My primary app to use is Osmand. It offers, by far, the most features and has, in general, the best support for the GPX adventures I share. Learn how to import and use GPX files in Osmand.
Osmand is available on iOS and Android.
Osmand doesn't like 3rd party 'routes' and will try to recalculate every route point and possibly add hundreds of kilometers of messed up route to your journey. I prefer to use files with a GPX track instead of a route. However, with some extra steps using a route is possible, too.
Importing a GPX file into Osmand for Android
- Tap the menu button in the lower left corner.
- In the menu that pops open tap on Tracks.
- Tap the ⋮ (3 vertical dots) in the top right of the Tracks screen.
- Tap the Import option and browse to the GPX file you want to import and tap on it.
- In the next screen you'll see a preview and some options.
- To immediately start navigating the track you can tap the Navigation button in the lower right of the preview screen.
- Another route preview shows and you can click 'Start' in the lower right to start navigation.
Imported tracks are listed in the Main Menu, in the Tracks menu.
Importing a GPX file into Osmand for iOS
Here we assume that your Files app has access to your files or can browse your cloud storage. This works pretty much the same in Apps like Dropbox, Google Drive and Nextcloud.
- In the phones 'Files' app navigate to the GPX file you want to import.
- Long press the file you want to import and press 'Share' or 'Open in' from the popup menu.
- In the share screen tap on the 'Osmand' icon.
- Osmand should open automatically and show you a preview of the track.
- To immediately start navigating the track you can tap the Navigation button in the lower right of the preview screen.
- The navigation settings show, here you click 'Start' in the lower right to start navigation.
Imported tracks are listed in the Main Menu, in the Tracks menu.
Navigate a track you've already stored
If you're all loaded up and have one or more tracks already stored in Osmand you can start navigation using the following steps.
- Tap the Menu button in the left corner of the main screen.
- In the menu, tap on Tracks.
- Tap on the track that you want to ride.
- In the lower right corner of the next screen (right above the options button) tap on the navigate button.
- Click start in the next screen (lower right) and follow the navigation prompts.
And there you have it, all the basic steps to import and use a GPX track and or route in Osmand.