Garmin Explore™

Garmin

About this app

PAIR, SYNC AND SHARE
With Garmin Explore, you can pair your smartphone or tablet¹ with your compatible Garmin device² to sync and share data for off-grid adventures. Use downloadable maps for navigation anywhere.
• Garmin Explore needs SMS permission to allow you to receive and send SMS text messages from your Garmin devices. We also need call log permission to display incoming calls on your devices.
• Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

OFF-GRID NAVIGATION
When paired with your compatible Garmin device², the Garmin Explore app lets you use your mobile device for outdoor navigation, trip planning, mapping, and more — with or without Wi-Fi® connectivity or cellular service.

SEARCH TOOL
Easily locate geographic points — such as trailheads or mountain summits — associated with your adventure.

STREAMING MAPS
For pre-trip planning, you can use the Garmin Explore app to stream maps when you’re within cellular or Wi-Fi range — saving valuable time as well as storage space on your mobile device. Download maps for offline use when venturing outside cellular range.

EASY TRIP PLANNING
Plan your next trip by downloading maps and creating courses. Specify your start and finish points, and automatically create a course you can sync with your compatible Garmin device².

ACTIVITY LIBRARY
Under the Saved tab, review and edit your organized data, including your saved waypoints, tracks, courses, and activities. See map thumbnails to easily recognize your trips.

SAVED COLLECTIONS
The collections list allows you to quickly find all data related to any trip — making it easy to sort and locate the course or location you’re looking for.

CLOUD STORAGE
The waypoints, courses, and activities you’ve created will automatically sync to your Garmin Explore web account when you’re within cellular or Wi-Fi range, preserving your activity data with cloud storage. A Garmin account is required for storing your data in the cloud.

LIVETRACK™
With the use of the LiveTrack™ feature, loved ones can follow your location in real time³ and see data such as distance, time and elevation.

What You Get with Garmin Explore
• Unlimited map downloads; access topographic maps, USGS quad sheets, and more
• Aerial imagery
• Waypoints, tracking and route navigation
• High-detail GPS trip logging and location sharing
• Unlimited cloud storage of routes, waypoints, tracks, and activities
• Online trip planning


¹ See compatible devices at Garmin.com/BLE
² See a full list of compatible devices at explore.garmin.com/appcompatibility
³ When used with your compatible smartphone, the Garmin Explore® app and when used with your compatible inReach-enabled Garmin device.

The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license.

Ratings and reviews

Edit: Confirmed topographic maps were removed intentionally in the latest update, and replaced with a Temu-AllTrails 3D thing that can't be turned off. All zoomed in maps can only be viewed as a 3D shape with an inaccurate scale. The 2D button only gives an overhead view, but it's still 3D, with bad angular distortion as you scroll around. Support has failed to offer a way to access 2D maps. Maps are no longer accurate. Edit 2: Still no 2D topo maps. The sheer wrongheadedness of that move...

I purchased the inreach mini2 hoping to use it with offline maps and emergencies, but I can't figure out how to do anything on this app at all, everything with Garmin has been incredibly difficult including the sign up process, pairing the device, and using the apps. Nothing is simple or user-friendly. I'm not sure I can count on this device for an emergency. As of now, this will be my 1st and last Garmin product. Expensive disappointment.

It's really nice when you're trying to access your offline maps and you get a login prompt. I don't think they really thought that through. Even when you are able to use the app offline, it's a pain trying to actually find your offline maps. Takes like four clicks and it's not intuitive.

What’s new

• Explore trails with new 3D Maps.
• Plan your courses and preview elevation changes in 3D.
• Review your activities with immersive 3D views.
• Bug fixes and performance improvements.