launching the Apple Maps app again on your MacBook. Now, you should see distance units in miles when you try to find a route to your next destination.
How to Switch Between Kilometers to Miles in Apple Maps on the Web
Although there used to be no option to access Apple Maps on the web earlier, Apple made it available via public beta in July 2024. What’s best is that the distance unit displayed in there is miles by default.
In short, there’s no need to change anything from your end. Here’s a glimpse of what it looks like when you search for a route in the public beta of Apple Maps on the web.
Also read: How to use Apple Maps on Windows [Official Method]
Summing up
All that said, having the ability to change distance units from kilometers to miles in Apple Maps using your iPhone, iPad, and Mac enables you to navigate through a new place or country without any hassle. So, whenever you are going to a new place, make sure to head to your device’s settings and change the measurement system accordingly. Moreover, if this guide has helped you in any way, please share it with your friends or family members.
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