Using OuterSpatial Offline

Overview

OuterSpatial can keep useful outdoor information available when cell service is limited. Download maps before your trip, open the places you plan to visit while you still have service, and any supported content you create offline will sync after your device reconnects.

Prepare Before You Go

1. Open OuterSpatial while you have Wi-Fi or cellular service.
2. Select the community you plan to visit.
3. Open the area, trail, point of interest, or outing you want to use offline.
4. Open the map for that place.
5. Tap Download Map.
6. Choose Standard, Satellite, or both map styles when they are available.
7. Wait for the download to finish before leaving reliable service.

The download sheet shows each map style and its estimated size. Standard maps are usually best for navigation and trail context. Satellite maps can help with visual terrain context, but they are often larger.

You need to be logged in to download offline maps. If you are not logged in, OuterSpatial asks you to log in before continuing.

For very large places, OuterSpatial may download a lower-detail map so the download can finish successfully. You can still use the map offline, but zoomed-in detail may be more limited than it is for smaller downloaded places. These maps can show a Reduced Detail label.

Check Download Status

The map download button changes based on the current state:

• Download means no map is downloaded yet.
• Downloading means one or more selected map styles are still downloading.
• Downloaded means the selected offline map content has finished downloading.

If a download fails, try again from the same Download Map sheet while you have a reliable connection.

Use Downloaded Maps

Downloaded maps remain available on your device after the download finishes. When you open that place again, the map can use the downloaded Standard or Satellite data instead of relying only on the network.

Your phone's GPS can still work without cell service. If location access is enabled for OuterSpatial, you can use your current location on downloaded maps even when your device is offline.

Manage Offline Maps

Open Saved Maps from Me > Saved > Maps to review maps saved on your device. The Saved Maps screen can show downloaded maps, incomplete downloads, and map details for the related place.

Use the search and sort controls when they are available to find and order downloaded maps. Tap a downloaded map to open it. If a download is incomplete, OuterSpatial may ask whether you want to resume it or delete it.

Delete Offline Maps

You can delete a single downloaded map from the Download Map sheet by choosing a downloaded map style and confirming the delete action.

You can also delete maps from Saved Maps. Open the More Options menu in the top corner, then choose Select Maps to pick specific maps or Delete All Maps to remove every downloaded map, and confirm. Deleting an offline map removes the downloaded map tiles from your device. You can download the map again later when you have service.

Create Content Offline

When you are offline, OuterSpatial can save supported contributions on your device. This can include check-ins, posts, reviews, reports, and challenge responses depending on the screen and the type of content.

Leave the app installed and stay logged in. When your device reconnects, saved offline submissions can sync automatically.

Tap Pending on a post to retry its upload. While it shows Uploading, wait for the result before trying again.

On iOS and Android, a Needs Your Attention card appears above Account in Settings when you have submissions or notices to review. Its count includes each submission and notice listed inside. Tap it to review work that could not be sent. The card disappears when there is nothing left to review. For an ended or closed challenge, save any recoverable photos before discarding the originals. Dismissing a notice does not remove those photos. Logging out, switching accounts, or deleting your account can remove unsynced work, so review the warning and save what you need first.

If Saved Posts Are Unavailable

On iOS, a low-storage notice means you need to free up space before saved posts can refresh. Posts fetched while you are online can still appear, and your unsynced work is kept. Free up space, then try again.

If the app says your saved posts require an update, install the latest version of the app. Keep the app installed while you update so your unsynced work stays on the device.

What Still Needs Service

Some actions still need an internet connection:

• Downloading new maps or communities.
• Opening content that was not previously loaded on your device.
• Viewing new photos, documents, community updates, or other live content.
• Joining a challenge for the first time.

Tips

• Download maps over Wi-Fi before leaving reliable service.
• Open important places before your trip so their details are cached.
• Download only the map styles you need to save device storage.
• Keep OuterSpatial installed and logged in so offline submissions can sync later.
• Turn on location access if you want your current position on downloaded maps.