Map Chart Mosaic
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I switch the map view from road map to satellite image?
In the upper left corner of the phone app select the menu option "Satellite".
Please watch the video
Can I use the smartwatch app without connection to my phone?
Yes, the smartwatch app can be used without connection to your phone.
But you need the phone app Map Chart Mosaic to download new map data to your smartwatch.
Please watch the video
Where is the Download button on my smart watch?
Menu button "..." >> scroll down >> Download
How can I select which map region gets downloaded to my smart watch?
The smartwatch downloads the map as you are seeing it on your phone.
Select the optimum phone map zoom level: more details vs. wide range.
Make sure that the map view at this zoom level is in the phone offline cache by moving the map around until you have seen all map views of interest.
The smartwatch will download the map region around the selected map location.
When the phone app is displaying a travel route (video), the smart watch will download the map along this route, starting from the selected map location.
Selecting a route will use the limited smartwatch storage space more efficiently and allows for additional watch app features (travel distance, ETA,...).
The smartwatch app has a smartwatch zoom option to change the map display size.
I have a Garmin watch. Why do I need internet access to download map data to my watch?
This is a Garmin design flaw. Garmin requires internet access for the map data transfer to your watch.
But you can still use the Map Chart watch app when you are offline. Only when you are downloading new map data to your watch you will need internet access.
If you don't have internet access you could export Garmin Custom Maps and copy them to your watch with an USB cable connection.
The download was interrupted by a watch Notification display and stopped working. What should I do?
Please press the Back button and try again (Menu >> Download).
The map download stopped with the error "No Internet". What should I do?
This may have been just a temporary connectivity problem.
Please try again (Menu >> Download).
Make sure the phone display does not switch off during download.
If it fails again read the suggestions for Fitbit "Connection Error".
The Garmin Widget "Satellite Map" started downloading, but before it reached 100%, it suddenly closed. What should I do?
Widgets have a short life and when the time is up, the Garmin System will close the Widget automatically.
Just restart the widget and resume the download (Menu >> Download) until you have reached 100%.
If you have a newer watch (fenix7,epix2...) you can open the widget also from the app list and if you don't start the widget from the Glance list, the Garmin System will not close it.
If you prefer offline maps in a long running watch app, that doesn't get closed by the Garmin System, you should get the app "Map Chart". The widget "Satellite Map" and the watch app "Map Chart" are based on the same phone app "Map Chart Mosaic", i.e. you pay only one time for the phone app and can use both.
How can I export Garmin Custom Maps with satellite images that cover larger areas?
Please read the Garmin Custom Maps instructions and watch the video.
I have a Garmin watch with touchscreen. Why does the app suddenly close when I am dragging the map on the touchscreen?
There is a difference between a touchscreen Drag Gesture, used for map panning, and a Swipe Gesture, which will close the app.
Please use the menu options for map panning if you have problems using the touchscreen gestures correctly.
How can I change the map zoom on my smartwatch?
Garmin watch: Action button
Apple Watch and Wear OS: Digital Crown or Menu >> Zoom
Fitbit has no zoom (too slow and not enough memory).
The smatwatch zoom changes the map display size, but not the map information.
The smatwatch map information (more details vs. wide range) is defined at map download.
How can I change the map display unit from Feet to Meter?
Please tap the Scale control in the left-bottom corner of the map to change the unit of measurement.
How can I change the format of the location coordinates?
Please tap the Location control at the bottom of the map to change the coordinate format from Decimal to Degrees-Minutes.
How can I create a travel route and display it on the map?
Menu >> scroll down >> Route... >> Add... >> Start
Tap '+' to add a route point. Tap OK (Check Mark) to save the route.
Alternatively you can import a Route GPX file.
How can I import a GPX data file (Marker, Route, Track)?
Open an app that can export GPX data and from there Share the GPX data, e.g.:
Email attachment >> Share >> Map Chart
Alternatively, if the GPX file is stored in a shared folder on your phone:
Menu >> scroll down >> Route... >> Add... >> Import >> Select GPX file
How can I import a Garmin Activity Track from Garmin Connect mobile app?
Garmin Connect >> Menu >> Activities >> All Activities >> Share >> Web Link >> Map Chart
How can I record my GPS Track and display it on the map?
Menu >> scroll down >> GPS Track... >> Add... >> Start
Make sure that you give the app the Permission for location tracking (iOS Location "Always").
Why does the GPS Track recording on the iPhone fail with "ERROR: GPS Track Permission"?
You didn't give the app the permission for GPS tracking (Location "Always").
