FAQ
Questions and answers
The questions people ask before and after installing GPX Atlas.
Getting started
Is GPX Atlas free?
Yes. Every feature is free. A small banner pays for the app; one purchase removes it for good. There is no subscription.
Do I need an account?
No. There is no account and no sign-in. Your tracks stay on your phone.
Which files does it open?
GPX, GPZ, KML, KMZ, FIT, TCX, LOC, GeoJSON and zip files holding several tracks — from any app. See Opening files.
Does it open files from Strava, komoot, Garmin or Google Earth?
Yes, as they are: GPX from Strava, komoot, Wikiloc and AllTrails, FIT from Garmin devices, KML and KMZ from Google Earth and My Maps.
Is there an iPhone version?
No. GPX Atlas is an Android app. An unrelated app with the same name exists for iOS.
Which languages?
The app speaks 43 languages and follows your phone's language; you can change it in the settings.
On the trail
Does it work offline?
The GPS, the track, the guidance and the figures always work without a connection. Maps work offline where you downloaded an area — on official maps whose publisher allows it, such as IGN, USGS or basemap.at — or with your own MBTiles file. The street, satellite and terrain maps cannot be downloaded in advance; their terms forbid it.
Does it give turn-by-turn directions?
Yes when the file or your planned route has them: "Turn left in 80 m". Otherwise it announces the bends of the track: "The track bends left". Each turn comes with a vibration, and the voice if you turn it on.
Will it drain my battery?
Following uses the GPS like any navigation app. To save battery, let the screen go off: the phone vibrates for each turn and alert, and Wake the screen for cues lights it only when needed.
Can it record with the screen off?
Yes. A foreground service keeps recording with the screen off; the notification lets you pause, add a waypoint or finish.
Can I follow a track in reverse?
Yes: choose the direction when you start. If you walk it the other way by mistake, the app offers to switch.
Does it work with Bluetooth sensors?
Yes: standard heart-rate belts, cycling speed and cadence sensors, running pods and power meters.
Tracks and files
Can I edit a GPX file?
Yes: trim, split, merge, reverse, simplify, edit points and waypoints. Each edit is a new version; the original stays untouched. See GPX editor.
How do I convert GPX to KML?
Open the GPX, then ⋮ › Export… and choose KML or KMZ. It works the other way too. See Convert GPX and KML.
Why is the climb different from Strava or my watch?
Every app smooths GPS altitude its own way, and a barometer reads differently from a GPS. GPX Atlas explains its method and lets you adjust smoothing — see How the numbers are calculated.
Privacy
Does it upload my tracks or my position?
No. Your tracks, photos and position stay on your phone. The network is used for map and relief tiles, ads, and — only when you ask — place search, terrain elevation, route planning and suggestions. See Privacy.
Why does it not ask for access to all my files?
It does not need it: it reads the file you give it and keeps its own copy.
How do I get in touch?
Write to contact@ludiccraft.com, or use Suggest an improvement in the app's menu.
