Following Routes:

OS Maps features over a million ready-made routes, supplied by recommended route partners and the community of OS Maps users; as well as giving you the ability to plan & create your own. Once you've found or created the right route, the next step is following it when out & about.

1. To choose the route you want to follow, head to the 'Saved' Tab using the bottom navigation menu.

2. Here you will find the list of route you have created under 'My Routes' or those that you have saved to follow later under 'Bookmarked'

3. Browse your routes and choose the one you want to follow. Once you have found the right one, tap on the route card to bring up the route information.

4. Once on the route information screen, you have a number of options before starting to follow your route.

- If you aren't at the route's start point, you can get driving directions to the start by selecting 'Directions to start' and then opening your chosen driving navigation app

- You can also preview the route using 'Tabletop 3D' (iOS only) to see a 3D preview of the route and see the terrain, elevation and surrounding areas in more detail

- Premium users can also 'Export GPX' file of the route to upload to another device such as an activity tracking watch or GPS device

5. Before starting your route, we would recommend selecting 'Download' to download an offline copy of your route and the relevant area of mapping. This will help to ensure you can still access your map and route, even if you pass through low or no signal areas.

6. When you're ready to start following the route, simply tap 'Start Route' and you'll be taken to the map screen, with your route line and live location showing. Start moving in the direction of the route and you'll see your location move along the route line.

7. At this point you'll also be given an option to record your activity - see the following section for more information on Activity Recording.

8. You'll also have access to information showing your remaining distance, estimated remaining time and current elevation. You can pause the following of route at any time by selecting 'Pause' and then choose to 'Resume' or 'Finish' your route.

9. OS Maps also has the option to give you alerts & notifications if you stray off course. You can change these settings by heading to the ‘Home' tab and selecting the cog icon in the top right corner. And then ‘Notifications'. When these are turned on your phone will alert you if you stray off course.

10. Once finished, you will be given the option to rate the route, add a written review and any photos you want to share with the wider OS Maps community.

When following routes or recording activities, it is important to be aware of the impact that this can have on your device's battery life, so it is important to use these features only when necessary.

Top tip: If you're concerned about battery life, do not use the record or follow functions, as this requires the device to constantly update your location. Instead, show the route on screen, and check your position against the route manually. You may need to wait a few seconds after unlocking your device for the location to update.

To maximise battery life, you can also use your device's built-in power saving options by reducing the time to standby/sleep, turning down screen brightness, turning off WiFi and Bluetooth and using any other power saving features.

For more help & support on using OS Maps, head to our FAQ pages where you'll find the answers to common questions.