How frustrating it can be when your friend shares with you an awesome hike but you cannot open the map because they use a different application or you download the map of a walk you want to do online but cannot get it to work on your phone!!! This is because maps are in a GPX format. So what exactly is a GPX file and how can you view the GPX files on your phone? This article is a step-by-step guide to show you how to download and upload GPX files to get the route on your phone.
Updated August 2022: Following the acquisition of ViewRanger by Outdooractive, I have updated this article by deleting ViewRanger from the step-by-step guide below and replacing it with Outdooractive.
If you haven’t visited it already, I have a page where you can find the maps of most of the walks I have done here. All the files on this page are in GPX format. In this guide, I show you how to download and upload the file to be able to view it on your phone.
What is a GPX file?
So what is a GPX file? According to Wikipedia, a GPX file (GPS Exchange Format) is a GPS data file showing tracks, routes and waypoints that can be read by software applications. The format is “open” which means anyone can read the maps for free. The aim of a GPX file is to allow GPS data to be exchanged between devices such as smartwatches to phones. It additionally makes it possible for hikers to share maps, routes and tracks they completed with others.
How to Open Zipped Files on Mac/IOS
If you are like me, an Apple aficionado, from Mac Books to Iphones passing by Air Pods, this is what you need to do (and have) to upload the GPX file.
The files you download from the Maps page on this site are zipped. You, therefore, need to unzip them. A task that may sound easy on a PC but all of a sudden becomes a brainteaser on a Mac. You can use the different tools:
- Application Tools (this is the default tool on Mac)
- iZip (my recommendation)
After multiple trials using the default tool on Mac, I was still unable to unzip the file. Therefore I downloaded iZip, a free application compatible with Mac.
Once you have downloaded the map from the page, go to your download folder. Find the file name and right-click on it. Then, choose the option “open with iZip“.
Then a pop-up window appears asking you if you want to unzip all files. Click “OK“.
Then your unzipped file appears in the document list.
Then select the file by clicking on the dot on the left-hand side of the document’s name and select the icon “Share” at the bottom. On the drop-down list, select “Save”. You can now save the GPX file wherever you want on your computer.
View GPX files on Google Maps
Can I open a GPX file on Google Maps? Yes, you can. Let me show you how you can import a GPX file on Google Maps.
Opening a GPX file on Google Maps
If you already have the file of the map you want to open on Google Maps, that’s fine. If not, head to my Maps page to download a map. Click on the pink button where it is written “Download Map Here” in front of the name of the walk. The file will automatically download and appear in your “downloads” folder on your computer. In this example, we are downloading the Sole Street Circular walk map.
Once you downloaded the map, open Google My Maps. Click on “Get Started“. You then land on your My Maps account which should look like the one below. Note that you might be required to open an account if you do not have a Google account already.
Click on the red button “Create a New Map” in the top left corner. You then arrive on a page showing a map (in my case Europe because this is where I am based). On the left-hand corner, you see a box called “Untitled Map“. You can create a name for your map here. Just below, there is an “Untitled Layer” box ticked. Click on it and a pop-up window will open and you will be able to change the name of the layer to whatever you want. Just underneath it, there is a blue arrow called “Import”.
Click on the blue “Import“. It will open a pop-up window where you can upload the GPX file you want to open on Google Maps. Give it a few seconds for the map to load and ta-da!!!
Is Google Maps good for hiking trails?
While Google Maps is a great and reputable application, it is not suitable for hiking trails. As you can see on the map above, Google Maps does not show tracks but only streets and roads which makes it unsuitable for hiking.
To be able to read a hiking map and follow the directions, you need an application that provides you with more significant details in terms of tracks, waypoints and also elevation. So let’s have a look at some of the applications you can download on your phone.
Applications you need to view GPX files for hiking maps
There is a myriad of applications out there to help you view GPX files on Android or IOS phones. But which ones are the best for hiking? I will talk you through two top-rated applications you can download on your phone for hiking maps.
Outdooractive (former ViewRanger)
History
Outdooractive is an application for Android and IOS and Europe’s largest outdoor platform. It allows you to navigate, record tracks and share them.
It was founded by Hartmut Wimmer in 1994 as a planning company for building and construction projects. in 2000 Hartmut designed the first bike route for one of the projects in Bad Hindelang. Three years later he designed the Nordic Park Route which is a massive success and a stepping stone toward touristic projects.