Unfortunately Apple asks only one time for the permission. If you say NO the first time, it will never ask again.
But you can go to the iPhone Settings and change the app permission there.
Or just uninstall/install the app and Apple will show the app permission question again.
How can I extract the essential Route points from a GPS Track?
Menu >> scroll down >> GPS Track... >> 'i' button >> Route
Can the app also display PDF maps?
Yes, you can import paper map photos or map files (PDF, GeoTIFF, KMZ...):
Menu >> More... >> Map Pictures >> Add...
Alternatively, you can use the phone File Manager app to locate the map file and Share it with the Map Chart app.
How can I download and import a map file?
1.) Use the Web Browser (Chrome or Safari) to download the map file and save it into the phone Downloads folder.
2.) Select the downloaded file (long press) and share it with the Map Chart app.
Make sure that you share the downloaded map file and not a low resolution preview image.
Downloading files with the Safary Web Browser can be quite unintuitive:
When you tap a link to a map file you may just get a low resolution preview and no option for download.
Instead of tapping the link, do a long press on the link and then you will get a download option.
If you have downloaded a ZIP file, share the ZIP file with Map Chart (don't uncompress it).
How can I display my GPS location on a paper map picture or travel guide screenshot?
PDF maps and GeoTiff map files are generally already calibrated for GPS location display.
Map files and paper map pictures that do not have calibration information, can be calibrated manually.
Please read the map picture import and calibration instructions and watch the map calibration video.
Why does the app say "Waiting for GPS..."?
It may take a long time (more than a minute) to receive a GPS satellite signal. The reception of GPS satellite signals requires a clear view of the sky and it may not work if you are inside of a building.
Please read how GPS works: Global Positioning System (GPS)
The Fitbit Versa doesn't have a GPS sensor and requires a phone connection to receive the GPS location from your phone, i.e. if there is a phone connection problem the Fitbit Versa will not get GPS. Sorry, we can not help you with phone connection problems (see "Connection Error" below).
Why does my smartwatch say "No Map for GPS"?
The smartwatch app does not have any maps for your current GPS location.
Select on your phone a new Map Chart location and then download the new Map Chart from your smartwatch.
What does the Compass indicator show?
There are two ways to get heading information:
1.) GPS Course Over Ground
This is your movement direction and this does not work when you are standing still.
2.) Compass
This is the heading information from the Magnetic Compass Sensor and this works also when you are standing still. It shows on the map the direction you are currently facing. Turn around, to face a different direction and note the direction indicated on the map.
Stay away from wires and electronic devices, their magnetic field may disturb the compass sensor.
Currently only the phone app and the Garmin Widget "Satellite Map" show compass information.
The Fitbit app Map Chart just says "Connecting..." when I download a map. Nothing happens. What should I do?
Please wait at least one minute for "Connecting..." (the Fitbit is slow).
If it gets stuck with the "Connecting..." message for a longer time, there is a connection problem between your watch and your phone (see "Connection Error" below).
Why does the Fitbit app show a "Connection Error" when I download a map?
Please be patient, the Fitbit connectivity is slow and unreliable .
The Fitbit "Sync" step, shown in the video, is very important. Don't skip it and make sure that the watch app "Map Chart" is closed during the Sync.
Please try this:
1.) On your watch: close the app "Map Chart" and keep it closed until watch and phone are in Sync.
2.) Open the Fitbit phone app and Sync it with your watch, wait until it says "a moment ago"
3.) On your phone: open the app "Map Chart Mosaic" and adjust the map view.
4.) On your watch: open the app "Map Chart" and tap the Download button.
5.) Wait at least one minute for "Connecting..." (the Fitbit is slow).
If the watch display goes black, just tap the watch screen to switch the display on again.
Steps 1) and 2) are really important, don't skip them.
Unfortunately Fitbit is doing a terrible job to recover from connectivity problems.
So you may have to repeat these 5 steps several times.
Try it with different Connectivity settings:
* WiFi on, Mobile Data off
* WiFi off, Mobile Data on
Sometimes it helps to Restart your phone and your watch (power off - power on) and then repeat the 5 steps above as shown in the video
Sorry, we can not help you with watch connection problems.
This is a problem in the Fitbit phone app, which is responsible for all the communication between watch and phone. Fitbit had promised to fix these problems a long time ago, but so far they have failed to do this:
https://community.fitbit.com/t5/SDK-Development/Companion-messaging-and-writing-a-file-Not-working/m-p/2400027#M2173
But if you make sure that Fitbit watch and phone are connected and
if you follow the "Sync" steps correctly, as described above and shown in the video, you should be able to get it working.
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