Operation
You need at least iOS 15 or Android 4.4 to run the newest Magic Earth versions.
For Android, it is recommended to download it from Google Play. Make sure that Google Play is updated to the latest version. If you use a degoogled phone, please use the direct apk link on our website. For iOS, please download from Apple Store.
Please try the following:
- if you have a SD card in your phone, unmount the SD card and retry
- try a clean reinstall (uninstall completely + reinstall) of the app
- try restarting the phone
This is usually caused by the SD card handling. Unmount the SD card and see if startup is still slow. If yes, do a clean reinstall. If no, try moving the downloaded maps from external to internal storage, if you have enough space.
Please try the following:
- disable Dashcam (if enabled)
- disable ADAS (if enabled)
- disable terrain view (select a "flat" map style, without elevation)
Contact us at support@, describing the issue, when does it occur and how to reproduce it (if able to tell), what phone model, OS version, and app version do you use. It will also help us if you send a debug log and crash log.
Please do the following steps:
- enable debug mode from Settings > Advanced
- close and restart the app
- reproduce the issue
- send the log via Settings > Support > Get in touch > Send feedback The debug log (and any crash logs) will be attached to the e-mail.
On Android, check the following folders on the internal storage of the phone:
- \Android\data\com.generalmagic.magicearth\files - find any crash_report.txt.gz file
- \Android\data\com.generalmagic.magicearth\files\Download\MAGICEARTH\GMcrashlogs - any dmp file, including those in subfolders Send us these files in mail, including a description of the issue.
Display
Tap on the bullseye icon in the bottom left corner. This works both in tracking and navigation mode.
When the map is following your position, you cannot rotate it. Move the map a bit to the left or right in order to stop position following; then you can rotate it.
This sets the desired map display for when you are driving:
- Automatic: map switches from 2D to 3D when you drive straight at a higher speed and no turn is expected ahead, and from 3D to 2D when you approach a junction or a turn. The app also zooms out at higher driving speed and zooms in when slowing down. You can also adjust the view manually: drag with two fingers to change the tilt, pinch to change the zoom, and use the target icon in the upper right corner to return to Automatic
- 2D: map stays in 2D during navigation
- 3D: map stays in 3D during navigation
Yes, you can enable or disable this in Settings > Navigation > North Up.
The startup view is the same as the view when you closed the previous session (zoom and tilt).
Settings > General > Distances in the app menu.
This follows Settings > General > Distances; if you choose there miles/feet, the temperatures will appear in Fahrenheit, else in Celsius.
Magic Earth uses the same time format as your phone, so you must set it in the phone system.
The app will always match your phone system language (e.g. if your phone language is German, the app will also be in German). If this is not so, please contact us!
Please contact us at support@ to suggest correct translations. If there are many strings to fix, we can give you a translator account in weblate.
It is a mirrorred display of some basic navigation info; if you place the phone horizontally under the windshield and the text / arrow will reflect in the windshield glass, and it's especially nice at night.
Settings > Navigation > Car > Head-up Display (select any variant).
That is the Head-up Display. You can disable it in Settings > Navigation > Car > Head-up Display (set to Off).
Maps
Magic Earth uses OpenStreetMap as map database. It is a collaborative mapping project that relies on contributions from users (just like Wikipedia etc).
OpenStreetMap is still incomplete, especially in Southern Europe, South America etc. For instance, many addresses or speed limits are missing.
Since it is a freely editable database, you can add or fix the elements in question, or contact some local mapping group to do it. A short tutorial on OpenStreetMap editing is available here: https://learnosm.org/en/beginner/id-editor/ - however there are other editor applications as well (such as JOSM).
We usually release new maps each month, around the middle of the month.
The map update is initiated automatically. Whenever new Magic Earth maps are available, the app will ask you if you wish to update right away, or postpone. You don't have to check manually for anything.
You can download maps (countries or regions) to your phone, so you can plan a route and navigate there even when you have no internet connection or do not wish to use mobile data. You can download maps in Settings > Maps.
Only the cartographic data is downloaded, the elevation (terrain) data and satellite imagery are not included in the files. (Therefore, in case you plan to use Magic Earth only offline, it is recommended that in Settings > General > Day Style (and Night Style) you select a "flat" view - i.e. no Elevation or Satellite, because these are not downloaded in those files).
Yes; if you are online and browsing the map, the elevation tiles in your view are cached offline (if you use elevation style). At home, with wi-fi connection, you can browse the map of the region across which you plan to travel or play a demo of your next route(s). This will cache the 3D map tiles of that region to your phone.
