Help & Support

Topo4GPS for Android — Getting Started

Topo4GPS for Android brings the same detailed New Zealand topographic mapping to your phone that Topo4GPS users have relied on for years on dedicated GPS devices. The map is rich with information drawn from a variety of New Zealand data sources, including contour lines, tracks, huts, roads, rivers, place names and much more.

The app is designed to be simple and intuitive. It works entirely offline once the map has been downloaded — no cell coverage required. Unlike many outdoor apps, Topo4GPS does not continuously log your track in the background. This is a deliberate choice to preserve battery life, which is critical when you're relying on your phone for navigation in the backcountry.

First Launch & Trial

When you first open Topo4GPS, you'll be asked to accept the licence agreement, after which you can choose to start a free 3-day trial or purchase the full map straight away.

1	First you'll be prompted whether you'd like Topo4GPS to access your device's location. For full functionality, choose 'While using the app'. Read and accept the licence agreement, when prompted, to proceed.
2	Tap "Start Free Trial" to begin your 3-day trial, or "Purchase" if you'd like to buy the full map immediately.
3	The app will download approximately 350 MB of map data. This requires an internet connection (Wi-Fi recommended). A progress bar will show the download status. Once complete, the app will take a moment to prepare the map for use. After this initial setup, the app works entirely offline.

Navigating the Map

Navigating the map works the same way as most mapping apps you'll be familiar with:

📱	Pan — Drag the map with one finger to move around.
🔍	Zoom — Pinch to zoom in or out. Double-tap to zoom in.
📍	Your position — Your current GPS location is shown as a red crosshair on the map. Tap it to view your coordinates, altitude and GPS accuracy.
🔒	Lock to position — From the menu, tap Lock to keep the map centred on your current location as you move. Tap it again to unlock.

The map is always oriented with true north at the top of the screen.

Searching for Places

Topo4GPS includes an extensive database of nearly 200,000 places across New Zealand — including settlements, huts, tracks, peaks, rivers, roads, and points of interest.

1	Tap the menu button (bottom right), then tap Search.
2	Type at least 2 characters to begin searching. Results appear as you type, sorted by distance from your current location.
3	To narrow results, tap the filter icon to the right of the search box. This reveals category chips that let you filter by type — for example, showing only Water Features or Historic sites. Selected filters are shown with a count badge on the filter icon.
4	Tap a result to jump directly to that location on the map.

Creating & Using Marks

Marks (waypoints) let you save locations for future reference — a campsite, a car park, a point of interest, or a destination you want to navigate to.

1	Centre the map on the location where you'd like to place a mark.
2	Tap the menu button, then tap Set Mark. A mark will be placed at the centre of the screen.
3	Tap an existing mark to see options: rename it, lock it (to prevent accidental deletion), navigate to it, or delete it.

Marks are saved between sessions — they'll still be there when you next open the app.

Navigating to a Mark

Once you've created a mark, you can easily navigate to it. The app will display a bearing and distance from your current position.

1	Tap the mark you want to navigate to, then tap Go To.
2	A navigation bar will appear at the top of the screen showing the distance and magnetic bearing to the mark. These update as you move. The bearing shown is a magnetic bearing, meaning it accounts for New Zealand's magnetic declination. You can use this bearing directly with a compass.
3	To stop navigating, tap the × button on the navigation bar.

Importing & Exporting GPX Files

GPX is a standard format for sharing routes, tracks and waypoints between apps and devices. You can import GPX files (for example, a planned route from another app) and export your marks as GPX for use in other software.

Importing a GPX file

1	Copy the GPX file to your phone (for example, via email, cloud storage, or USB). Save it into "Android/data/nz.co.topo4gps/files/gpx/".
2	In Topo4GPS, tap the menu button, then tap Import GPX. Select the file from the list.
3	The imported routes, tracks, and waypoints will appear on the map. Tap any route or track to view its details or remove it, tap any mark to navigate to it.

Exporting as GPX

Units & Settings

The app offers a few settings accessible from the menu:

Show/Hide Hunt Blocks or NZ Grid

Offering added familiarity for those used to using LINZ paper 1:50k maps - and to aid with distance estimation - we've added the ability to show (or hide) an NZTM grid with 1km squares. Also, if you're not hunting you may wish to hide the public hunting block boundaries. To show or hide these, simply:

1	Tap the menu button.
2	Tap 'Hunting Blocks' or 'NZ Grid' to show or hide the layer. If highlighted in orange, they're currently set to show.

By default, the hunting blocks are shown and the grid is hidden.

Updating the Map

Something we're extremely proud to offer with this product is free map updates. Once you purchase, every time we update the Android map you can get it for free!

1	Tap the menu button and then 'About'.
2	Here you'll see both the app version number and the map version number. Tap Check for map updates.
3	If a map update is available, you'll be prompted to download it. Given the maps are >300MB we suggest doing this over WiFi. Once downloaded this updated map will replace your old map.

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