Moving is chaotic. Boxes are everywhere, you can't find your toothbrush, and for some reason, your phone still thinks you live three towns over. It’s annoying. You wake up, habit-click the "Home" button for traffic updates, and Google Maps tries to navigate you to a driveway you don't own anymore. Honestly, it’s one of those tiny digital frictions that makes a stressful week feel just a little bit worse.
If you're wondering how do I change home in google maps, you aren't alone. Thousands of people search for this every month because the setting is actually buried deeper than it should be. Google loves to automate things, but sometimes its "Predictions" get stuck in the past.
Let's fix it. Whether you're on an iPhone, an Android, or sitting at a messy desk with a laptop, here is the ground truth on updating your address so your commute times actually make sense again.
The Quick Fix: Updating Mobile App Settings
Most of us live inside the mobile app. It's the brain of our car's dashboard. To swap out your old address for the new one, you don't actually go into "Settings" in the way you might think.
Open the app. Look at the bottom. You'll see a tab labeled "Saved." Tap that. This is where Google keeps your "Lists," but at the very top, there's usually a section for "Labeled" places. Tap that "Labeled" button.
You’ll see "Home" and "Work" staring back at you.
Don't just tap the word "Home"—that will just start a navigation session to your old house. Instead, look for the three little dots (the "meatball" menu) to the right of the address. Tap those dots and select "Edit home."
Now, just type the new street address. As you type, Google’s autocomplete will try to guess. Make sure you pick the right one from the dropdown to ensure the latitude and longitude coordinates are pin-perfect. If you just type it and hit enter without selecting their verified suggestion, sometimes the "Go" button won't calculate traffic as accurately.
Once you hit save, it's done. Usually.
Sometimes the cache acts up. If you see your old address pop up five minutes later, it’s not because you did it wrong; it’s because the app is clinging to old data. A quick force-close of the app usually clears that right up.
Changing Your Home Address on a Desktop
Maybe you’re at work and realizing your "Time to Home" widget on your browser is totally wrong. Fixing it on a computer is actually a bit faster if you’re a fast typer.
Go to maps.google.com.
In the search bar at the top left, literally just type the word "Home." If you already have one set, it will show up with an "Edit" link right next to it. It’s remarkably straightforward.
If that doesn't show up for some reason, click the "Menu" (those three horizontal lines, often called the hamburger menu) in the search bar. Go to "Your places" and then "Labeled." You’ll see the same Home and Work icons there. Click the "X" to delete the old one, or just click to edit.
Why Google Maps Sometimes "Forgets" Your New Address
It’s incredibly frustrating when you’ve updated your address but Google Assistant still says, "Heading home, traffic is light," while directing you to your ex-girlfriend’s apartment.
This happens because of the "Google Account" ecosystem.
Your "Home" isn't just a label in Maps; it’s a core data point for your entire Google identity. Sometimes, the Maps app updates, but your "Personal Info" in your Google Account remains tethered to the old location.
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To be thorough, go to your Google Account settings (myaccount.google.com). Look under "Personal Info" and scroll down to "Addresses." If your old house is still listed there under "Home," it can override the Maps app during voice commands. Update it here too. It takes thirty seconds and saves you an hour of yelling at your phone in the car later.
The "Work" Address Variation
The process for changing your "Work" address is identical, but here’s a pro tip: if you’re a freelancer or work from a coworking space that changes, you might be better off deleting the work label entirely for a few days.
Why? Because Google's algorithm is aggressive.
If it sees you going to a specific coffee shop every morning at 8:30 AM, it will start "suggesting" that as your work. If you have a static work address set manually, it stops trying to guess, which is usually what you want.
Common Pitfalls and Troubleshooting
I’ve seen people get stuck because they are using multiple Google accounts. If you have a "Work" Gmail and a "Personal" Gmail logged into your phone, Maps can get confused.
Ensure you are editing the address on the account you actually use for navigation. You can swap accounts by tapping your profile picture in the top right corner of the Maps app.
Another weird glitch? The "Move the pin" feature.
Sometimes a new build or a rural address doesn't "snap" correctly to the street. If your house is at the end of a long private drive, don't just type the address. Use the "Set location on map" option. This lets you manually drag the red pin exactly onto your roof. This is a lifesaver for delivery drivers who otherwise might end up at your neighbor's fence.
Privacy and Data: Who Sees Your Home?
It's worth noting that your "Home" and "Work" labels are private.
If you share a list of "Cool Pizza Spots" with a friend, they don't see where you live just because you have a Home label set. However, if you have "Location History" turned on (now often called Timeline), Google is already tracking these patterns. Setting the label just makes the UI cleaner for you.
If you’re highly privacy-conscious, you don't have to set a home address. You can just leave it blank and type your address manually each time. But for most, the trade-off in convenience—like getting a notification that you need to leave 10 minutes early because of a wreck on the I-95—is worth the data point.
Summary of Actions
To ensure your Google Maps experience is seamless after a move, follow these steps in order:
- Open Maps and navigate to Saved > Labeled to update the primary label.
- Use "Edit Home" and select the verified address from the Google dropdown list.
- Check your Google Account (Personal Info) to ensure the change synced across the entire ecosystem.
- Manually adjust the pin if you live in a new development or a rural area where the street address doesn't match the GPS coordinates perfectly.
- Restart the app to clear the cache if the old address persists in your search suggestions.
Doing this now prevents that annoying moment tomorrow morning when you're running late and your phone tries to send you to the wrong side of town. It’s a small bit of digital housekeeping that pays off every single morning.