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Maps

The Maps screen allows you to perform basic operations with online and offline maps used in OsmAnd. These are loading, deleting, renaming, clearing the cache for online maps, updating, and checking the map size.

OsmAnd deals with 2 type of maps: Vector maps and Raster maps. All maps are stored in one place of the Storage and it is accessible with external tools.

Menu → Download maps

Maps menu Android Download maps menu Android

Map types​

There are several map types available to download and manage:

  • Standard - a fully packaged OsmAnd map based on OpenStreetMap source, they provide map, routing, address, POI, public transport information, .
  • Roads-only (Android) - a smaller by size map comparing to Standard due to removed map details such as buildings & points on the map.
  • Coutour lines - a map that contains the elevation contour lines.
  • Hillshades - a raster map with hillshade information.
  • Slopes - a raster map with slopes information.
  • Online and cached tile maps - a custom map source for online maps, could be installed as 3rd party map or as OsmAnd Tiles.
  • Wikipedia - a vector map that provides Geo located Articles as POIs from Wikipedia.
  • Travel guides / Wikivoyage - a vector map that has a collection of Articles (Text as HTML + GPX file) for example Wikivoyage.
  • Nautical maps - a vector map that provide sea depth elevation as points or as lines.
  • Voice packages - a voice package that provides sounds and configuration how to guide you in the navigation mode.
  • Map fonts (Android) - additional fonts files used to render text on the map.
  • Altitude correction (Android) - a special map file that provides correction for geoid on Android devices (optional).
  • Other maps - maps that couldn't be attached to current maps hierarchy, typically represents deprecated and not supported maps or maps that will be available next release.
note

For regions like Germany consisted of many maps, you can use bulk map downloads, it is depicted as double download arrows next to the map type.

Download map menu Android Regionwide maps Android

Download maps (Maps)​

Download maps screen allows you to download maps from OsmAnd servers, you will need an active internet connection to do that.

Menu → Download maps → All Downloads

Download map menu general Android Download map menu general Android

Actions:

  • Refresh ⟳ - redownloads list of available maps from OsmAnd Server.
  • Search - allows you to search maps by Country, Province or by a large City.
  • Toolbar indicates how much memory is available to download and how much maps is available to download for free.
Hint

There is a small world map built into OsmAnd. You don't need to download large maps of any region if you don't intend to use them. If you want a map that covers the entire planet, including major cities, roads, and rivers, you can download a Detailed worldwide map.

Local maps​

Local maps represents all downloaded maps on device grouped by Types

Menu → Download maps → Local

Maps menu Local vector Android

Multifile Actions.

  •  ⟳ button - scans & refreshes list of available maps on storage.
  •  Delete button - Multiselection to delete maps.
  •  ⁝ - Deactivate or Activate - multiselection to deactivate and activate maps.

Each map displays its name, size, creation date within a certain category and highligted by a color.

  •  Green - map is up to date.
  •  Orange - there is an update available for the map.
  •  Grey / Italic - map is deactivated

For each map specific actions are available by clicking 3 dots or long tap on the row.

  •  Rename - changes name of the file and map
  •  Update - updates map to the latest available version
  •  Delete - deletes map
  •  Edit (Online maps) - edits online map configuration
  •  Clear all tiles cache (Online maps) - clear all the tiles cached by online map.

Deactivate Maps (Android)​

It's possible to deactivate vector maps, so they will be present on the device but will not be used for map display, search and routing. It's optimal to have large storage of maps and use them when they are needed without slowing down OsmAnd functionality.

Maps menu Local Deactivate Android Maps menu Local Deactivate Android

Local action available for the map: Activate / Deactivate.

Update maps​

Every month you will be able to update OsmAnd Maps on Updates screen. Here it's possible to update all maps with one click. Standard and road-only maps are avalaible every month typically with 2 weeks delay. In case you would like to get access to Hourly updates, please check OsmAnd Live.

Android Menu → Download maps → Updates

Maps menu Update maps Android

OsmAnd Live​

note

You can use live updates only with OsmAnd Pro (Android) and OsmAnd Live (iOS) subscription.

OsmAnd Live is a special feature (available by subscription or free OSM Mappers) that provides additional small map updates on top of the large complete monthly maps. It is roughly estimated that map updates for 1 month takes only 2-4% of complete map size. These updates are generated approximately every 15 minutes on OsmAnd Servers and could be downloaded hourly / daily or weekly. On Android they could be downloaded in the background though it doesn't work correctly on all devices. The app restart always checks if there are pending updates and downloads them.

Each map has an independent collection of tiny map updates, please be careful if you have overlapping map regions. If you want to go back to the original state, you can switch off updates and 'Clear cache'.

Menu → Download maps → Updates → Live updates

Maps menu OsmAnd live Android Maps menu OsmAnd live edit Android

  •   Enabled / Disabled - switches on/off the "OsmAnd live" update function.
  •   "… |" - opens the "OsmAnd live" settings of the selected map.
  •   Update frequency - chooses the frequency of the map update: Hourly, Daily, or Weekly.
  •   Update now - allows to start the "OsmAnd live" map update.
  •   Update size - shows "the live updates" size.
  •   🗑 button - allows to delete "the live updates" map.
  •   Only download on Wi-Fi - enables/disables downloading "live updates" by Wi-Fi connection.

Update timestamps​

  • Latest OpenStreetMap update available XXXX-XX-XX XX:XX - represents the latest timestamp of OpenStreetMap changes processed on OsmAnd Servers and available to be downloaded.
  • 'Region name' Updated: Today 13:21 - represents the timestamp of the latest changes available in the downloaded map. It's always earlier or equal to the Latest OpenStreetMap update available. If Updated timestamp is not changed after Update now then it is the latest timestamp when 'Region name' region was modified and processed by OsmAnd servers: there is the next timestamp - Incluldes OSM changes made until 2022-08-12, 12:05.
  • 'Next update: Today 14:21 - represents the next timestamp when a local device will check if new updates are available.

OsmAnd Live limitations​

  • Address changes on the map and in the search are not supported yet. Address information can be updated with regular monthly updates.
  • Updated roads don't have altitude information, which may affect the slope graphs.
  • Modified and deleted route relations are not handled correctly, which may lead to displaying public transport lanes and pedestrian routes that no longer exist.

Free for OSM Mappers​

Live updates and unlimited map downloads are available for OpenStreetMap contributors.

  1. Switch on OpenStreetMap editing plugin in OsmAnd.
  2. Log in by your OpenStreetMap username.
  3. OpenStreetMap users need to have a minimum of 30 changes over the last two-month period for accessing unlimited hourly map updates.

OsmAnd live for mappers