OS Locate 4+

Ordnance Survey

    • Free

Description

Make the most of your adventures in the great outdoors with OS Locate. Used alongside your Ordnance Survey map, OS Locate is a fast and highly accurate means of pinpointing your exact location on the map, anywhere in Great Britain. If you have lost your bearings or simply would like a little reassurance, OS Locate is the ideal companion for all enthusiasts of the great outdoors.

The app converts GPS location readings from your mobile phone to Ordnance Survey National Grid references, enabling you to determine precisely where you are on an Ordnance Survey map. No mobile signal? No problem; OS Locate does not require a mobile signal to function – the inbuilt GPS system can be relied upon, even in the most remote areas.

Simply download the app and switch on your device’s location services (Settings – Privacy – Location services).

OS Locate is packed with additional features. The ‘Share’ button allows you to connect with friends and family via messaging and social media – let them know where you are, how your adventure is progressing and what time you will be home. Use the handy digital compass to take your bearings – always ensuring you are on the right track. For those who are keen to learn more about maps and navigation, the ‘About’ button hosts a wealth of information including hints and tips and a guide to map reading. In addition, you will find simple yet comprehensive guides on how to use eastings and northings.

OS Locate – know where you are.

OS Locate is a complementary tool for Ordnance Survey paper maps. You should always have an Ordnance Survey paper map and baseplate compass when exploring the great outdoors.

Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

Please ensure your Location Services are turned on.

OS Locate has been updated to provide even greater peace of mind by providing accurate altitude information. As this is taken from the GPS signal, it will always be available.

Also new for version 1.1, OS Locate will automatically detect whether you are outside Great Britain, and convert Ordnance Survey’s Northing and Easting location information into internationally recognised Latitude and Longitude readings, which can be used anywhere in the world.

Finally, Ordnance Survey has partnered with Silva Compasses to update the virtual compass feature to use Silva’s trademarked design for greater usability.

What’s New

Version 1.6.2

Analytics improvements

Ratings and Reviews

4.7 out of 5
12.9K Ratings

12.9K Ratings

SimonTheGood ,

Great Little App

This app tells you the three basic things you need to know when navigating in unknown terrain - where you are, the direction you’re heading and your current elevation.
Used in conjunction with an OS paper map, it’s a useful tool for the Cairngorms, the Peak District or any other relatively untamed area in the UK. Not as comprehensive as a full-blown GPS, but now that it can give a much more granular position reading than previous versions, it’s a useful tool to have on your phone.
I haven’t quite figured out what the simulation of the Silva compass is for, but I live in hope it will become apparent one day.

ClareFrances ,

App fixed after I reported that sharing location gave a broken link

Updated review (September 2021): There was previously a bug that using its Share feature gave a location URL that gave “Incorrect URL”.

I reported this via Twitter to the Ordnance Survey - got a very helpful response and it has been fixed for some time now…

A good experience - review changed from 1* to 5*, as it now does exactly what it’s supposed to do…

Developer Response ,

Hi, we're sorry you experienced an error with the URL, that's now fixed in the latest version,

Bardolphus ,

BUG REPORT: Compass points 90 degrees out in landscape mode

Apple iOS allows you to rotate an iPhone app running on an iPad, so that it appears “the right way up” even when your iPad is in landscape (horizontal) orientation.

The compass in OS locate points north correctly when used in portrait mode, but when you rotate your device to the horizontal, it no longer points north (pointing either east or west instead depending on which way round your iPad is). This is potentially very dangerous - please fix it!

Otherwise, what a great app. being able to get an accurate grid reference on demand is brilliant.

App Privacy

The developer, Ordnance Survey, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy.

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

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