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Navigate by markers

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Overviewโ€‹

Map markers are temporary points on the map marked by flags. They can be used for a variety of purposes, such as to indicate a location that you want to visit, a point of interest that you want to remember, or to create a custom route. They can be particularly helpful for hikers, bikers, or anyone exploring a new area who wants to mark interesting locations or points of reference on the map.

Navigation marker Android

How to useโ€‹

The marker navigation option has two use cases:

  • Map markers can serve as destinations while building a route. They are especially convenient when you need to set a route with intermediate points.
  • In some situations (especially for short routes, for example, during off-road competitions), due to the possibility to display the direction of movement and distance to markers on the map, they can serve as waypoints without setting the navigation mode.

Difference marker navigation Android Difference marker navigation Android

Either way, follow these steps to set Marker navigation:

  1. Create markers. Find the desired object(s) on the map, tap it, and choose the Marker button in the Map context menu. You can also make markers from favorites or GPX tracks.

  2. Customise Map markers view if you would like to use Markers without starting Navigation. Enable Arrows on the map and Direction line options in the Appearance section of Map markers menu.

  3. Add Markers widgets in Configure screen menu (optional).

  4. Select a marker as your destination or use Markers to create a route in Plan a route tool.

note
  • When Arrows on the map and Direction line options are enabled in Appearance section of Map markers menu, you will see an arrow or dashed line on the map. The arrow shows the direction to the active marker when it is outside the current map screen. Direction line is drawn when your geolocation and marker are both on the same screen.
  • These two options can be used for navigation to the marker without actiually starting navigation in a classical way. This use case is similar to the straight line routing type.

Add marker on a mapโ€‹

Markers can be added or deleted from the map by single tap on the screen at the desired location. Then you need to follow instructions from the Map context menu article.

Add favoriteโ€‹

โš ๏ธย Android only
This feature is currently not available for the iOS version of the OsmAnd app.

You can create Map markers from Favorites using:

  • Favorites groups menu (Menu โ†’ My Placesโ†’My Favorites).
  • ๐Ÿšฉ icon in the Favorites in-page menu (Menu โ†’ My Placesโ†’My Favoritesโ†’๐Ÿšฉ).
  • '+' (add) option in Groups tab in Map markers menu (Menu โ†’ Map markers โ†’ Groupsโ†’+).

Favorites to markers 1 Favorites to markers 2

Add GPXโ€‹

โš ๏ธย Android only
This feature is currently not available for the iOS version of the OsmAnd app.

GPX tracks with waypoints can be transformed into Map markers:

  • using '+' (add) option in Groups tab in Map markers menu (Menu โ†’ Map markers โ†’ Groupsโ†’ +).
  • by turning on switch near track in Groups tab in Map markers menu (Menu โ†’ Map markers โ†’ Groupsโ†’ +).

GPX to markers 1

note

Only tracks with waypoints can be added to the Map markers list. The track you intend to add should also be visible (active) on the map.

  • You can also create Markers from a track with waypoints using Track context menu: Tap a visible track on the map โ†’ in Track context menu chose Points โ†’ 'โ‹ฎ' โ†’ Add group to marker list

GPX to markers 2 GPX to markers 3

Select a markerโ€‹

Once a marker is added to the map, you can select it as your destination while Preparing your route. A Marker can be picked up:

After a Marker is selected, the map screen will move to its location and the Map context menu will be opened. In that menu you can find information about distance to selected Marker.
From Map context menu you can also build navigation to Marker using directions option, Edit marker's name (Android only), Mark marker as passed or Make Marker active (Android only) (this action will put chosen marker on the first place in the Markers navigation list and Markers widget).

When you use Map markers as destinations for planning and building a specific route, especially with Intermediate destinations, they serve as waypoints in created by OsmAnd track.

In other cases Markers can be used for navigation one by one from Map markers list.

Markers list Android

Sort markersโ€‹

Pressing on a left corner (Android) or right corner (iOS) of a Map marker tab in Map markers list and moving it up or down, you can change its order in Navigation list (while moving a marker card you will see a line indicating where the marker will be placed).

Sort Markers in a list Android

In Android version of the OsmAnd app, there are other sorting options for Map markers (Menu โ†’ Map markers โ†’ Moreโ€ฆโ†’ 'Sort by' or 'Plan a route').

Sort markers by ...โ€‹

Alternative Markers sorting Android 1 Alternative Markers sorting Android 2

You can sort Markers by:

  • Name (alphabetically). If markers have descriptive names, this can be a useful way to quickly find the marker you are looking for.
  • Distance (nearest or farthest first). This option will sort the markers by their distance from your current location.
  • Date (recently or a long time ago) This will sort the markers by the date they were added. If you have added a lot of markers over time, this can be a useful way to see which ones are the most recent.

Sort markers with Plan a route toolโ€‹

Using functionality of the Plan a route tool you can sort Markers Dor-to-dor, put them in reverse order or create a Round trip. If you tap on a Navigation option, Markers will be used as intermediate destinations while Route preparation.

Alternative Markers sorting Android 3 Alternative Markers sorting Android 4

Pass markersโ€‹

Markers can be helpful if you want to keep track of your progress on a route or if you want to be notified when you approach the designated place (only when Markes serve as waypoints and Voice guidance is enabled).

Mark as passedโ€‹

A Marker can be marked as passed (Android) or dismissed (iOS) through the Map context menu (first screenshot).
When you approach the Marker at a distance closer than 40 meters (Android) or 50 meters (iOS), a switch in the Markers widgets bar becomes active (second screenshot). By single tap on this switch, a Marker becomes inactive, and navigation is built to the next one from the list.
After the Marker is been dismissed, it gets into the History folder, from where it can be restored if needed.

Pass Marker Android 1 Pass Marker Android 2

Next Markerโ€‹

After one Marker is been passed, the next one in the list became active. Depending on your settings, you may be guided to it with an arrow or dashed line.

Read moreโ€‹