Garmin Explore Android - Recent Threads

RE: GPSMAP H1i PLUS, Live Track, direction to save route at end of hike, provide name for route

Phillips.Jim — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:44:51 GMT

Thank you for the reply JungleJim. I did read most of those before leaving for Yosemite. One of the major changes I made was switching from Livestream to Mapshare.

I use my Garmin watch and like all the data I receive from that during walks/hikes/mountain bike rides. With Livestream you really do not get any saved data. With Mapshare you get a lot more. If you are going to use the GPSMAP H1i Plus for hiking the backcountry, use Mapshare. I love the map options on the H1i and not draining my watch battery while remote. Most of the hike there was zero cell phone service.

Thank you.

GPSMAP H1i PLUS, Live Track, direction to save route at end of hike, provide name for route

Phillips.Jim — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 14:37:46 GMT

New to GPSMAP H1i

We plan on hiking Yosemite the rest of this month. I cannot find how to save the day route and provide a specific name to route using Live Track. Or is there a better

way to record route and save name?

Real time position is lagging

3974453 — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 17:03:04 GMT

Hi everyone,

For several months now I have trouble when using Garmin Explore to navigate while cycling.

On the watch, the position is perfect and I can follow my track, however, on Garmin Explore on the phone, the icon moves every few minutes (making it useless)

Any idea how to fixe that ?

Of course I tried reinstalling the app, location authorisation is fully granted, battery not in economy mode.

Phone : S23 Ultra and S26 Ultra

Watch : Fenix 7 solar

Thanks !

RE: Real time position is lagging

3974453 — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 16:44:30 GMT

It's in the app.
You go on the map, then the layers. There, you'll find the parameters and at the very bottom, you need to desable "prefere the device position"
(not sure how it is in english since I use the french version)

hope it will help, even though I hope they will correct this for real.

RE: Real time position is lagging

5947278 — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:36:56 GMT

3974453 how did yiu change that setting and where please... Is it in the Garmin Explorer settings or the watch either way the more help on how to change this the better.

Thanks in advance

RE: Real time position is lagging

3974453 — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 15:32:01 GMT

I would say lagging because the app is still working perfectly.
I did not have that trouble at first (few years ago I would say).

I "solved" it by using the phone position instead of the watch position in the app.
It is a bit annoying because they are not in sync but at least I see the "blue arrow" moving.

RE: Real time position is lagging

Garmin - SP — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 18:16:12 GMT

It can definitely be mobile signal if you are in an area that has a lot of environmental interference.

GPS Drift and Environmental Factor Impact on GPS Accuracy for Garmin Outdoor Handheld Products

RE: GPSMAP H1i PLUS, Live Track, direction to save route at end of hike, provide name for route

JungleJim — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 20:21:02 GMT

Not sure I understand your question?

You can change the name of a track recorded with tracking (where you periodically send your location via inReach) in the Explore app or on Explore web.

For a recorded activity, you can specify the name when stopping recording and saving the activity. If you save with the default name, you can change the name of recorded activity in the Explore app (not sure if you can do it on device and I don't have my H1 at hand).

For an explanation of the differences between activities, tracks, courses and routes, see What are Tracks, Routes, Waypoints, Activities, and Courses on Garmin Outdoor Handhelds?. For the difference between tracking and activity recording, see Track Settings Explained on Current Garmin inReach Handhelds and Recording an Activity on the GPSMAP H1 Series and .

RE: Altitude model used is not in accordance with local altitude model

Garmin - JH — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 20:09:56 GMT

I can't speak to a specific location on a Topo Pro map for France based on so many factors and needed detail.
The best suggestion for something like this is to contact the local support office there in France.

You can reach them at +33 1 55 69 33 99 (toll-free call)
Monday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Closed weekends and public holidays.

Altitude model used is not in accordance with local altitude model

1102982 — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:02:57 GMT

The altitude model used in the "topo" map is quite different from the local altitude.

With the topo "topo pro" map the contours lines is the same as our local altitude model (in France)

But if you pin a point on the map. It will give you the false altitude from the "topo" map. Even when the "topo pro" map is activated.

Personnaly I think that's quite a shame to pay for the "topo pro" data. While in France the local topographic authority is giving access for free

RE: Real time position is lagging

5947278 — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 16:41:07 GMT

I have the exact same problem on the same watch and with an S25 Ultra phone.

It can be fine for a bit then lag for a while then go fine again.

I wondered if it was something to do with map caching, mobile signal etc but so fsr cannot find any logic/consistency with it!

RE: Real time position is lagging

Garmin - SP — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 16:02:30 GMT

Do you feel like it is lagging, or is it freezing during navigation? What is the scenery/environment like during these cycling activities while you are navigating on the app?

RE: How to fix location not updating in explorer app during activities?

6855051 — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:30:24 GMT

Make sure location permissions are set to “Allow all the time” for Explorer, disable battery optimization for the app, and make sure Bluetooth is stable during the hike. If the issue continues, try syncing one Garmin device at a time – the app can sometimes get confused by two simultaneous connections to the same source. Mayo Clinic portal

How to fix location not updating in explorer app during activities?

Peter Daniels — Sun, 24 May 2026 13:16:39 GMT

I have regularly experienced an incorrect location in my explorer that won't update even when I press the location icon repeatedly. This often occurs during an activity like a hike on a mountain. It's really important to know where I am. I generally have to look at other apps to get my actual location.

I have:

Android phone: Samsung s24+
Latest OS
Garmin fenix 7 pro sapphire solar (I start the activity on this device)
Garmin inreach mini

I have both garmin devices on and connected in the explorer app.

Please help.

