Garmin Explore™

2.8
3.59K reviews
1M+
Downloads
Content rating
Everyone
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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.


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

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.
Updated on
18 Nov 2024

Data safety

Safety starts with understanding how developers collect and share your data. Data privacy and security practices may vary based on your use, region and age. The developer provided this information and may update it over time.
This app may share these data types with third parties
App activity and App info and performance
This app may collect these data types
Personal info
Data is encrypted in transit
You can request that data be deleted

Ratings and reviews

2.8
3.43K reviews
Dan Barefoot
24 November 2024
Where do I begin! This major app overhaul has presented so many issues now compared to the old version. I have emailed all the issues to tech support and every new app update is fixing none of the issues. Almost like they don't care to listen. Please just go back to how the app used to be! Why change something when everything was working so great? What a mess this app is now! Zero care to listen and fix the issues either!
5 people found this review helpful
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Joedy Payne (Cowboy)
30 October 2024
Been using the Garmin Instinct and Solar version for some time and have had no issues with the app until now. Since the update, it won't auto-download any of the maps. I've downloaded a few maps manually for offline use and it won't show the topo map in the main map for that area even after manually downloading it. As soon as you fix it I'll change my rating. *** Edit for those who have this issue. Clear the cache and data on the app. Sign back in and allow permissions. All fixed***
6 people found this review helpful
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RV
26 October 2024
Was looking forward to this map update but do not download if you can avoid it. This update completely nerfed the mapping layer especially in Europe where it is completely useless as it doesn't even show any hiking trails, everything is just a thin dark grey line that is barely visible. The app used to be decent but now it's just horrible, went from 4 stars to 1. They are pushing their subscription model so hard that this is just very scummy, expected more.
27 people found this review helpful
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What's new

🗂️ Sorted collections in alphabetical order on the Filters page
📈 Resolved an issue where the elevation chart wasn’t displaying for certain Courses
🐛 Various bug fixes and improvements