Usually maps should be downloaded / updated only via wi-fi, as their size is quite large. If you wish to download via mobile, tick the checkbox on the download popup (allow update via mobile). You may have to cancel and restart the download to get the popup again so you could tick the box.
No, this is not possible. Different map versions contain different object IDs and resources. If there are some maps you don't need, you may consider deleting them.
Bring up the list of downloaded maps, then long-tap (or swipe on iOS) on a map and select Delete.
This usually happens when we release new maps and everyone is downloading them (we have a limited bandwidth). Consider downloading only the maps you need, and deleting the rest. Also try saving the maps on the internal storage instead of the SD card (this speeds up download by 4-5 times on some devices and Android versions).
This is due to missing elevation data; if you are on mobile connection, make sure to enable Settings > Mobile Data > Terrain + Satellite. If you don't wish to use mobile data to download elevation data, connect to a wi-fi network. (Note that the elevation data is not downloaded with the offline map file, it is available only online.)
This is due to missing elevation data; if you are on mobile connection, make sure to enable Settings > Mobile Data > Terrain + Satellite (or select a flat map view instead of elevation).
If you are on mobile connection, make sure to enable Settings > Mobile Data > Terrain + Satellite. If you don't wish to use mobile data to download satellite images, connect to a wi-fi network.
As we would like to keep Magic Earth free, we only use imagery that is free to use (Google, Bing etc are not). For some countries (like most of the USA and some parts of Europe), we have good imagery (7.5 cm), but for others we could get only low resolution photos. If you know any free data sources for satellite images, please tell us and we'll include them!
Under Settings > General > Map Layers unselect the categories you don't wish to display.
Download the desired maps on your phone. Then copy the following files from the phone to the car device:
- all *.cmap files in /Android/data/com.generalmagic.magicearth/files/Download/MAGICEARTH/Maps/
- all WM_*.map files /Android/data/com.generalmagic.magicearth/files/Download/MAGICEARTH/Res/ The Maps folder is either on the internal or external storage (what you selected in Settings > General > Map Storage). The Res folder is always on the internal storage.
Locations & Positioning
Please check if Magic Earth can access the precise GPS location. On Android:
- long tap on Magic Earth, tap on "i", then Permissions -> Location: "Allow only while using the app" checked + "Use precise location" enabled
- in system settings -> Location -> Location services -> Google Location Accuracy is ON Also make sure you have a good GPS reception (e.g. you are outdoors).
Some privacy-focused Android-based phones fake the user's position (usually appearing in the Philippines). Please check the system settings and make sure that GPS localisation is not set to "random" or something of the same effect. Here is a description (check "Fake my location" chapter):
https://community.e.foundation/t/advanced-privacy-know-all-about-it/41992
For privacy reasons, we use only the "raw" GPS location, and not the Google Fused Location Provider API, and this is less precise and delayed.
There are several methods for this:
- in general, typing a location name, address etc in the Search bar will give results
- for addresses, you can also try Search > Address, then select the country, city, street and house number
- to list nearby POIs in a category (e.g. restaurant), type on Search, then tap on the icons or the "..." button below the Search bar
- it is also possible to enter generic strings in the search bar, e.g. "restaurant" will find all restaurants around
- you can also find locations by browsing the map
The Search is always done around the point you're looking at on the map, not your current GPS location. You should view your current location to find POIs around where you are.
See the remarks about OpenStreetMap accuracy in the Maps section. It is possible that the address point is not included in the map; you can add or correct this, or you can contact us for help or more information.
Likewise, these must be fixed in OpenStreetMap; see the Maps section.
Select the POI (or long-tap anywhere on the map), pull up the lower menu and "Set Alert". Note that this may not work on some phones.
Search for an address or long-tap on the map, then pull up the lower menu and tap on "Set as Home Location" or "Set as Work Location".
In Search > Favourites long-tap on Home or Work and select Edit (or Delete).
Routing & Navigation
In Settings > Navigation > Autostart select "Off" to prevent the navigation starting automatically.
Plan a route to a certain destination. Then tap on the route plan (upper bar) and select Add Waypoint. Alternatively, short-tap on a location on the map or long-tap anywhere on the map, or use the search functionality (magnifying glass icon) from the lower menu. After this, tap on the pin icon in the lower menu.
Tap on the route plan (upper bar), and rearrange them by pulling the "=" icons on the right of the waypoints.
