Map Screen Basics
The map screen is the centre of OMN4. From here you can move around the map, change map type, search, plan routes, use GPS, and open the rest of the tools.
Moving Around
- Drag the map to pan.
- Pinch or use the mouse wheel to zoom. On a Mac trackpad, a two-finger scroll pans the map; pinch to zoom. Two-finger scrolling over a menu or Map Management scrolls that panel.
- Tap or click features when you want more detail or a local action.
The Mobile Map Screen
On a phone or tablet, four round buttons sit along the bottom of the map. The numbers below match the screenshot.
| Button | Name | What it does | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Stats | Shows or hides the Stats Bar at the top of the map. |
| 2 |  | Compass | The arrow points to magnetic north. Tapping it does nothing. See The Compass. |
| 3 |  | GPS | Turns GPS on and centres the map on you. Its colour shows how good your position is. See GPS Button. |
| 4 |  | Menu | Opens the menu of main tools. See The Menu. |
The map also shows:
- 5 Stats Bar: live figures such as accuracy, speed, ascent and time. Tap the Stats Bar to open Stats Bar Setup, where you choose one or two rows and what each position shows. See Stats Bar for average-speed and GPS-altitude options.
- 6 GPS marker: your position. The line from the marker shows which way the phone is facing. See GPS Marker and Accuracy.
In Edit Mode, Undo and Redo take the place of the Stats and Compass buttons until you leave Edit Mode.
The Compass
The arrow on the second button works like a hand compass:
- It always points to magnetic north, using your device's compass.
- It turns as you turn the phone. When the arrow points straight up, the top of the phone is facing north.
- The map does not turn. It always has north at the top, so when the arrow points straight up, the map lines up with the ground in front of you.
- It only shows a direction. Tapping it does nothing.
In the screenshot, the phone is facing a little west of north, so the arrow leans to the right towards north. The line on the GPS marker leans the other way, towards the direction the phone is facing.
The compass is hidden on devices without a compass sensor, in Map Management, and in Edit Mode.
If the arrow looks wrong, move away from cars, metal objects and magnetic phone cases, then move the phone slowly in a figure of eight to recalibrate it.
The arrow shows magnetic north. On OS maps, the blue grid lines point to grid north, which can differ from magnetic north by a small angle.
The Menu
Tap the menu button to open the main tools. While the menu is open, the button shows a cross. Tap it again to close the menu.
On Android, the menu opens over the map. On iPhone and iPad, it uses the system menu style with Cancel. Use Lock Screen to prevent accidental touches, as described below.
The tracklog choices change while you record. For example, Pause Tracklog and Stop Tracklog appear during a recording. See Tracklog Controls.
Lock the Screen
On Android, iPhone and iPad, choose Lock Screen from the map menu to prevent accidental touches while walking. The map stays in place and keeps its current screen orientation. If GPS is on, your position marker continues moving across the map, and any tracklog recording continues.
Only the padlock is shown when you lock the screen. To unlock, press and hold it until the message says Release the padlock to unlock, then lift your finger. A quick tap shows a hint for three seconds and leaves the screen locked.
Unlocking restores your screen orientation setting and resumes following your position if the map was following you before you locked it. This locks OMN4's map controls; it does not turn off the phone screen or replace your phone's security lock.
Distance Scale Bar
The distance scale at the bottom left helps you judge ground distances on the map. It follows Settings > Units > Unit of Distance, using metres and kilometres or feet and miles.
On desktop it stays visible. On mobile it appears while you change zoom or map type, then fades after a short pause. Panning alone does not bring it back; change the zoom to see it again.
Main Tools
The exact layout depends on your device, but the main tools are the same:
- Change Map for switching the map type shown on the map screen
- Map Management for downloading maps, checking storage, and refreshing map access
- Search for place names, roads, and postcodes
- Goto Grid Reference for jumping to a grid reference or coordinates
- Routes, Tracks & Waypoints for your saved data
- GPS for live location and tracklogs; see GPS Button for its icons and tap actions
- Settings for units, styles, data rules, and account details
You choose which of your routes, tracks and waypoints appear on the map. To hide an item, open its context menu directly on the line or point — right-click on desktop, or press and hold on mobile — and choose Hide Item. It stays saved in your library. See Showing and Hiding Items for the eye buttons and how to show items again.
Mobile and Desktop Differences
- On mobile, most tools open as pages from the main map.
- On desktop, Search, Settings, Routes, and some analysis tools can open in their own windows.
- The round buttons, the compass and the Stats Bar are mobile only.
- Printing is a desktop-only feature.
A Good First Routine
- Make sure you are on the map type you want.
- Move to your area of interest.
- Download maps for offline use if needed.
- Open Search or Routes depending on what you want to do next.