How to Turn Off Waze on iPhone and Android: Stop Navigation or Close the App

Two Ways to Turn Off Waze

There are two ways to turn off Waze on your iPhone or Android device. First, you can stop an active navigation route. This is probably what you want to do as soon as you reach your destination. It also makes sense when you need to change where you’re going, if you no longer need directions, or you simply want to use a different navigation app.

The second way to turn off Waze is to fully close the app. This is usually the way to go when you won’t use Waze for the rest of the day and don’t want it running in the background, potentially collecting location data and draining your battery. When you’re having issues with Waze, that’s also a good excuse to turn off Waze by closing the app.

The problem is, doing either isn’t exactly intuitive on Waze. It’s pretty confusing how to exit the navigation screen or close the app without the hassle of going into your recent apps menu. If you’re stuck, here’s how to turn off Waze on iPhone and Android.

Method 1: Stop Active Navigation

If, by turning off Waze, you mean exiting its navigation screen, it’s only easy to do so on Android Auto and Android Automotive. That’s because there’s an obvious X button in the upper-right corner of the map. Just press it, and that’s it—the navigation will stop, and you’ll be redirected to the Waze home screen immediately after.

On Android and iPhone, though, the option to turn off Waze navigation isn’t as prominent.

On Android Auto and Android Automotive

Look for the X button in the upper-right corner of the map.
Press it.
Navigation stops, and you’re redirected to the Waze home screen.

On Android and iPhone

Tap or swipe up on the bottom panel with the current time shown at the bottom of the screen.
Once it expands, hit the Stop button.
Navigation ends.

Pro Tip: On Android Auto and Android Automotive, stopping navigation is a one-tap process. On mobile, it requires an extra step.

Method 2: Fully Close Waze

If you’re done using Waze for the day and want to completely disable it, you can access one of Waze’s hidden features: Sleep mode (on iOS) or Shut off (on Android). This setting essentially turns off Waze and makes sure it no longer uses your phone’s resources or earns Waze points.

Sleep Mode (iOS)

Sleep mode is available on iOS. It doesn’t automatically remove Waze from your phone’s recent apps screen—the app is still there when you go to your recent apps menu, but it’s actually inactive.

How to Access Sleep Mode:

Press the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left of the Waze home screen.
The Sleep mode option should be at the bottom of the menu.
Tap it to put Waze to sleep.

Note: If you want to be sure Waze isn’t running in the background on your iPhone, you can always remove Waze from the recent apps manually.

Shut Off (Android)

Shut off is available on Android. It’s the opposite of Sleep mode—as soon as you turn off Waze via Shut off, the app will close and get automatically cleared from the recent apps menu.

How to Access Shut Off:

Press the hamburger icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left of the Waze home screen.
The Shut off option should be at the bottom of the menu.
Tap it to close Waze completely.

Pro Tip: Shut off is the more thorough option if you want to ensure Waze isn’t running in the background at all.

Key Differences: Sleep Mode vs. Shut Off

Feature	Sleep Mode (iOS)	Shut Off (Android)
Platform	iOS	Android
App Status	Inactive but remains in recent apps	Closed and removed from recent apps
Background Activity	Stopped	Stopped
Battery Drain	No	No
Location Data	Stopped	Stopped
Waze Points	Not earned	Not earned

How to Remove Waze from Recent Apps

If you want to be absolutely sure Waze isn’t running in the background:

On iPhone: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold to open the app switcher. Swipe Waze up and away to close it.
On Android: Open the recent apps menu and swipe Waze away.

Why This Matters: Even after using Sleep mode on iOS, Waze may still appear in your recent apps. Removing it ensures it’s not consuming any resources.

Comparison Table: Turning Off Waze by Platform

Action	Android Auto / Automotive	Android	iPhone
Stop Navigation	Tap X button	Tap bottom panel → Stop	Tap bottom panel → Stop
Fully Close App	N/A	Hamburger menu → Shut off	Hamburger menu → Sleep mode
Removed from Recent Apps?	N/A	✅ Yes (automatically)	❌ No (must remove manually)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I stop Waze navigation on my iPhone?
A: Tap or swipe up on the bottom panel with the current time, then hit the Stop button.

Q: How do I completely close Waze on Android?
A: Press the hamburger icon, then select Shut off at the bottom of the menu. The app will close and be removed from recent apps.

Q: What is Sleep mode on Waze for iOS?
A: Sleep mode puts Waze into an inactive state, stopping background activity without removing it from recent apps.

Q: Does Waze drain battery when running in the background?
A: Yes, if it’s actively navigating or collecting location data. Using Sleep mode or Shut off prevents this.

Q: Will I still earn Waze points if I use Sleep mode or Shut off?
A: No. When Waze is inactive, you won’t earn points.

Q: Do I need to remove Waze from recent apps on iPhone?
A: Not necessarily, but if you want to ensure it’s not running at all, you can manually remove it from the app switcher.

Quick Reference Summary

Task	Android Auto	Android	iPhone
Stop Navigation	Tap X	Tap bottom panel → Stop	Tap bottom panel → Stop
Close App Completely	N/A	Hamburger → Shut off	Hamburger → Sleep mode
Remove from Recent Apps	N/A	Automatic	Manual

Final Thoughts

Turning off Waze isn’t as straightforward as it should be, but once you know where to look, it’s easy. Whether you just want to stop navigation or fully close the app to save battery and data, the options are there—just hidden behind a menu or a swipe.

The bottom line: Use Stop to end navigation, and use Sleep mode (iOS) or Shut off (Android) to fully disable Waze when you’re done for the day. Your battery will thank you.