howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-avoid-tolls-highways-or-ferries-in-google-maps-on-android/ · Checked October 2026 · build CP3A.261005.005 · Google Pixel 10a, Android 17

In this guide

Open Maps settings
Tap Navigation
Switch on the Route options you want
Or change them for one route
Use Trip options
Check the route
If you do not see this option
If this does not work
Good to know
Sources

Quick answer

In Google Maps tap your profile picture, Settings, Navigation and switch on Avoid tolls, Avoid highways or Avoid ferries under Route options. With a route open, tap the Options icon above the travel times to get the same switches under Trip options.

6 of 6 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device: Android
Shown on: Google Pixel 10a, Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005)
App: Maps
Path: Maps › Settings › Navigation › Route options: Avoid tolls
Real screenshots: 6 of 6 steps
What we did: Performed: we made the change on our device and show the result
Checked: October 2026
Sources: 1 official, linked below

Step by step

Open Maps settings
Tap your profile picture at the top right, then Settings near the bottom of the menu.
Done
Tap Navigation
On ours it was the second row, below App & display.
Done
Switch on the Route options you want
Scroll down to Route options: Avoid tolls, Avoid highways and Avoid ferries, then Prefer fuel-efficient routes, which was on on our phone. These switches apply to every drive.
Done
Or change them for one route
With directions open, tap the Options icon (the sliders) on the Drive row, next to the share and close buttons.
Done
Use Trip options
Trip options has the same three Avoid switches, Prefer fuel-efficient routes, Your vehicles, Driving avatar and See toll pass prices. We switched on Avoid highways.
Done
Check the route
The route sheet now shows an Avoid highways label above the time. Our city route, Berlin Hauptbahnhof to the Brandenburg Gate, stayed 10 min (2,5 km), as it used no motorway. We switched Avoid highways off again afterwards.
Done

If you do not see this option

The route has no Options icon Swipe the route sheet up so the Drive row with the travel times shows; on ours the Options icon sat on that row, left of Share.
Your vehicles is not a road choice Your vehicles, below the Avoid switches, is about the engine type for fuel-efficient routes; it does not leave out roads.

If this does not work

The route time does not change If there is no motorway, toll road or ferry on the route, avoiding them changes nothing: our 2,5 km city route stayed 10 min with Avoid highways on.
A later drive looks slow Check Settings, Navigation, Route options: those switches stay as you set them for every drive until you turn them off.

About this guide

Maps picks the fastest route, which often means a toll road or motorway. You can rule them out for every drive, or only for the route on screen.

The screenshots are from Google Maps on our Google Pixel 10a with Android 17 (build CP3A.261005.005), in dark mode. The account in the profile menu is blurred.