SOLVED! Google Maps Sending Audio to Email

Google, the famous American Technology company, has rolled out the major technological applications and tools that many users have found useful, especially for those using devices running on the Android operating system. Due to their innovative insights and inherent value of being customer-oriented, the tech organization in 2005, precisely on the 8th of February, launched a real-time digital map named Google Maps to provide users with directions. Over the years, Google Maps have evolved and been updated to have more features and functions, one of which is the audio feature, which many users have complained has given them problems like Google maps sending audio to email.

The Audio feature; Ease of Accessibility

The audio feature of the Google maps is one of the efficient features of the application as it aids drivers, so they don’t have to focus on reading the directions and navigations on the map but can safely listen to the voice prompt that speaks up at strategic points when certain navigations or changes need to be made. The audio can also be configured to fit into a preferred language. The google map has over 50 languages integrated into the mobile application and can be configured to fit the locale. Better still, the google map has the speech-to-text feature also integrated into its audio feature. Hence, users do not have to manually type the location or navigation they need. By clicking the microphone icon on the map, speech to text is activated, and the feature prompts users to start speaking. While this is a highly functional feature, some users have faced the issue of Google maps sending audio to email.

Why is Google Maps Sending Audio to Email at all?

On your Android device, make sure that the map is synced with your Google account, which is associated with an email ID. Hence, to activate the map on your mobile device, you need to be signed in with your email address. We often find users making inquiries as to if the google map sends audio to their email address, knowing fully well that if this were to be the case then, users would have their inboxes clogged with tons of unsolicited and unwanted audio files.

However, research has shown that these questions raised by users are due to the notification that pops up when the microphone icon is tapped on the google maps mobile application. The notification reads thus: “Your audio will be sent to Google to provide Speech recognition service. A transcript will be shared with this app“. It is important to note that the audio being sent is not going to be forwarded to the user’s email address, but to the replica of their google account on Google’s servers for speech, audio, and pattern recognition all in order to improve the services and quality of the Speech To Text Feature for accuracy and suggestion improvement.

Furthermore, users have the autonomous power to decide how the data being collected can be used or stored, and according to Google, there is an option available to you so you can choose if you would like to save any audio recording to your Google account whenever you use Google Maps, Google Assistant or Google Search. You can turn off saving a copy of your voice recording from the Google servers across various devices.

To turn it off on your PC, follow the steps below;

STEP 1: Sign in to your Google Account.
STEP 2: Navigate to the left, and click Data & personalization on the panel.

STEP 3: Navigate to “Activity controls panel, click on “Web & App Activity.”

STEP 4: Uncheck the box next to “Include audio recordings” to turn the setting on or off.

For an Android device, follow the steps below:

STEP 1: Go to “Settings on your Android device and click on “Google.”

STEP 2: Click on “Manage your Google Account” and then on “Data & Personalization.”

STEP 3: Navigate to “Activity Controls,” and then on “Web & App Activity.”

STEP 4: Uncheck the box next to “Include audio recordings” to turn the setting on or off.

For an iOS device, follow the steps below;

STEP 1: Launch the Gmail application on your iPhone or iPad.

STEP 2: At the top right, tap your profile picture.

STEP 3: Click on “Manage your Google account.”

STEP 4: Click on “Data & Personalization.

STEP 5: Navigate to “Activity controls,” and then click on “Web & App Activity.”

STEP 6: Uncheck the box next to “Include audio recordings” to turn the setting on or off.

Conclusion

With the tips above, you can easily fix the problem of Google maps sending audio to email. If you are unable to fix this issue, do let us know in the comments section. You can also visit the Google Support team to get more information.