Google Maps media controls for Spotify or YouTube are coming back

Google is causing quite the commotion among travelers, as the Google Maps media control mechanism has simply disappeared from the latest stable version 25.28 of the Maps for Android app.

Unfortunately, Google Maps media controls are missing from the 25.29 beta version as installed on a Pixel 9 Pro, too, which at first blush indicates that Google may have deprecated the useful playback control feature altogether.

After all, this has happened before, since Google deprecated the Assistant Driving Mode in Maps back in the spring. It only left the media control toggle as a floating action button which could be called upon by going to the Settings>Navigation>Show media playback controls menu. The default media app option that lets Google Maps users pick between Spotify or YouTube controls was chucked as well.

The media playback overlay in Google Maps has turned into a beloved feature for many audiophiles who wanted to be able to change tracks or pause listening without losing their route overview. When turned on, the Google Maps media controls overlay allowed to run, pause, or skip tunes, so one could control their music experience without having to exit or minimize the navigation window. 

Did Spotify and YouTube control in Google Maps disappear?

Thankfully, Google either heard the outcry in the community with a number of help tickets logged since the Maps media controls disappeared, or was simply unaware of the fact they have gone, and is now saying that the controls will be brought back.

Asked for a comment by multiple publications, the search giant answered that it is "actively working to fix an issue that is affecting media playback controls on Google Maps," though it didn't specify when.

As if to confirm that the removal of the Google Maps media playback control option was indeed a bug and not a feature of the newly updated Android app, those same controls are still present in the iOS version of Google Maps.