Vector maps (Map styles)
Overview
Vector maps are designed to be the default map data source for OsmAnd, so you need to download them to your device. Vector maps support a huge range of map styles for many activities like cycling, hiking, riding by car or snowmobile, etc. Each map style can be tuned to highlight or hide specific objects and switch between day and night mode. Map vector data could be augmented by vector data and displayed with default Map style, for example, Contour line information. You can create your own OsmAnd map style to demonstrate the necessary information.
Use cases
Configurable and custom map styles are one of the main advantages of OsmAnd. Each user can customize the map display to suit himself and his hobbies, configure it to display or hide certain map objects, the sizes and colors of these objects, and change the scale at which certain objects are displayed.
Default Map styles
OsmAnd offers you many map styles and data layers that fit by default. Let's take a look at the main ones for day and night modes.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Map rendering → Map style
Menu → Map type → Configure map → Styles for offline maps
OsmAnd
OsmAnd style is the default style of map rendering, general-purpose style. It offers details about the city such as streets, buildings, transport stops, etc. Simplified rendering to have cleaner maps in the populated cities. Key features: routes, surface quality, access restrictions, road shields, paths rendering according to SAC scale, whitewater sports features, topography features like contour lines.
Touring view
Touring style with high contrast and maximum detail. Includes all options of the OsmAnd default style, while displaying as much detail as possible, in particular roads, paths, and other ways to travel. Clear "touring atlas" distinction between road types. Suitable for day, night, and outdoor use.
UniRS and LightRS
Modification of the default style to increase contrast of pedestrian and bicycle roads. Uses legacy Mapnik colors.UniRS and LightRS styles are author styles that render the basic map information but in different colour schemes.
UniRS style: Modification of the default style to increase contrast of pedestrian and bicycle roads. Uses legacy Mapnik colors.
LightRS style: Simple driving style. Gentle night mode, contrasting orange styled roads, dims secondary map objects, topography features like contour lines.
Nautical
For nautical navigation. Features buoys, lighthouses, riverways, sea lanes and marks, harbors, seamark services, and depth contours. Read more about Nautical maps.
Winter and ski
For skiing sports. Describes the pistes, elevators, cross-country trails, and obscures secondary map objects. Winter and ski style is designed to help you with winter sports navigation: you can see the ski slopes and other details such as the difficulty of the slopes and elevator markers. Key features: the convenient display of slopes, elevators, and other skiing features. Less of the distracting secondary objects of the map. Read more about Ski maps.
Topo
For hiking, trekking, and nature cycling. Readable outdoors. Contrasting roads and natural objects, different route types, advanced contour line options, extra details. Adjusting "Surface integrity" distinguishes road quality.
OSM-carto
This style simulates default web OpenStreetMap style. Web source code is available at Github, OsmAnd code at Github.
Desert
For deserts and other sparsely populated areas. More detailed.
Offroad
For off-road driving based on 'Topo' style and for use with green satellite images as an underlay. Reduced main road thickness, increased thickness of tracks, paths, bicycle and other routes.
Snowmobile
For snowmobile driving with dedicated roads and tracks.
Map Legend
Map legend is a visual explanation of the symbols used on the map. It typically includes a sample of each symbol (point, line, or area), and a short description of what the symbol means. For example, a short segment of a blue sinuous line may be labeled 'rivers'. Map legend of OsmAnd maps you can find here.
Map Fonts (Android)
When writing local names in simplified/traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (Map language), incorrect hieroglyphs or even squares may appear. This happens when the device does not support the required fonts. Some issues with these incorrect fonts are described on our GitHub page: 3911, 8187, 9400, 10862. To solve this problem, the Android version of OsmAnd has the option to download the required fonts.
Download map fonts for simplified/traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean maps:
Menu → Download maps → Other → Map fonts
* Contour Lines
Contour lines are represented as vector maps that are displayed as elevation lines. You need to enable the Topography plugin, download the data for your region and configure the display. Feature is not enabled by default and needs to be purchased first.
Contour lines are available for all map styles and modes and could be configured via the Contour lines menu.
- Android
- iOS
Android Menu → Configure map → [object Object]
iOS Menu → Configure map → Topography
More information about Contour lines.
* Nautical depth
Nautical depth contour lines allow you to define areas of equal depth. They are designed to visualize changes in topography below the water surface. Nautical depth is available for all map styles and modes and can be adjusted whether or not the Nautical map view plugin is enabled.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Show → Nautical depth
Menu → Configure map → Map style → Nautical depth
More information about Nautical map view.
