Compass
A full compass with heading, a level indicator, and your live coordinates.
The Compass shows the direction you are facing on a rotating degree dial, names that direction in words, gives you a bubble level so you can tell when the device is flat, and shows your current latitude and longitude with the magnetic declination for where you are standing. A switch lets you work in either magnetic north or true north.
Overview
| Element | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Degree dial | A scale that rotates so it always reflects your current heading. |
| Heading | The heading as a whole number of degrees. |
| Direction | The direction in words. |
| Bubble level | A dot that moves as you tilt the device, centring when it is flat. |
| True North switch | Switch between magnetic north and true north. |
| North label | Reads True north enabled or Magnetic north enabled. |
| Coordinates | Your latitude and longitude, to four decimal places. |
| Declination | The magnetic declination at your location. |
| Back | Return to the previous screen. |
How the direction is named
| Heading | Direction shown |
|---|---|
| Exactly 0° | N |
| Exactly 90° | E |
| Exactly 180° | S |
| Exactly 270° | W |
| 337.5° – 22.5° | North |
| 22.5° – 67.5° | Northeast |
| 67.5° – 112.5° | East |
| 112.5° – 157.5° | Southeast |
| 157.5° – 202.5° | South |
| 202.5° – 247.5° | Southwest |
| 247.5° – 292.5° | West |
| 292.5° – 337.5° | Northwest |
The coordinates are shown on two lines, as Latitude : 34.1098 and Longitude : -117.8321.
The declination is shown with its sign, as Declination : +12.34 for an easterly declination or Declination : -12.34 for a westerly one.
The compass locks the screen to the orientation you opened it in, and lays itself out differently in portrait and landscape so the dial stays as large as possible. It also respects your "allow phone to sleep" preference, so it can be set to keep the screen awake while you are using it.
Getting Here
- From Home, open the Compass tool.
- The app asks for permission to use your location if it has not already. Tap OK, then Allow.
- The dial appears and begins reading your heading and your position.
If location is not allowed you will see Location Permission Denied with the message Please enable location permission in settings to use this feature. Tap OK to open Settings. Without location the compass cannot show coordinates or work out declination, and true north is not available.
Read Your Heading
- Hold the device flat, screen up, and watch the bubble level. The dot moves toward whichever way you are tilting and centres when the device is level.
- Turn your body. The heading number and the direction label update as you turn, and the dial rotates underneath.
- Take the reading with the device level. A tilted device gives a poorer heading.
The device gives a light buzz each time the heading updates, so you can turn onto a bearing while keeping your eyes up and off the screen.
Switch Between Magnetic and True North
- Find the True North switch below the dial.
- Turn it on to work in true north. The label reads True north enabled and the declination is shown.
- Turn it off to work in magnetic north. The label reads Magnetic north enabled.
- Your choice is remembered, so the compass opens the same way next time.
| Setting | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Magnetic north | Matching a handheld magnetic compass, or a bearing someone read off one. |
| True north | Working from a map, a grid reference, or anything already referenced to true north. |
True north needs the device to be able to supply a heading. If it cannot, the label falls back to Magnetic north enabled even with the switch on.
Understand the Declination
Declination is the difference between magnetic north and true north where you are standing. It is calculated from your position, and it changes as you travel.
- A positive value means magnetic north lies east of true north.
- A negative value means magnetic north lies west of true north.
If the declination cannot be worked out, the line reads Can't calculate the magnetic declination, Please check your location service. That almost always means the device does not yet have a position — check location permission and step into the open.
Safety Detection
While the compass is open the device is also watching its own motion. If it detects the device in free fall, a short Fall detected message appears on screen.
How This Connects
- Heading, tilt and position all come from the device's own sensors, so the compass works with no connection at all. Only the declination needs a position fix, not a data connection.
- The coordinates here are the same live fix used by Map and measured in detail on the GPS screen, where you can also read your accuracy and altitude and copy the position in any format.
- The declination shown here is what explains the gap between the two numbers on a Bearing measurement, which always gives you both a true and a magnetic bearing.
- The Guide Me compass reached from GPS and GPS History Detail is a relative of this screen: it points at a chosen destination rather than simply showing your heading.
- Whether the screen stays awake while the compass is open follows your sleep preference in General App Settings.
Troubleshooting
| If this happens | What to do |
|---|---|
| The heading is obviously wrong | Move away from metal, vehicles, radios and magnetic mounts, then wave the device in a figure-of-eight to recalibrate. Take the reading with the device flat and clear of the dash. |
| The heading jumps around | You are probably near something magnetic, or inside a vehicle. Step outside and hold the device away from your body. |
| The dial does not move at all | The device may not be able to supply a heading. Close and reopen the screen, and check location permission is allowed. |
| The bubble will not centre | You are still tilted. Rest the device on a flat surface to check — the dot should settle in the middle. |
| The coordinates stay blank | There is no position fix yet. Step into the open and wait a few seconds; check location permission if nothing appears. |
| Can't calculate the magnetic declination | The app has no usable position. Allow location for the app, then move somewhere with a clear view of the sky. |
| True north will not switch on | The device cannot supply a heading. The label stays on Magnetic north enabled and the magnetic reading is still valid. |
| The screen turns off while you are navigating | Change your sleep preference in General App Settings. |
| Fall detected appeared for no reason | The motion detector is sensitive. It is only a notice; nothing is reported. |
Related Pages
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