Primordial germ cells (PGCs) navigate to their target by switching between motile, polarized "run" states and immotile, apolar "tumble" states to adjust migration paths. This behavioral switching requires rapid actin cytoskeleton polarization in response to guidance signals. We demonstrate that Apela signaling establishes cortical actin pools that prime PGCs for immediate polarization responses. Loss of Apela function resulted in delayed PGC migration onset and impaired run-and-tumble dynamics, with cells exhibiting prolonged tumble phases. PGCs lacking Apela showed insufficient actin pools for rapid polarization, preventing timely transitions to directed motility. Our findings reveal that Apela signaling functions as an actin priming mechanism, establishing the cytoskeletal foundation necessary for PGCs to polarize and initiate migration precisely when guidance cues are received. This ensures temporal coordination between environmental signals and cellular motility responses during embryonic development.