Skip to main content

Navigation by route

🚧 This article is incomplete

This article is incomplete & needs to be reviewed. You can help by creating a pull request.

The navigation function allows you to reach your destination easily using voice guidance (optional).

There are the next navigation profiles (type of navigation) by default: Driving, Cycling, Walking, Truck, Motorcycle, Public transport, Boat, Aircraft, Skiing, Horseback riding.

note

Truck, Motorcycle, Aircraft and Horseback riding profiles are switched off by default. You need to activate these profiles.

Navigation screen Android

How to use​

To start the navigation, you need to use the navigation button on the map screen. Or choose navigation option in the main menu:

Menu → Navigation

Next, you'll need to set the starting point and the destination. As for the starting point, you can choose your current location, Favorite location, select a point on the map or use an address. You can also set a starting point by long tap on the map and choosing Directions from in Map Context menu. To navigate to a point, just press the navigation button in its context menu.

Navigation screen select point Android

Tap to From: (your current position by default) or From: for select Start-Finish points of your navigation:

  •  Search - opens the search menu for choosing point.
  •  Address - opens address search menu for choosing point.
  •  My Position - allows to choose Your position for point.
  •  Select on map - opens the map for choosing point by tapping on the map.
  •  Favorites - allows to choose Favorite for point.
  •  Markers - allows to choose Map marker for point.
  •  Swap Starting point and Destination - allows to change Start <-> Finish points.

"Swap Starting point and Destination" and "+" buttons:

  •  "↓↑"Swap Starting point and Destination - allows to change Start <-> Finish points.

  •  "+" - allows to add intermediate points for navigation.

  •  "🖉" - allows to open destination the points list ("Destinations") for edition.

    The points list:

    •  "←" - moves to Navigation menu screen.
    •  "Sort" - opens the sort menu with next options of sorting destinations points: Sort door-to-door, Reverse starting point & destination, Reverse all points, Add intermediate, Clear all intermediate points.
    •  "✕" - allows to delete destination point from the points list.
    •  "=" - allows to change point order in the points list.
    •  "+ Add" button - opens context menu "Add intermediate".
    •  "☰ Clear all intermediate points" button - allows to clear all points.

Navigation interpoints Android Navigation interpoints Android Navigation interpoints Android

As soon as your points are selected, the app will create a route and will start guiding you after you tap "Start" button. To stop your navigation mode, tap on the "Dismiss" button.

Navigation screen start Android

When the navigation is running, you can press the home button. You will get the message 'OsmAnd is running in the background'. This means that even if you turn the screen off or exit the active app window, you'll still get voice prompts. For Android versions other than 3.3, we have added the “Turn on screen” option. This allows you to show the map on the lock screen during navigation. Now, this function does not request any permissions for the correct operation. You can use it to save phone power. The function is configured separately for each profile. To configure, you need to select a profile that supports navigation and go to Profile settings - General settings - Screen control and enable the Screen timeout option (move the slider to the ON state - should turn blue).

Menu → Navigation → Settings

Settings of Route parameters for Navigation profile you can find here.

Navigation settings Android Navigation Android

Home - Work points​

Special points of Favorites in Navigation menu for quickly access.

Previous route​

Last route which you built for navigation.

Displayed tracks​

List of shown track on the map. Clicking by one of it opens Follow track menu function.

History​

Tracks list.

Menu → Settings → OsmAnd settings → History

Simulate navigation​

When the navigation route is built. You can start to simulate a motion by this way using features "Simulate navigation".

Android Menu → Navigation → Settings → Simulate navigation. Enable the feature and starting navigation.

You can choose "Speed mode" settings for the speed of simulation navigation: Android Menu → Navigation → Settings → Simulate navigation → ⚙

Simulate navigation Android Simulate navigation Android

  •  Fast preview mode - The speed of the simulation will be maximum on straight sections and slow down only at intersections.
  •  Fixed speed - The simulation will be performed with constant selected speed.
  •  Realistic simulation - On straight road sections, speed will be approximate to the maximum allowed speed. At intersections, the simulation will slow down. Extra penalties will be applied on traffic signals, stop signs, etc.

When you click on "Start" button, your simulation of navigation will start.

For stop the simulation of navigation you need to click on "Navigation" button → "Dismiss" button.

If you have selected the engine type in the vehicle parameters, the CO2 footprint data will be displayed above the graph.

Menu → Navigation

Navigation route Android

Route Details​

In the OsmAnd app, you can find detailed information about the whole route, analyze it on the map, add or delete information on route segments, print the route plan, save the route and share it.

There are three ways to access the Route Details menu:

  1. Go to the main Menu → Navigation, set the route, and press the Details button.
  2. Tap the Navigation icon on the map screen, set the route, and tap the Details button.
  3. Go to the My Places menu, tap any available track in the list Menu → My Places → Tracks, select the Navigation icon in the track context menu in the Overview, and tap Details.
Main information: Total distance, Estimated travel time/Estimated time of arrival, Graph with details.
Navigation route Android
Analyse on map - This option allows you to interactively view track information with graphs and a map.
Navigation route Android
The features with map legend: Road type, Surface, Steepness, Surface firmness, Slope, Smoothness, Winter and ice roads, Difficulty of horse trails, Speed and Altitude.
Navigation route Android Navigation route Android
Turn-by-turn information - You can view the details of separate sections of the route by tapping the needed one.
Navigation route Android
Print button - You can print a turn-by-turn description of the route with the total distance and estimated travel time, or save it as a pdf.
Navigation route Android
Save as new track button.
Navigation route Android
Share buttons: Share as GPX file and Save to OsmAnd tracks
Navigation route Android Navigation route Android
info

Share link.
Each link consists of parts containing specific information. For example:
https://osmand.net/map?start=52.310331,4.863615&end=52.327645,4.863272&mode=pedestrian#15/52.3161/4.8658.

