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Thecameraallows you to change the user's
viewpoint of the map. You can use camera modes to control the behavior of the
map during navigation. To set the camera mode, set thecameraModeproperty of
the map view, specifying one of the following camera mode constants:
Following — The default camera mode for navigation. Changes the view
angle to 45 degrees and puts the camera behind the current position facing in
the direction of travel. During navigation the camera automatically adjusts
to face in the direction of travel. Pressing the map'sRe-centerbutton
will also switch to this mode. TheRe-centerbutton is not visible when
this mode is selected.
Overview — Displays an overview of the entire route, zooming as needed
to fit the route into the map view. When this view is selected theRe-centerbutton is visible.
Free — Lets the user change the map view withgestures.
The camera remains stationary in this view. The map will automatically enter
this view if the user pans or zooms during navigation. When this view is
selected theRe-centerbutton is visible.
To change the camera mode, set thecameraModeproperty of the map view, as
shown here:
Swift
// Set the mode to "overview":mapView.cameraMode=.overview// Set the mode to "free":mapView.cameraMode=.free// Set the mode to "following":mapView.cameraMode=.following
Objective-C
// Set the mode to "overview":mapView.cameraMode=GMSNavigationCameraModeOverview;// Set the mode to "free":mapView.cameraMode=GMSNavigationCameraModeFree;// Set the mode to "following":mapView.cameraMode=GMSNavigationCameraModeFollowing;
Automatically recenter the map
When users move the map in Navigation mode, the camera mode for the map
view changes from following mode to free mode. The camera returns to following
mode when the user explicitly pressesRe-center. You can automate the
return to following mode by using a timer to set an interval between leaving
following mode, and then automatically returning to it.
Example
The following code example checks to determine whether the map is being moved by
the user while in Navigation mode. If it is, then it sets a timer to switch the
camera mode to following mode, centering the map after five seconds.
Swift
classYourViewController:UIViewController{@IBOutletweakvarmapView:GMSMapView!varautoFollowTimer:Timer!overridefuncviewDidLoad(){super.viewDidLoad()mapView.delegate=self...}...}/** Implements the GMSMapViewDelegate protocol. */extensionYourViewController:GMSMapViewDelegate{funcmapView(_mapView:GMSMapView,willMovegesture:Bool){ifmapView.navigator?.isGuidanceActive==false{return}if!gesture{return}autoFollowTimer?.invalidate()autoFollowTimer=Timer(timeInterval:TimeInterval(5.0),target:self,selector:#selector(recenterMap),userInfo:nil,repeats:false)RunLoop.current.add(autoFollowTimer,forMode:.default)}/** Centers the map in guidance mode. */@objcprivatefuncrecenterMap(){ifmapView.navigator?.isGuidanceActive==true{mapView.cameraMode=.following}autoFollowTimer.invalidate()autoFollowTimer=nil}}
Objective-C
@interfaceYourViewController:UIViewController<GMSMapViewDelegate>...@end@implementationYourViewController{GMSMapView*_mapView;NSTimer*_autoFollowTimer;...}...-(void)viewDidLoad{[superviewDidLoad];..._mapView.delegate=self;...}.../** Implements the GMSMapViewDelegate protocol. */-(void)mapView:(GMSMapView*)mapViewwillMove:(BOOL)gesture{if(!_mapView.navigator.guidanceActive)return;if(!gesture)return;[_autoFollowTimerinvalidate];_autoFollowTimer=[NSTimerscheduledTimerWithTimeInterval:5.0target:selfselector:@selector(recenterMap)userInfo:nilrepeats:NO];}/** Centers the map in guidance mode. */-(void)recenterMap{if(_mapView.navigator.guidanceActive){_mapView.cameraMode=GMSNavigationCameraModeFollowing;}[_autoFollowTimerinvalidate];_autoFollowTimer=nil;}@end
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-09-04 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eYou can change the user's viewpoint of the map by setting the \u003ccode\u003ecameraMode\u003c/code\u003e property to \u003ccode\u003efollowing\u003c/code\u003e, \u003ccode\u003eoverview\u003c/code\u003e, or \u003ccode\u003efree\u003c/code\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003e\u003ccode\u003eFollowing\u003c/code\u003e mode puts the camera behind the current position, \u003ccode\u003eoverview\u003c/code\u003e mode displays the entire route, and \u003ccode\u003efree\u003c/code\u003e mode allows user interaction.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eThe map automatically enters \u003ccode\u003efree\u003c/code\u003e mode when the user pans or zooms, and a \u003cstrong\u003eRe-center\u003c/strong\u003e button is available in \u003ccode\u003eoverview\u003c/code\u003e and \u003ccode\u003efree\u003c/code\u003e modes to return to \u003ccode\u003efollowing\u003c/code\u003e mode.