Published on 10 April 2024

Offline maps

By downloading the maps, you can travel safely with our national maps even in areas without network reception. However, the map content must be downloaded beforehand from the Internet. Maps can only be used offline if you have stored them.

In the Offline maps tool, you can select map material and the layers you wish to download. The activated themes and layers will be automatically prepared for download.

• Tap the + button to define the section you want.
• The download area will be shown in a lighter colour, and you can move, enlarge or reduce this area however you prefer.
• You can also add or remove topics. To do this, tap the + button.
• If you are satisfied with your chosen section and the layers, select «Load section».

Tip: If you can, start the download over Wi-Fi and do not select overly large sections (to limit data volume).

Download along the tour

Download the maps and data you will need for your tour so that you can find your way even in remote regions without network reception.
To do this, select your desired tour and swipe the tour menu upwards. At the bottom of the menu under «Offline», you can download map material for your route via the download icon. The map material for the route is downloaded with a sufficient buffer area.

Offline search

To be able to search for places or addresses while you are offline, you will need to download the database of names and addresses. To do this, navigate to the «Offline maps» tool and swipe to the end of the menu. Activate «Geographic names» and «Addresses» and the two data sets will be downloaded.

• How long does it take to download map material?

  Depending on the number of maps, a very large data volume is downloaded. The download can take from a few seconds up to several hours, depending on the data connection. We recommend downloading via WLAN if possible.

• Can I store data? What map material is available for me to download?

  Yes, storage of map data, aerial photographs, tracks and POIs is unlimited.
  The National Map 1:10,000 cannot be saved for offline use because the data volume is very large. The aerial photographs are not available for download in maximum resolution, as the data volume is very large.

• When will I see an update option for offline maps and the offline search?

  The maps and data stored on your device are checked at least every three months to ensure that they are up to date. You will be prompted to complete the update yourself. The message will disappear once you have completed the update.

• How much storage space does the app need on my device?

  The app requires about 50 MB. If maps are stored, additional storage space is required. To store all National Maps of Switzerland, about 18 GB of memory is required. For each additional map background (e.g., National Map Winter, aerial view), an additional 18 GB memory is required. The Base Map is optimised for smartphones and requires significantly less storage space with approx. 5 GB.

• Can I change the storage location of the maps on Android devices?

  

  Yes, the storage location for downloaded maps can be selected or changed in the «Offline maps» menu (from version 1.2). Maps that have already been saved are also moved from the internal memory to an SD card or vice versa.

• Where is the app's data stored?

  All data is stored directly in the app. On Android devices, the storage location of offline maps can be transferred to an SD card.

• How can I prevent the app from crashing while downloading maps?

  Reduce the size of the area for which the download should take place.
  We recommend dividing the whole of Switzerland into several sections.

• Offline maps are not displayed or they take a very long time to load. What can I do?

  If you are in a remote area with poor reception, you can choose to switch off mobile data. Your device will first search for offline items and will not attempt to establish an online connection. For safety reasons, we recommend switching mobile data back on again while you are still in the remote area.

• The app has been very slow since I downloaded the maps, what can I do?

  We recommend that you delete your offline maps, clear the cache and reload the maps. If you wish to load the whole of Switzerland, we recommend dividing it into several sections.

• Which data is not available for download?

  The following maps and information are not available for download:

  • National Map 1:10'000
  • Geological Map
  • Closures hiking trails, bike and mountain bike (daily update)
  • Snow depth (daily update)
  • Shooting range bulletins (daily update)
  • Geology along the way
  • Drones and model aircrafts

Do you have any further questions? Here is an overview of the most frequently asked questions about the swisstopo app.