It was only in 2008 that the brand Outdooractive emerges and the eponym website was launched. The app will follow 2 years later. The company gains a reputation in the outdoor and tourism world and received several awards. In 2021, Outdooractive acquires ViewRanger, a leading map and trail app for hikers and bikers, with the vision to create the world’s number 1 navigation platform.
Pricing
You can download the application, open an account and use its navigation features for free. However, if you want additional features, you will be required to pay a yearly subscription. The table below shows their different offers.
| Free | Pro | |
| Include | Create routes, download plans, track routes, upload pictures | Create routes, download plans, track routes, upload pictures |
| Additional Features | Highly detailed maps, Buddy Beacon, voice navigation offline, flight records of tracks | |
| Price | £4.45/month |
Please note that since ViewRanger was acquired by Outdoor Active there might be a change in the above pricing table. They have a basic free offer, a Pro and a Pro + plans for respectively €2.50/month and €5.00/month.
OS Maps
History
Their story begins in 1745 in the wake of the Jacobite rebellion where the need for military mapping of the Scottish Highlands felt necessary. Two years later, as the French Revolution grew, there was a fear that it could expand across the Channel. As a result, the young engineer William Roy was tasked to map the South Coast of England to be able for the military to put in place a strategy to protect the coast.
Ordnance Survey (OS) is a government-owned mapping agency of Great Britain. With headquarters located in South Hampton, the company counts around 1,200 employees. Known to the general public for their leisure walkers map, OS also provides digital maps and phone applications as well as services for businesses and the government.
Pricing
While OS Maps likewise offers a free version, you are quite limited with what you can do compared to the free version of ViewRanger. For example, you cannot save your tracks on the free version.
They offer two types of membership, either £2.99 monthly or £23.99 yearly, which is cheaper than the yearly subscription of ViewRanger.
There are a lot more navigation applications on the market. I chose to only review these two as they are the most popular applications among hikers. In the next part, I will be showing you how to upload a GPX file onto your phone using ViewRanger and OS Maps applications.
Step by Step guide to view GPX files on your phone
In order to view GPX files on your phone and follow the trails, you need to download the map and then upload it onto your navigation application. In the below tutorial, I will be showing you how to download the map on your computer and upload it on Outdooractive and OS Maps application on your phone.
Outdooractive
Open an account with Outdooractive here by clicking on the “Sign Up for Free” button and following the steps. If you already have an account, go on the home page and click on “Sign in” in the top right corner.
Once logged in, you arrive on your profile page. On the top menu, click on “Route Planner” on the top menu.
Then on the next page, scroll down to the “Import GPX Track” blue hyperlink. Click on the hyperlink and a pop window appears. Find where you have saved the map when you downloaded it and select the file. In this example, we are uploading the Horsenden Hill Walk map.
Click “Import” and then the trail appears on the screen. To save it, click on the green button “Continue“.
Then, on the next screen, you have an option to give a title to the track and then click on the green button “Save“. The map now saved under your profile
Go to the application on your phone. On the home page click on “My Page“.
Then, on the next screen click on “Plan“.
The list of all your plans appears on the screen, including the Horsenden Hill Walk plan at the top.
Happy walk!
OS Maps
Open an account with Ordnance Survey (and not OS Maps to have a free account) and download the OS Maps application on your phone. To create an account, click here. Select “Sign Up Now” and follow the steps.
Then go to the OS Maps website using this link and sign in on the top right corner.
Once on your profile click on the three lines on the top left corner and a menu will appear on the left-hand side of the screen. Select “Routes“.
On the next screen, select “Import GPX“.
Then chose the file you want to upload and once selected click on the “Upload” button.
A pop-up window will appear confirming the route you are trying to upload and asking you if you want to make this route private or not. Once satisfied it is the correct route, click “Import“.
You will get a message confirming that the route has been imported.
You have now uploaded the map to your profile! You can then open the application on your phone and select the three lines on the left corner.
Select “Routes“.
Then look for the map you downloaded (in our case the Sole Street Circular Walk). Click on the arrow at the bottom right to expand the window and then select “Start Route“. Enjoy the hike!
Final Thoughts on how to view GPX files
While it might seem complicated at first to view GPX files on your phone, it gets easier with practice. The more you do it, the more intuitive it will get.
If you do experience any issues with downloading and uploading the maps from my site to your phone, please do not hesitate to contact me using the contact form here.
