You just moved. Boxes are everywhere. You’re tired, hungry, and you just want a pizza delivered to the right door without having to type your new street name for the twentieth time. But for some reason, Google Maps keeps insisting you still live three miles away at your old apartment. It’s annoying. Honestly, it's one of those tiny digital frictions that makes a long day feel even longer.
Knowing how to change my home address on Google Maps Android sounds like it should be a one-tap deal. It isn't always. Sometimes the app caches your old data so aggressively that it feels like you're fighting a ghost. Or worse, you update it in one spot, but Google Assistant still tries to navigate you to your ex’s neighborhood every morning.
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The reality of the Google ecosystem is that "Home" isn't just a label on a map. It’s a data point that syncs across your Search history, your Nest thermostat, and your Google Workspace. If you don't swap it correctly on your Android device, your entire "predictive" life stays stuck in the past.
The Quick Way (When the App Actually Listens)
Most of the time, the process is straightforward. You open the app, you tap a few things, and you're done. Open Google Maps on your Android phone. Look at the bottom bar. See that "Saved" tab? Tap it. It usually has an icon that looks like a little bookmark or a heart depending on your specific UI version.
Once you’re in "Saved," you’ll see a section titled "Your lists." Right at the top, there’s usually a "Labeled" button. Tap that. This is where your "Home" and "Work" icons live. Don't just tap the word "Home" because that will just start navigation. Instead, look for the three little vertical dots—the "meatball" menu—right next to the Home entry. Tap those dots and select "Edit home."
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Now, here is where people mess up. Don't just start typing and hit the first thing that looks right. Google’s autocomplete is fast, but it can be imprecise if a street name exists in multiple towns. Type the full street address, the city, and the zip code. Wait for the specific suggested address with the correct map pin icon to appear, then select it. Save it. You’re theoretically good to go.
Why Your Phone Still Thinks You Live at Your Old Place
Sometimes you do the steps above and... nothing happens. Or the pin moves, but your "Commute" settings stay the same. This happens because Google Maps for Android stores "Offline Maps" and cache data that might be overriding your new input.
If your address isn't updating, you might need to go into your Android System Settings. Not the Maps app settings, the actual phone settings. Go to Apps > Google Maps > Storage. Clear the cache. Do not clear the data unless you want to lose all your offline maps and search history, but clearing the cache often forces the app to ping the server and realize, "Oh, wait, they moved to 5th Avenue."
Another weird quirk? The "Timeline" feature. If you have Location History turned on, Google "learns" where you live based on where your phone sits at 3:00 AM. If you’ve only been at the new house for two days, Google’s algorithms might be having a cage match between your manual entry and your physical location data. Usually, the manual entry wins, but it can take a few hours for the "Suggested" home address prompts to stop popping up.
Changing the Address via Google Account Settings
If the app is being stubborn, go to the source. Your Google Account controls the Maps app, not the other way around.
- Open your phone’s Settings.
- Scroll down to Google.
- Tap Manage your Google Account.
- Slide over to the Personal info tab.
- Scroll way down to Addresses.
Here, you’ll see "Home" and "Work." Changing it here is like hitting the master reset switch. This updates your address for Google Pay, Chrome autofill, and the Assistant. It’s the "nuclear option" for when the Maps app UI is acting buggy.
I’ve seen cases where users had a "Work" profile on their Android phone that conflicted with their "Personal" profile. If you have a work email synced to your phone, check if that account has a different home address saved. Android sometimes gets confused about which "Home" label to prioritize if you're signed into both a personal Gmail and a corporate Google Workspace account.
The "Edit the Map" Trap
There is a huge difference between changing your home address and changing an address on the actual map. If you move into a brand-new development, your house might not even exist on Google Maps yet. In this case, searching for how to change my home address on Google Maps Android won't help because there is no "Home" to point to.
You’ll need to "Add a missing place" or "Fix an address." This involves dropping a pin on the literal empty space on the map and submitting a report to Google. This isn't instant. Real humans (or very sophisticated AI reviewers) check these edits. It can take anywhere from 24 hours to two weeks for a new street or house number to be verified. Until that happens, you’re better off using a "Plus Code"—those short alphanumeric codes Google uses for locations without traditional addresses.
Fixing the "Work" Address While You're At It
While you're poking around the "Labeled" section, check your Work address. Google Maps uses the distance between Home and Work to calculate your "Time to Leave" notifications. If you've changed jobs or started working from home, update this too. If you work from home, honestly, just delete the Work label entirely. It prevents the app from constantly trying to "help" you navigate to an office you no longer visit, which saves a bit of battery life since the phone isn't constantly checking traffic for a commute you aren't making.
Common Friction Points
- The "Recent" History Bug: Even after changing the address, the old one might appear in your search suggestions. Long-press the old address in your search history and tap "Delete" to banish it forever.
- Google Assistant Sync: Sometimes you tell the app the new address, but you say, "Hey Google, take me home," and it starts driving to the old house. If this happens, you need to clear the cache of the "Google" app (the one with the 'G' icon), as the Assistant pulls from a different data silo than the Maps app itself.
- Multiple Devices: If you have an Android tablet or a secondary phone, make sure they are connected to Wi-Fi so they can sync the change. Occasionally, an offline device can push old data back to the cloud, though this is becoming rarer with better conflict resolution in Google's code.
Actionable Steps to Ensure the Change Sticks
Don't just trust that one tap did the job. Follow this sequence to make sure your Android phone is fully updated:
- Update the label: Go to Maps > Saved > Labeled > Home and enter the new coordinates.
- Force a sync: Open your Google Account settings in the "Personal info" section to verify the address reflects there.
- Nuke the cache: If the map pin doesn't move immediately, go to your Android System Settings and clear the Google Maps cache.
- Test the Assistant: Trigger your voice assistant and ask, "What is my home address?" If it recites the old one, you know you need to update the "Personal info" section of your Google Account specifically.
- Check your "Home" area for offline maps: If you had downloaded a map of your old neighborhood for offline use, delete it. Download a new one for your new area. This forces the app to prioritize the new geography.
Moving is stressful enough without your phone gaslighting you about where you live. By hitting the address update in both the Maps app and the underlying Google Account settings, you ensure that every part of the Android ecosystem—from your morning weather report to your late-night food delivery—actually knows where you are.