Show borders
This feature gives you the ability to switch on or off the display of the vector layer of previously downloaded maps from the list of available ones. Its general purpose is to hide areas and borders of downloaded maps when viewing the main map, especially if you have a lot of them.
The borders of the downloaded maps start displaying at zoom level 7 and are no longer displayed at zoom level 3.
Downloaded maps are displayed in Green in the Android and iOS versions of OsmAnd when the "Show borders of downloaded maps" feature is switched on. Archived maps in the Android system and those maps that can be updated in iOS are displayed in Orange.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Show borders of downloaded maps
Menu → Configure map → Show borders of downloaded maps
Configure Map Style
Map mode
The map is displayed according to the day or night mode selected from the list. And by default and for all new users, the map style corresponds to the light or dark theme selected in the system settings of your device.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Map rendering → Map mode
Menu → Configure map → Map style → Map mode
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Sunrise/sunset | Switches between day and night modes based on sunset and sunrise data at your location. |
| Day | The map view is always displayed in daytime mode. Light theme. |
| Night | The map view is always displayed in night mode. Dark theme. |
| Light sensor | The light sensor is used for day and night modes. |
Details
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Map rendering → Details
| Parameter and Description |
|---|
| More details. Showing polygons, trails, points, signs at low zooms on the map. It means you can see more details on your map at low zooms. Note: rendering on your device may be not fast. |
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| Show road surface. Showing type of surface of roads. Colour of the road helps you to understand what is the surface of the road is: asphalt, grass or sand etc. Look at Map legend. |
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| Show road quality. Indicates the quality of the road. Indicates the smoothness (slope) of the road. How smooth your roads are: good, bad, possibly terrible, etc. Look at the Map legend to determine the smoothness of your road. |
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| Show access restrictions and toll. Showing access of roads: private or permissive, or only for emergency, or maybe toll road. Look at Map legend to find your road access. |
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| Show Low Emission Zones. Showing green board and labels "LEZ" for Low Emission Zones in cities. A Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) is a geographically defined area which seeks to restrict or deter access by certain polluting vehicles with the aim of improving the air quality. It will help you not receive penalties in the green city center. |
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| Color-code buildings by type. Coloring buildings and places have special colours for each category: regular buildings, industrial, commercial, etc. Look at Map legend to find your colour for the building. |
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| Street lighting. Showing street lighting on the map. On the map, you can see illuminated and not illuminated streets, underground illuminated ways and temporarily illuminated streets. Look at Map legend. |
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| OSM mapper assistant. Special setting for mappers. Showed refs, remarks, comments on the map from other mappers. |
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| Nautical depth contours. Showing nautical depth contours on seas. You need to have a nautical plugin and download Nautical maps. |
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| Nature reserve. Showing green board and labels "NR" for Nature reserve territory. A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest. |
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Routes
In OsmAnd it is possible to highlight GPX routes from Openstreetmap related to different outdoor activities (hiking, cycling, running, etc.). You can select one or multiple routes layers at once. However, it is important to note that if different routes meet at the same point, only the color of the uppermost layer will be visible (see map legend).
When you click on the shield icon with a route number or flag, a context menu with available options is displayed. In some cases, you may find several routes intersecting at a certain place. When you select one of the routes, the Track context menu appears. In this menu there is an option to save the route in the device memory in GPX format, which will allow you to use it later for GPX navigation.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Routes
Menu → Configure map → Routes
| Parameter and Description |
|---|
| Cycle routes |
| Route. Color routes according to their individual local color (if present on OpenStreetMap) and hiking shield symbol. Look at Map legend. |
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| Node networks. Color routes according to their node network type (international, regional, local). |
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| Mountain bike routes |
| MTB scale. Show trails according to MTB scale. Look at Map legend. |
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| IMBA. Show MTB trails accorgind International Mountain Bicycling Association MTB IMBA. Look at Map legend. |
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| Hiking routes |
| OSMC. Color routes according to their individual local color (if present on OpenStreetMap) and hiking shield symbol.. |
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| Network affiliation. Color by network affiliation. |
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| Node networks. Color routes according to their node network type (international, regional, local). |
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| Difficulty classification. Showing classified hiking trails (SAC scale or CAI scale) in mountainous areas with regard to the difficulties to be expected by colour. |
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| Ski slopes. Showing colored routes of ski slopes. This setting is provided by map style "Winter and ski". |
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| Horse routes. Showing colored routes and symbols for riding horses. |