Press the arrow icon on the right of the search bar, fill the departure and destination points, and start a demo.
To start a Navigation, the departure point must be your current position ("My Position"). If you have some other location as departure, only Demo is available.
Use the "arrow" icon in the top right corner: there you can select departure and destination individually.
This is most likely an OpenStreetMap issue; the road surface info is not defined in the map. You can correct such errors in OpenStreetMap, or you can contact us for help or more information. It is also possible that there are no paved roads leading to your destination, so the setting cannot be applied.
Likewise, the height restriction is most likely missing from OpenStreetMap, and has to be fixed there (or no other route can be found to the destination).
Settings > Warnings > Uninstall Speed Cameras.
Settings > Advanced Settings > Reset to Defaults.
Dashcam & ADAS
It records the view of the road during your travel, using the phone camera.
Advanced Driver Assistance System assist you in the driving process by providing forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and more, using the phone camera and sensors.
Enable either or both from Settings > AI DashCam. Place the phone in a windshield mount, in vertical position (so the camera could see the road ahead), in Landscape (not Portrait) orientation. Then the Dashcam and/or ADAS will start if the automobile speed exceeds about 20 km/h.
These require at least Android 8.1; please check your Android version.
These are stopped if you remove the phone from the windshield holder (hold it horizontally).
They should be under Search > Video logs. Physically they are stored (on Android) under /Movies/MagicEarthRecordings (on the internal storage). Incomplete videos are under /Android/data/com.generalmagic.magicearth/files/Download/MAGICEARTH/temp.
The video recording is automatically saved (goes from Incomplete into the Recordings folder) when you remove the phone from the windshield mount, or when you tap on the lock icon in the bottom right corner.
Enable Settings > AI DashCam > Allow Audio Recording. A microphone icon will appear on the right side of the screen; tap it to record (if it's red, then it is recording; if it's green, it doesn't).
ADAS Status Icons & Warnings
Status icons
Calibrating
Advanced Driver Assistance System is initializing when Driver Assistance is enabled in Settings > AI Dash Cam, the device is on the mount in landscape mode and the vehicle starts moving.
Active
Advanced Driver Assistance System is calibrated and can now issue warnings.
Not working optimally
Advanced Driver Assistance is not working optimally due to: heavy rain, bad exposure, low visibility or excessive movement.
Inactive
The device has been removed from the mount and the Advanced Driver Assistance System is no longer active.
ADAS warnings
Headway Warning
The distance between you and the moving vehicle in front of you becomes unsafe. At a speed greater than 30 km per hour, Magic Earth detects cars, buses, vans and trucks.
The symbol shown on the smartphone’s screen is accompanied by an audible saying “Keep distance”.
Forward Collision Warning
An imminent collision with the vehicle in front of you has been detected. The alert is issued up to 2.5 seconds before a collision, allowing time to react.
The flashing symbol displayed on the smartphone screen is accompanied by 3 high beeps.
Lane Departure Warning
You travel over 60 km per hour and the vehicle is about to cross the solid line.
The flashing symbol is accompanied by an audible saying “Keep your lane”.
Leaving Lane Warning
You travel over 60 km per hour and the vehicle is about to cross the broken line.
The flashing symbol is accompanied by an audible saying “Leaving lane”.
Pedestrian Collision Warning
You travel below 60 km per hour and there are moving or stationary pedestrians up to 50 meters in front of the vehicle.
The flashing symbol displayed on the smartphone’s screen is accompanied by 3 high beeps.
Stop & Go Assist - Watch out for vehicle
You travel below 30 km per hour and the distance to the stationary vehicle ahead becomes unsafe. The symbol is displayed on the smartphone’s screen and an audio warning is issued saying “Watch out for vehicle”.
Stop & Go Assist - Moving traffic
When traffic is starting to move from standing still in front of a red traffic light or in a traffic jam, the symbol is displayed on the smartphone’s screen and an audio warning is issued saying “Moving traffic”.
Sounds & Voices
If you use text-to-speech in ME (Settings > Sound > Voice Language), you must set the language in the phone system, in the text-to-speech settings. You also have the option to select a human voice in that menu.
Make sure you use text-to-speech in ME (Settings > Sound > Voice Language), and your text-to-speech language (this is set in the phone settings) is the same as the country language you're navigating in. For istance, if you set Italian TTS, and you are navigating in Italy, the street names will be pronounced.
Please check if it works OK if you use another music application.
