Can You Request a Female Uber Driver? (2026 Guide)

Can you request a female Uber driver? Yes — indirectly. Uber's Women Preferences feature lets riders who identify as women opt in to matching with women drivers, request a woman driver for a trip, or set it as a standing preference. Lyft offers the same idea through Women+ Connect. Both are free, both are opt-in, and both raise the chance of a female driver rather than guaranteeing one — if no opted-in woman driver is nearby, the app matches you with the next available driver so you are not left waiting. Availability is still city-by-city. This guide explains exactly how to turn each one on, where they work, what is and is not guaranteed, and what to do when a female driver is not available.

Can you request a female Uber driver?

The short answer: there is no button that forces a specific driver gender on every ride, but there is now an official feature that gets you close. After years of riders asking for it, Uber introduced Women Preferences (shown in the app as "Women Drivers" or "Women Preferred"), which lets women riders prioritize women drivers. Lyft's equivalent, Women+ Connect, matches women and nonbinary riders with women and nonbinary drivers. Both are built around the reality of the driver pool: only a minority of rideshare drivers are women, so the apps optimize your match rather than promising an exact outcome.

That distinction matters. A preference means: when a woman driver who has opted in is available near you, you are matched first. It does not mean the app holds your ride indefinitely until a female driver appears. Understanding that up front prevents frustration — and it is why pairing the feature with standard safety habits (below) is the smart approach.

Uber Women Preferences: how it works and how to turn it on

Uber's Women Preferences is opt-in and free. Where it is live, eligible riders can request a woman driver for a single trip, set it as a default preference, or pre-book a ride with a woman driver in advance. It is part of a broader push, described on Uber's official safety page, to give women riders more control.

Step by step

1. Open the Uber app and tap Account.
2. Go to Settings and look for Women Preferences (you may be asked to confirm you identify as a woman).
3. Choose how to use it: request a woman driver for the current trip, set it as your standing preference, or reserve a ride with a woman driver ahead of time.
4. If you do not see the option, the feature has not launched in your city yet.

Lyft Women+ Connect: how it works

Lyft's Women+ Connect is a free, opt-in setting that prioritizes matching women and nonbinary riders with women and nonbinary drivers. Turn it on in the Lyft app under Settings, then Women+ Connect. When enabled, Lyft increases the likelihood you are paired with a woman or nonbinary driver; when none who have opted in are available nearby, it matches you with the next available driver so your trip still happens.

Uber Women Preferences vs Lyft Women+ Connect

Both features share the same goal but differ in naming, scope, and rollout:

Where the female-driver feature is available

Neither feature is everywhere yet. Uber's Women Preferences launched in a handful of US metros first — Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit were among the earliest in 2025 — and continues expanding city by city. Lyft Women+ Connect has been rolling out across many US markets for longer and reaches more cities today. Because rollout is ongoing, the only reliable way to know your status is to check the app.

Source: Uber safety; Lyft safety. City availability changes over time — confirm in-app.

What to do if it is not available in your city

If neither app shows a women-driver setting where you are, you still have strong safety tools that work on every ride regardless of driver gender:

For the full routine, see our Uber and Lyft safety tips. The single most effective habit is to share your trip and verify the plate and driver photo before you get in — these protect you on every ride, female driver or not.

Female drivers and women's safety: the bigger picture

The demand for a female driver option is rooted in a real preference for comfort and control, especially on late-night and solo rides. The features are a meaningful step, but they work best as one layer in a larger safety routine rather than a single fix. Combine the women-driver preference with trip sharing, driver verification, and well-lit pickup points. It also helps to enable the feature on both apps, then compare Uber and Lyft safety to see which one actually matches you with a woman driver faster in your city. If you want to understand the ride options first, our guide to Uber ride types breaks them down, and our Uber customer service guide covers how to reach support if an issue comes up.

Frequently asked questions

Can you request a female Uber driver?

Yes, indirectly. Uber's Women Preferences lets riders who identify as women opt in to matching with women drivers and request one where the feature is live. It improves your odds when a woman driver is available nearby — not a guarantee — and it does not change your fare.

How do I turn on Women Preferences on Uber?

Open the Uber app, go to Account, then Settings, and look for Women Preferences. Where available you can request a woman driver for one trip, set it as a default, or pre-book. If you do not see it, the feature has not reached your city yet.

Does Lyft let you choose a female driver?

Yes, via Women+ Connect — a free, opt-in setting under Lyft's Settings that prioritizes matching women and nonbinary riders with women and nonbinary drivers. It raises the chance of a woman driver rather than guaranteeing one.

Is it guaranteed I will get a woman driver?

No. Both features are preferences. They prioritize a woman-driver match when one is available nearby; otherwise the app pairs you with the next available driver so you are not left without a ride.

What if no female driver is available?

The app falls back to the next available driver. You can decline and re-request, or wait a few minutes. Meanwhile, use trip sharing, plate verification, and in-app emergency tools, which protect you regardless of driver gender.

Is Uber or Lyft safer for women?

Both offer comparable safety programs. Neither is definitively safer — safety depends on using the tools. Enable the women-driver preference on both apps and share your trip every time.

The bottom line

You can request a female Uber driver through Women Preferences, and a female Lyft driver through Women+ Connect — both free, both opt-in, both city-dependent, and both a preference rather than a guarantee. Turn the setting on in each app, check whether it is live where you are, and pair it with trip sharing and driver verification on every ride. Then compare Uber and Lyft in your city, and start from the RideWise homepage to compare prices before you book.