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| Whitewater sports. Showing icons of access, dangerous areas, tourism of whitewater sports. |
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| Running routes. Used for named, numbered, or otherwise designated running routes used primarily for athletics. Data for these routes are taken from OpenStreetMap project: The tag route=running |
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| Fitness trails. A fitness trail is a trail or path equipped with obstacles or stations along its length to exercise the human body for the purpose of improving health. Data for these routes are taken from OpenStreetMap project: The tag route=fitness_trail |
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| Travel routes Shows previously uploaded specially configured user routes taken from OpenStreetMap categories. Android only. |
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Transport
When navigating in cities, you need to see public transport in more contrast, as well as stops. You can tap a public transport stop and select one of the public transport routes or stops from the list. Train routes are also displayed in this setting.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Show → Transport
Menu → Configure map → Map style → Transport
| Parameter and Description |
|---|
| Transport stops. Showing public transport stops. |
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| Bus, trolleybus, shuttle routes. Showing bus, trolleybus, shuttle routes. |
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| Tram and train routes. Showing tram and train routes. |
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| Subway routes. Showing underground routes. |
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Hide
Sometimes we need to hide objects on the map for better vision. For example to hide water while using the Underlay layer of Satellite online maps.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Map rendering → Hide
Menu → Configure map → Map style → Hide
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Boundaries | Hide regional boundaries inside of countries, but state boundaries are visible. |
| Polygons | Hide all polygons of natural objects, special function for Underlay/Overlay layer. |
| Buildings | Hide all polygons of buildings. |
| Hide water | Hide all polygons of water (seas, lakes, reservoirs etc.) |
| House numbers | Hide house numbers on the map. |
| Proposed objects | Hide proposed objects, those objects which are planned for a building, but only have a project (projected roads, crossroads, buildings etc.) |
| POI icons | Hide POI icons from the map. But labels of these POI will be on the map. |
| POI labels | Hide POI labels from the map. But icons of these POI will be on the map. |
| Underground objects | Hide all underground objects, like tunnels, passes, floors, etc. Special for clearing maps on cities from non useful objects. |
| Overground objects | Hide all overground objects. Special for seeing only underground objects like tunnels, passes, etc. |
Road style
Special settings for roads, where you can change the colors to match the road atlas or add high-contrast roads or bold outlines for roads.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Map rendering → Road style
Menu → Configure map → Map style → Road style
| Parameter and Description |
|---|
| Default. Default style for highways. Look at Map legend. |
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| German road atlas. Style of German road atlas. |
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| American road atlas. Style of American road atlas. |
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| High contrast roads. The high contrast of roads. |
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| Bold outline. Bold outline for roads. |
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Text size
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Map rendering → Text size
iOS Menu → Configure map → Map style → Text size
| Example |
|---|
| 100% |
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| 200% |
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Map magnifier
This setting helps to change the magnifier of the map. It is applicable for raster & vector maps. For raster maps it applies a magnifying effect, so text labels look bigger or smaller. For vector maps it provides a more or less detailed map, if you put it to a low value it will produce a noisy / slow map.
- Android
- iOS
You can choose this setting by long-click to "+" or "-" button on the screen or:
Android Menu → Configure map → Map rendering → Map magnifier
You can choose this setting by long-click to "+" or "-" button on the screen or:
iOS Menu → Configure map → Map style → Map magnifier
| Example |
|---|
| 75% |
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| 200% |
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Map Language
The Map language option is used to configure the spelling of names on the OsmAnd map for zoom levels 7-20, inclusive. For zoom levels 2-6, the names are displayed in the language set for OsmAnd in the system settings menu (see Display language article).
If the names on the map are not translated into the desired language by the OSM community, you can use transliterated names: Use latin name if missing (Android) or Transliterate names (iOS) switcher.
- Android
- iOS
Menu → Configure map → Map rendering → Map language
Menu → Configure map → Map style → Map language
| Example |
|---|
| Local names |
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| Ukranian names |
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| Show local names |
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| Transliterate names |
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Custom Map style (own map style)
If you have your own or 3rd party custom map style created according to Specification, you can install it on a device in the following ways.
- Copy *.render.xml file on devices & Open with OsmAnd.
- Rendering styles could be exported & imported via Standard import / export dialogs. So if you create an example '*.osf' package which will work as a plugin that could be shared with other people.
- If you have access directly to the External Storage of OsmAnd (Android), you can simply copy it to the rendering-styles folder. Read more about it in Storage specification.
After that, you could select your own map style in the menu.