Waze v5.25.5.0 removes special voices and breaks CarPlay UI in October 2026

The official release notes for v5.25.5.0 state only that the update "includes several bug fixes and performance improvements." There is no mention of the removal of any features. This omission is notable given the intense user reaction to the disappearance of special and celebrity voice packs.

Waze's own help documentation confirms that such voices are promotional and available for a limited time.^[2] However, the publisher's failure to communicate this specific removal in the changelog appears to be a primary driver of user frustration.

The update introduced two distinct breaking changes. The first was the unannounced removal of beloved voice packs. Users expressed a strong personal connection to these features, with one 1-star reviewer of v5.25.5.0 writing, "You took my Chalmette guy away! 🤬🤬🤬" after a local New Orleans accent voice disappeared.

The second issue is a severe usability regression on Apple CarPlay. Users reported that the interface became unreadable. As one 1-star review for v5.25.5.0 described it: "Black lines on a black background. Icons on left are unreadable on the CarPlay display. Doesn’t anyone test your app?" This bug suggests a failure in pre-release testing, particularly concerning dark mode rendering.

The user response was immediate, with the average star ratingGlossaryStar RatingThe 1-5 star average users give your app on the App Store and Google Play — a primary ranking signal and one of the biggest conversion drivers on your product page. of reviews for version 5.25.5.0 falling to 2.75, a significant drop from the 3.78-star average for the preceding v5.25.0.0. Before the update, reviews often praised the app's functionality and features, with one 5-star reviewer of v5.25.0.0 noting, "Awesome voice feature — I love it."

After the October 14 release, the sentiment shifted sharply. The removal of voices was a dominant theme. One user submitted a 1-star review for v5.25.5.0, stating, "Loved this app so much but now deleting because I’m super angry. They took all our special voice choices away...it was my comfort and joy." Other complaints about pre-existing issues, such as an inability to change the vehicle icon, also surfaced, though these were not new to this version.

The backlash against Waze v5.25.5.0 appears driven by a combination of a deliberate content decision and an unintentional software bug. The removal of voices aligns with Waze's stated policy of temporary promotions. The publisher likely underestimated user attachment to these voices. In contrast, the CarPlay display issue is a classic software regression.

Given that Waze's community forums contain prior complaints about CarPlay integration, this new bug may suggest deeper, persistent instability. The publisher will likely need to ship a hotfix for the CarPlay problem, but the removed voices are unlikely to return. This incident may pushGlossaryPush NotificationA message delivered to a user's device from your app's server — the single biggest re-engagement lever in mobile, when done well, and a fast path to uninstall when d... Waze to communicate the temporary nature of promotional content more clearly in the future. These figures compare the 67 US App Store reviews tagged with v5.25.0.0 against the 59 tagged with v5.25.5.0, measured on 2026-10-23.