As of yesterday, Apple Maps can now show you local COVID-19 testing stations, so you can find the nearest one and get yourself checked out. It’s really easy to do, but it does require a search to activate the new map layer.
Here’s how to find a COVID-19 test near you. Note: This currently only works in the United States.
How to search for COVID-19 test locations
To show all nearby COVID-19 testing stations, open up the Apple Maps app and zoom it to show the area, more or less, where you want to search. If you’re following along from outside the United States, just pick a U.S. city and go from there.
Next, start typing “COVID-19” into the Maps search field. One of the results, probably the top one, will be COVID-19 Testing. Tap that, and you’ll see the results on the map, just like searching for a pizzeria, only probably with fewer results.
Coronavirus test centers near you
Photo: Cult of Mac
Once you pull up the COVID-19 testing locations in the specified area, you can browse them just like any other set of search results. You can swipe to pan around the map, zoom in for a closer look at the locations, and tap on a result to see more details.
Tapping a result for one of the COVID-19 test centers lets you see the exact address and phone number of that specific test institution. It’s up to hospitals and other test sites to add themselves to the database that drives the new map layer. Testing centers can add all kinds of details, including their websites and their hours of operation. (The search results also pull in Yelp reviews for good measure.)
Hopefully, you won’t need to use Apple Maps to find a COVID-19 test center. But having this easy-to-use resource if you ever do need it is priceless.
