- Apple Maps ads have officially started rolling out in the US and Canada.
- Ads will appear in Suggested Places and relevant search results.
- Sponsored listings will carry a blue “Ad” label and expand to more users in the coming weeks.
Apple has officially begun rolling out ads in Apple Maps. With the announcement, the company is expanding its advertising business into its built-in apps. Yes, you heard that right. It is not the first time the company has promoted sponsored content on pre-installed apps. Until now, Apple has allowed advertisements in several apps such as App Store, Apple News, and Stocks.
In March 2026, the company announced that businesses can expect to advertise on Maps beginning in summer 2026. Eventually, the company has met that timeline, with ads starting to appear for users as the summer comes to an end.
Currently, the rollout is limited to the United States and Canada and is expected to expand to more regions in the coming weeks. Apple confirmed the rollout to 9to5Mac.
Where ads will appear in Apple Maps
According to Apple, Maps ads will appear in two main locations inside the app.
The first is the Suggested Places section; it appears before a user performs a search. Businesses can have an advertisement displayed among these recommendations.
The second location is search results. Apple says when a user searches for a relevant business or category, a sponsored listing would appear at the top of the results based on relevance. Notably, Maps ads would be combined into these key searches and discoveries instead of appearing on the whole Maps.
Apple Maps ads are marked with a blue “Ad” label
Even though the ads are coming to the Maps, Apple is clearly specifying sponsored placements from regular business listings. As a result, the sponsored listing will include a small blue-colored “Ad” badge. Despite that, they will still show up in a similar format to other businesses.
The rollout has already began in the US and Canada. Further expansion of ads on Maps is yet to be announced.
What do you think of the ads on Apple Maps? Let us know in the comments. Stay tuned with us at TrueTech to get the latest updates on Apple Maps.
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