Check if you enabled the receiving of sound or phone call (whichever you use) on the car device. Make sure the volumes are not too low in Settings > General > Sound. If nothing helps, contact support@ describing your setup (phone model and OS, sound settings in ME, device model).
Check if this article helps: https://www.guidingtech.com/fix-android-auto-not-playing-music/
Traffic & Events
They show traffic; orange means heavy traffic while red means standstill.
We get it from a third-party provider; it is not created by us.
You can check it here: https://www.magicearth.com/feature-availablity/#hd_traffic
We don't know if and when do they plan adding new countries.
Please send us the location, date, time of day, and description of the issue, and we'll take it up with our traffic provider.
Please send us the location, and preferably some news items confirming the closure (or lifting thereof), and we'll take it up with our traffic provider.
This depends on Settings > Navigation > Car/Truck > Avoid Traffic:
- if set to Off, it will do nothing
- if set to Prefer Current Route, it will display a screen where you can select between route options, and if you don't react, it will continue with the current route
- if set to Prefer Faster Route, it will display a screen where you can select between route options, and if you don't react, it will continue on the faster route
Yes; enable Settings > Advanced Settings > Report Events. An orange icon will appear in the bottom left corner. Tap on this to report a road event.
No, these are only informational and does not have effect on navigation.
Depends on the event: some for less than an hour, others for days or months.
When you are nearby, tap on the thumbs-down icon to vote it down and expedite its expiration.
Favourites
Select (or search for) an element, then tap on the "star" in the lower menu, next to the POI icon.
Type a name in the Folder field when saving a favourite. If a folder exists, it will be listed after you type 1-2 characters in the field.
Tap on the Favourite or POI to view it on the map, then pull up the lower menu and tap on the "share" icon. It will generate a link where lat / lon are also included.
Tap Search > Favourites, then the "share" icon in the top right, next to the search bar. This will generate a Favourites.xlm file.
It is recommended to send the file to yourself in mail or whatsapp attachment, then open it on the phone, tap on the attachment and select "Open With Magic Earth". (If you copy the file to the phone storage, it may not be opened correctly, since newer Android versions prevent opening files for security reasons.)
Check if the file manager you use associates the .xlm with any app on your phone. If not, using another file manager will solve the issue.
CarPlay & Android Auto
Make sure that Siri is on, then from the Home screen, select Settings > Siri & Search and enable.
Please try the following:
- install Magic Earth from Google play. APKs from other sources may not work with Android Auto.
- clear AA storage (long-tap on the AA app on the device > "i" > Storage & Cache > Clear Storage)
- try a device restart
- try a clean reinstall of Magic Earth
- check this link on power management: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/why-some-apps-are-not-available-on-android-auto-212024.html
The disclaimer can be accepted only on the phone. Plan a route on the phone, start navigation, accept the disclaimer. After that it will work on Android Auto as well.
Files
It is recommended to send the file to yourself in mail or whatsapp attachment, then open it on the phone, tap on the attachment and select "Open With Magic Earth". (Just like the Favourites.xlm file.)
Make sure you proceeded like above, i.e. tap on mail attachment (prefereably gmail on Android), instead of copying the file to the storage. If it still doesn't work, send us the KML file so we could check if the formatting is correct.
No, at the moment KML is used only for POI import, and GPX is used only for route import.
Search > in the POI icons list, tap on ... then scroll down, and a new category should be in the last place. You can also find them via Search if you know their exact names.
Make sure the KML file and the PNG file you wish to use as icon have the same name (e.g. asdf.kml and asdf.png). Place these two files in a zip file named "ImportKML.zip" (exactly this name), then import it via mail attachment.
Search > in the POI icons list, tap on ... then scroll down, then long-tap on the imported POI category you wish to delete.
In Settings > Navigation > Bike, select Fastest travel mode (not Economic).
When you plan a route, you can see a GPX folder where you select destination or waypoint; open it and select a GPX file.
Others
Please contact us at support@ and we will send you a direct link to the APK.
Magic Earth is free for all our end-users but we also have a paid Magic Earth SDK for business partners. For instance Selectric.de (a supplier for navigation solutions for ambulances and fire trucks), Smarter AI (developing ADAS systems) or Absolute Cycling (using the platform on bicycles). For more info on the SDK, you can check magiclane.com.
No, at the moment this is not possible.
No; since it is also used commercially (we have a paid Magic Earth SDK for business partners), we cannot make the code public.
If you have any suggestions, questions or need help, feel free to contact us at support@magicearth.com