Carrow – Find My Parked Car

CVF STRUCTURES

About this app

Where did you park? Carrow saves your parking spot in one tap, or by itself when you switch off the engine, using your car's Bluetooth (optional).
On your way back, tap "Walking directions": Google Maps opens with the walking route to your car. Even offline, a large compass arrow points to it as the crow flies.

How it works
1. When you leave the car, tap "I've parked". Carrow waits for an accurate position (GPS or network) and saves the spot.
2. When you come back, open Carrow: the arrow, the straight-line distance and the "Walking directions" button are already there.
3. "You're there!" appears when the car is very close. Tap "I've found my car" to clear the spot.

Finding your car
• "Walking directions": the walking route in Google Maps (app or browser), with nothing to type.
• "Show on map": the spot in the map app of your choice.
• "Share": send the location and your note to someone as a map link.
• The compass arrow works offline and shows the time since you parked.

Automatic saving (optional)
• Tick your car's Bluetooth (car radio or hands-free kit). When your phone disconnects from it after you switch off the engine, Carrow saves the spot by itself, even with the app closed, and shows "Your car is parked here".
• Two cars? Tick both: Carrow keeps the latest spot.
To do this, Carrow uses your location in the background, only when the disconnection happens and for less than a minute; it does not track your trips and keeps no location history. Off by default, the feature needs the "Allow all the time" location permission (Android 10 and later), Bluetooth access ("Nearby devices", Android 12 and later) and notifications to let you know (Android 13 and later). Recommended: set Carrow's battery use to "Unrestricted". "Test now" simulates the disconnection and saves your current position; if a spot is already saved, Carrow asks for confirmation, then replaces it and deletes its photo, note and parking timer.

Multi-level and underground parking
• Take a photo of the spot and note "level -2, spot B14, exit C".
• Underground, GPS reception is poor and automatic saving may fail (Carrow lets you know): save at the entrance, or tap "Save now" as soon as a rough position appears.

Ticket, meter or time limit
• Tick "Limited parking time": from 15 min to 3 h, or the end time on your ticket.
• Parking time alert 10 min before the end (5 min for short stays), then when time is up. It also offers "Walking directions".
• For an on-time alert, allow "Alarms & reminders" when Carrow asks: without it, Android may delay the alert.

Light, private, no subscription
• No account, ads, analytics, subscription or in-app purchases.
• Carrow has no internet access: it does not send your location to any server. Your spot, photo and note stay in the app, on your phone, excluded from Android backups. Your location only leaves the app when you tap "Share", "Walking directions" or "Show on map".
• Under 1 MB to download, Android 8.0 and later, dark mode, 7 languages.

Accuracy depends on your phone's GPS and compass: between tall buildings or indoors, the position can be less precise; the photo and note then help you find the spot.
Google Maps is a trademark of Google LLC.

What’s new

First version of Carrow.
• Save your parking spot in one tap, then follow the compass arrow back to your car.
• Optional automatic saving when your phone disconnects from your car's Bluetooth.
• Photo and note for underground car parks.
• Optional parking time reminder.
• Works offline: Carrow itself never sends your location anywhere.