To ask Waze to avoid toll roads, ferries, or freeways, open Menu > Settings > Navigation and switch on the matching options. You can also set preferences while planning a particular drive. These are routing preferences, not guarantees: Waze may still use an avoided road type when no suitable alternative is available.
How do I avoid tolls in Waze?
In the Waze app, open the menu, tap Settings, then Navigation. Turn on Avoid toll roads. You can turn it off again in the same place. Waze documents this settings path in its route preference instructions.
When this preference is on, Waze says the first route option should be toll-free unless a toll road is the only route available. If a route includes a toll road, Waze may show an icon with the toll amount. Treat that amount as an estimate: Waze bases toll prices on community-added information, the route, and settings, and it does not calculate prices for congestion-based toll roads whose charges vary with traffic or daily usage. Check the toll operator for the actual price. See Waze’s toll-road guidance and toll price information.
How do I keep Waze off highways or freeways?
In the app, go to Menu > Settings > Navigation and turn on Avoid freeways. Waze uses the word highways for this option in its CarPlay instructions, so the label can differ by interface.
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Waze may still suggest a route using a freeway or highway if available routes do not allow it to avoid one. The preference asks Waze to avoid that road type; it does not guarantee a route without it.
Can Waze avoid ferries?
Yes. Open Menu > Settings > Navigation and turn on Avoid ferries. You can select this independently of toll-road and freeway avoidance, then switch it off in the same settings area when you want Waze to consider ferry routes again.
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Set preferences for a specific drive
To adjust avoidance while planning a trip, use Waze’s route-planning controls. The documented labels may vary by interface; the standard Waze instructions use freeways, while CarPlay uses highways.
- Search for your destination and select it. For a new destination, tap View routes.
- On the route-planning screen, tap Avoid and select toll-road and ferry avoidance as needed.
- To avoid freeways, tap View all navigation settings and turn on Avoid freeways.
- Review the routes Waze offers. Changes made for upcoming drives apply to future drives.
Waze also documents avoidance controls for Android Auto and Android Automotive through Navigation settings and the alternate-routes screen. For CarPlay, tap Avoid on the route screen and choose Avoid highways, Avoid tolls, or Avoid ferries; tap an option again to turn it off. If planning a drive before starting navigation in CarPlay, search for the destination, tap Go now if you are beginning navigation, then tap Avoid and choose your options. See Waze’s general instructions and CarPlay instructions.
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- Hands-free calling when paired with your compatible smartphone with BLUETOOTH technology and convenient Garmin voice assist lets you ask for directions to places you want to go
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What to know when Waze still uses an avoided road
An avoidance setting is a preference, not an absolute block. Waze says it may suggest routes that include toll roads, freeways, or ferries depending on which routes are available when you drive. If Waze presents multiple choices, compare whether each route includes a toll, ferry, or freeway, and treat any displayed toll amount as an estimate. Waze does not give a universal rule for how much extra time or distance avoiding a road type will add; that depends on the available routes for your trip.
If you navigate through a connected third-party service, such as a rideshare app, that service may temporarily override your toll, ferry, or freeway preferences. Waze says the settings return to normal after the ride ends and the app may display a pop-up when preferences are overridden. Details are in Waze’s avoidance guidance and third-party app integration information.
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