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eYou can automate the return to \u003ccode\u003efollowing\u003c/code\u003e mode after a set time interval using a timer to improve user experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Adjust the camera\n\nThe [camera](/maps/documentation/ios-sdk/views) allows you to change the user's\nviewpoint of the map. You can use camera modes to control the behavior of the\nmap during navigation. To set the camera mode, set the `cameraMode` property of\nthe map view, specifying one of the following camera mode constants:\n\n- Following --- The default camera mode for navigation. Changes the view\n angle to 45 degrees and puts the camera behind the current position facing in\n the direction of travel. During navigation the camera automatically adjusts\n to face in the direction of travel. Pressing the map's **Re-center** button\n will also switch to this mode. The **Re-center** button is not visible when\n this mode is selected.\n\n- Overview --- Displays an overview of the entire route, zooming as needed\n to fit the route into the map view. When this view is selected the\n **Re-center** button is visible.\n\n- Free --- Lets the user change the map view with [gestures](/maps/documentation/navigation/ios-sdk/controls).\n The camera remains stationary in this view. The map will automatically enter\n this view if the user pans or zooms during navigation. When this view is\n selected the **Re-center** button is visible.\n\nTo change the camera mode, set the `cameraMode` property of the map view, as\nshown here:\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n### Swift\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n // Set the mode to \"overview\":\n mapView.cameraMode = .overview\n\n // Set the mode to \"free\":\n mapView.cameraMode = .free\n\n // Set the mode to \"following\":\n mapView.cameraMode = .following\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n### Objective-C\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n // Set the mode to \"overview\":\n mapView.cameraMode = GMSNavigationCameraModeOverview;\n\n // Set the mode to \"free\":\n mapView.cameraMode = GMSNavigationCameraModeFree;\n\n // Set the mode to \"following\":\n mapView.cameraMode = GMSNavigationCameraModeFollowing;\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nAutomatically recenter the map\n------------------------------\n\nWhen users move the map in Navigation mode, the camera mode for the map\nview changes from following mode to free mode. The camera returns to following\nmode when the user explicitly presses **Re-center**. You can automate the\nreturn to following mode by using a timer to set an interval between leaving\nfollowing mode, and then automatically returning to it.\n\n### Example\n\nThe following code example checks to determine whether the map is being moved by\nthe user while in Navigation mode. If it is, then it sets a timer to switch the\ncamera mode to following mode, centering the map after five seconds.\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n### Swift\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n class YourViewController: UIViewController {\n\n @IBOutlet weak var mapView: GMSMapView!\n var autoFollowTimer: Timer!\n\n override func viewDidLoad() {\n super.viewDidLoad()\n mapView.delegate = self\n ...\n }\n\n ...\n }\n\n /** Implements the GMSMapViewDelegate protocol. */\n extension YourViewController: GMSMapViewDelegate {\n func mapView(_ mapView: GMSMapView, willMove gesture: Bool) {\n if mapView.navigator?.isGuidanceActive == false {return}\n if !gesture {return}\n\n autoFollowTimer?.invalidate()\n autoFollowTimer = Timer(\n timeInterval: TimeInterval(5.0),\n target: self,\n selector: #selector(recenterMap),\n userInfo: nil,\n repeats: false)\n RunLoop.current.add(autoFollowTimer, forMode: .default)\n }\n\n /** Centers the map in guidance mode. */\n @objc private func recenterMap() {\n if mapView.navigator?.isGuidanceActive == true {\n mapView.cameraMode = .following\n }\n\n autoFollowTimer.invalidate()\n autoFollowTimer = nil\n }\n }\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n### Objective-C\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n @interface YourViewController : UIViewController\u003cGMSMapViewDelegate\u003e\n ...\n @end\n\n\n @implementation YourViewController {\n GMSMapView *_mapView;\n NSTimer *_autoFollowTimer;\n ...\n }\n\n ...\n\n - (void)viewDidLoad {\n [super viewDidLoad];\n ...\n _mapView.delegate = self;\n ...\n }\n\n ...\n\n /** Implements the GMSMapViewDelegate protocol. */\n - (void)mapView:(GMSMapView *)mapView willMove:(BOOL)gesture {\n if (!_mapView.navigator.guidanceActive) return;\n if (!gesture) return;\n\n [_autoFollowTimer invalidate];\n _autoFollowTimer = [NSTimer scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval:5.0\n target:self\n selector:@selector(recenterMap)\n userInfo:nil\n repeats:NO];\n }\n\n /** Centers the map in guidance mode. */\n - (void)recenterMap {\n if (_mapView.navigator.guidanceActive) {\n _mapView.cameraMode = GMSNavigationCameraModeFollowing;\n }\n\n [_autoFollowTimer invalidate];\n _autoFollowTimer = nil;\n }\n\n @end\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e"]]
