Offline Maps allow you to use the onX Backcountry App without cell service, but you must save maps to your mobile device before you leave cell service in order for the onX Backcountry App to work properly offline.
This article has onX Backcountry App and onX Backcountry Web Map instructions for creating Offline Maps, saving them to your account, and managing maps you already have saved.
Before you leave cell service, click here for instructions on how to make sure your onX Backcountry App is ready to use Offline.
Table of Contents:
- Mobile App:
- Saving Offline Maps using the onX Backcountry App.
- Managing Offline Maps in the onX Backcountry App.
- Web Map:
- Saving Offline Maps using the onX Backcountry Web Map.
- Managing Offline Maps in the onX Backcountry Web Map.
Saving Offline Maps using the onX Backcountry App
Move the map to the area that you want to save for offline use, then open the Offline Maps Menu in the Main Toolbar at the bottom of the screen. Click here to learn how to use the Search feature to quickly find the area.
To save a new Offline Map, tap "New Map" in the Offline Maps Menu.
Give your map a name, if desired, and choose the map's size and resolution. Five mile wide maps have the best resolution when zoomed in, while 150 mile wide maps have the lowest resolution when zoomed in.
Tap "Save" at the bottom of the menu to begin downloading the map.
After the map downloads, you will see a bright green rectangle around the saved area. You can save multiple Offline Maps next to each other to download a larger area.
Managing Offline Maps in the onX Backcountry App
Viewing saved Offline Maps:
Tap a saved map's name in the Offline Maps Menu to view its boundaries on the main map.
If the Offline Map's border is bright green, the map is currently downloaded to the device.
If the Offline Map's border is dashed red and white, the map is not currently downloaded to the device.
Editing Offline Maps:
To make changes to a saved map, tap the three dots to the right of the map's name in the Offline Maps Menu.
- Edit: Change the Offline Map's name. This can make it easier to find in the Offline Maps Menu when you sort by name.
- Update: Update a map that's currently saved. If it's been a few weeks or more since you saved your maps, make sure to update all the ones you'll need before you leave service.
- Remove from Device: Remove the map from your device, but keep it saved on your account. You can download it again later by tapping the down arrow to the left of the map's name in the Offline Maps Menu.
- Delete: Remove the map from all your devices and delete it from your account.
Sorting Offline Maps:
Sort the list of saved maps in Offline Maps Menu by tapping the "Sort" bar under the "New Map Button."
- New to Old: Most recently created maps in your account will be displayed first. Sort maps this way to see if your device has the newest maps on your account.
- Old to New: Oldest maps in your account will be displayed first. Sort maps this way to clean up old maps you don't need anymore.
- Ascending (0-9, A-Z): Maps beginning with numbers are first, starting with 0 and counting up, then maps starting with letters in alphabetical order.
- Descending (Z-A, 9-0): Maps beginning with letters come first , starting with Z in reverse alphabetical order, then maps starting with numbers counting down from 9.
Saving Offline Maps using the onX Backcountry Web Map
You can use your computer's larger screen and mouse to define areas you want to save to your mobile device for offline use. Offline Maps saved using the Web Map are NOT downloaded onto your computer, but they are saved to your account so you can quickly download them to your phone or tablet.
Move the map to the location you want to save, and open the Offline Maps Menu in the Main Toolbar on the left side of the screen.
To create a new Offline Map, click "New Offline Map" in the Offline Maps Menu.
Give your map a name, if desired, and choose the map's size and resolution. Five-mile wide maps have the best resolution when zoomed in, while 150 mile wide maps have the lowest resolution when zoomed in.
Click "Save" at the bottom of the menu to save the map to your account.
Move the map and click "Save" again to continue creating maps until the entire area you need is outlined in bright green.
These maps are saved to your account, but they are not yet available to use offline. In the onX Backcountry App on your mobile device open the Offline Maps Menu, and download your new maps by tapping the download arrow to the left of the map's name.
Managing Offline Maps in the onX Backcountry Web Map
Click the three dots to the right of the map's name in the Offline Maps Menu.
- View Map: Move the main map to the location of the saved map.
- Edit Map: Change the Offline Map's name. This can make it easier to find in the Offline Maps Menu when you sort by name.
- Delete: Remove the map from all your devices and delete it from your account.
Sort the list of saved maps in Offline Maps Menu by clicking the "Sort" bar at the top of the Offline Maps Menu.
- New to Old: Most recently created maps in your account will be displayed first. Sort maps this way to see the newest maps on your account.
- Old to New: Oldest maps in your account will be displayed first. Sort maps this way to clean up old maps you don't need anymore.
- Ascending (0-9, A-Z): Maps beginning with numbers are first, starting with 0 and counting up, then maps starting with letters in alphabetical order.
- Descending (Z-A, 9-0): Maps beginning with letters come first , starting with Z in reverse alphabetical order, then maps starting with numbers counting down from 9.!