Need help with offline maps

vanderloo — Sat, 02 May 2026 04:04:32 GMT

Can someone guide me to a comprehensive tutorial on how to integrate garmin explore with the InReach mini. I need to download an offline map that I can access for guidance to a location with no internet access.

Thank You

RE: Need help with offline maps

Attila — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 19:23:30 GMT

First, Osmand is not great at searching. It got better over the years, but it's not like Google Maps that can find mistyped places, etc. You have to be exact with names of streets, trails, etc.

However maybe your issue is that you haven't downloaded any maps yet? You have to go to the menu -> Maps & Resources -> and download your relevant region. It will only search in stuff that is already downloaded on your phone (as everything is local).

You can also download parts of the map if you zoom in somewhere on the base map, and then you'll have "Download detailed map" on the top of the screen.

Make sure to download all the contour lines for the area you want, and also the terrain 3d map, so that you can get shading. (same place where you downloaded the region's map).

Also switch to the "hiking layer" to show you all the hiking routes highlighted, as by default this app is very "all purpose".

Click this icon:

Then select the hiking mode:

Then make sure that the various contour lines, hiking routes, etc. are enabled:

Osmand is really great once you get to know it, but it has a very steep learning curve. I hope you can make it work for yourself, but it you don't like it, try the Orgnanicmaps, it's more simple.

RE: Need help with offline maps

vanderloo — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:24:38 GMT

I just downloaded Osmond.net and did about 12 searches. All having 0 results. Doesn't seem like this app is geared towards backpacking/hiking trails

RE: offline map viewing

Garmin - JH — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:05:15 GMT

DJGShef, I've sent you an email to collect more details about this. Please respond to me there so I can look further into what you're seeing.

For anyone else who comes across this thread with the same issue, please let me know, and I can reach out to you personally for further review.**

offline map viewing

Dalfy — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:25:34 GMT

This is the third time this has happened to me. After downloading the offline map, when I arrive in an area without data coverage or am in airplane mode to save battery life, I try to view the map and I can't see anything trail. What could be causing this problem? Perhaps I downloaded too large an area?

Sync issues when starting sync via watch

Stephan — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:29:54 GMT

When starting sync via watch (fenix 8, long-press uppper-left, select sync from the shortcut menu) the sync simply hangs unless i make sure to start explore on my android phone.

Seem explore does not run in the background like garmin connect does?!? Is there anything i can do about this?!?

That alone might be acceptable but if it hangs too long, then explore refuses to sync any more claiming "device it busy"..

I have worked out that i can get it to work again by deleting a bunch of files from the watch. So far i only tried this a few times and the last time i "only" deleted the DEBUG, FbtBackup, FbtPtbBackup and http directores AND the file EDM/transaction_id.bin .. i suspect transaction_id.bin might be the only file i need to delete but i'm not sure yet..

Any idea what to do about this?!?

RE: Sync issues when starting sync via watch

Attila — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:01:16 GMT

I did not know you can initiate a sync with Explore from the watch, I thought that only syncs with Garmin Connect Android. But yeah, I had issues even finishing a sync starting from the app until I tweaked the background restriction. I hope it helps you a bit too. I usually disable Garmin Explore because it tends to waste a lot of phone battery randomly, and only enable it when I (rarely) want to use it.

RE: Sync issues when starting sync via watch

Stephan — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:51:22 GMT

I totally agree with you; Explore is atrocious.. but a while ago i needed it for some routing while out in the wild. And i like the "collections" to organize tracks/courses. I also would love if the normal connect app would take over those parts. Please garmin, make connect take over and kill explore!

And no, when i say it hangs when syncing I mean it.. when i start the sync from my watch basicly nothing happens but when i start explore on my mobile phone the sync finishes in 15sec. However the unrestricted background usage might help with that.. i'll give it a try. Thanks for the idea!

RE: Need help with offline maps

Attila — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:14:46 GMT

Step 1: Stop using Garmin Explore for offline maps. 🙂

Step 2: Download something like https://osmand.net/ or https://organicmaps.app/ that can download and show offline maps on Android. These are both excellent and reliable. The former is a bit more complex but full of features, the latter is more simple and streamlined.

Garmin Explore is... neither.

EDIT: these of course not integrate with InReach mini, but you will be able to use them to navigate with rich contextual clues on the map on the phone. Not sure if you can actually use Garmin Explore to send a navigational breadcrumb trail to the InReach either. I think you have to plan those in Garmin Connect Web or Android before and sync the routes.

RE: Sync issues when starting sync via watch

Attila — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:07:26 GMT

It takes forever to "sync everything" with the watch if you have a lot of activities stored on it. What I found helped was to go in the "App info" part of Explore on Android (long click on the icon of the app) then go to -> App battery usage -> Allow background usage -> Unrestricted.

This way the app will be less likely to be paused/killed in the background while the super long sync completes. I found that after the watch syncs once, the sync process gets a bit shorter. But still very slow and inefficient, as the watch uploads all the activities back up through Bluetooth to the phone that it already did once for the main Connect app.

This Garmin Explore app is frankly just super outdated. Garmin should just pull its unique functionalities (like plan a route to a point on the map, having offline maps, showing all previous activities on the map) into the main Connect Android app and kill it. Or update it to be less slow and less unreliable.

Can I download all of UK rather than just tiles of specific areas?

DJGShef — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 07:51:27 GMT

I frequently travel somewhere and when I arrive, need a map to refer to.

I have been frustrated recently by finding myself in an area with no mobile signal and not having a map because it needs to be downloaded.

I'm sure I remember a few years ago being able to download a country or region in Garmin Explore.

I have plenty of storage on my phone - how can I get all the maps I might need so that I'm ready for travel adventures?