  • start=52.310331,4.863615- coordinates of the start point.
  • If the coordinates are not specified, My Location is used.
  • end=52.327645,4.863272 - coordinates of the end point.
  • mode=pedestrian - type of navigation, which depends on the selected profile.
  • #15/52.3161/4.8658 - zoom level and map center coordinates.
note

The display of some details depends on the availability of map section information, GPS data, subscriptions, or a profile setting.

Route line appearance​

This menu allows you to adapt the route line appearance. If there are some changes to your route, you can customize them using this menu. Its could be like, changes in elevation while driving, next significant uphill or downhill, ice, unpaved roads, autobahns, etc. In the items of this menu you will be able to change all these parameters by colour or just apply any colour and transparency to the line. Besides, if necessary, you can change the width of the line and the display of the angle at turns.

note
Some parameters you can use only with Pro feature OsmAnd Pro subscribers.

User profile → Settings → Configure profile → Navigation settings → Customize route line

Navigation route Android

Colour​

Select a route line's colour by types.

 "Map style" – Map style is used with default colours. You can see a full description of the colours by clicking here Map style
map stule
 "Custom" – It allows you to show the line in any preferred colour and transparency. You can select different settings for the day map and separately for the night map.
custom
 "Altitude" – It shows the height on the route point as green-yellow-red gradient. Where green represents lowest point of the route, yellow - median height points and red the highest points. If the route altitude difference is < 100 m, gradient is applied partially or not applied i.e. for a simple uphill route from 100 m to 150 m - the gradient will be green-yellow. Please note that the colour doesn't represent the absolute height value.
Altitude
 "Slope" – The route line will be colored differently depending on the elevation profile of the route. Slope
Altitude
 "Road type" – Colour the route or the track line according to the road classification. Road style
Altitude
 "Surface" – Provides information about the physical surface of the road/footpath. Surface
Altitude
 "Smoothness" – Classification of maneuverability of roads/footpaths for wheeled vehicles, particularly with regard to surface regularity/flatness. Smoothness
Altitude
 "Winter and ice roads" – Colouring the route or track line according to the winter road classification. Winter and ice roads
Altitude
 "Surface firmness" – Colouring the route or track line by surface composition. Typically used when the road network is largely unpaved. Surface firmness
Altitude
 "Difficulty of horse trails" – Render paths according to difficulty of horse trails.
Altitude

Width​

Select a route line's width.

"Map style" – It's used with default width. You can see a full description of the map style by clicking there Map style
map style map stule
"Thin width / Medium width / Bold width" – You can choose the width of the line according to the width of the road or highlight the line of the route on the map more strongly.
width width
"Custom" – It allows you to show the line in some preferred width. Select the width using the slider.
custom custom

Turn Arrows​

Select whether turn arrows are indicated on the route line or not.

Altitude Altitude
Altitude Altitude

Type of navigation​

Navigation type is rules how the route will be calculated. This rules content in routing.xml file for offline OsmAnd routing. For Android version of OsmAnd there is an opportunity to set Online routing by providers.

Custom routing​

OsmAnd allows modification routing.xml file for routing. It means that you can update the routing algorithm for your needs. More info about it you may find in Technical documentation and on OsmAnd Github page.

Background navigation​

When you have created a route and started navigating. You can use it in the background. You receive voice prompts and silent notifications. This mode is important for low battery consumption.

Sound​

Set your voice prompts and listen to navigation prompts. Voice navigation.

Notification​

⚠️ Android only
This feature is currently not available for the iOS version of the OsmAnd app.

You can see notification info in Drop-down system menu: Turn-by-turn instructions, arrows, arrival time and time to go, current speed.

Navigation route Notification Android

Active buttons on Drop-down system menu for your navigation:

  • Stop - allows to stop your navigation.
  • Pause - allows to pause your navigation.
  • Resume - allows to resume your navigation.

Screen control​

⚠️ Android only
This feature is currently not available for the iOS version of the OsmAnd app.

You can control the screen of your device to save power. This mode has two general settings: Screen timeout and Turn screen on.

Menu → Configure profile → General settings → Screen control

Screen control menu Android

Screen timeout​

  • Use system screen timeout - the screen will turn off depending on the device settings. Enable it to use Turn the screen off according to the system screen timeout. The "Change settings" button opens the system menu.

System timeout screen control Android

  • Timeout after wake-up - If the "Keep screen on" option is enabled, the device screen does not apply a timeout. If the previous option is disabled, you can set the time after which the device screen will turn off if you do not interact with it.

Timeout after wakeup Android Timeout after wakeup Android

Turn screen on​

Select options to wake up the screen. Make sure OsmAnd is in the foreground while the device is locked.

turn screen on Android

  • Proximity sensor - if you run your hand over the screen, it will turn on.
  • Navigation instructions - each navigation instruction causes the screen to turn on.
  • Power button - pressing the device power button will turn the screen on with OsmAnd on top of the lock screen.