Coordinate grid helper

The coordinate grid helper turns the map into a shared reference. Instead of estimating a place from roads or landmarks, you can point to a grid line, read the coordinate format you already use, and communicate the location clearly with someone else.

That is useful when you are navigating off-road, checking a paper coordinate, describing a search area, or returning to a place without adding another waypoint.

The coordinate grid is currently in public beta. It appears in beta-enabled Compass 55 builds. If you do not see it under Helpers, your build does not have the beta gate open yet.

Turn on the grid

Open MENU > Settings > Map Settings. The screen you need is titled Maps.

Scroll down to Helpers, then:

1. Tap the Coordinate grid row to show or hide the grid on the map.
2. Tap the settings button on the right side of that row to choose how the grid behaves.

There is also a quick option: hold your finger on the map to open the map actions menu, then choose Show coordinate grid or Hide coordinate grid.

Choose the coordinate language

The recommended setup is Follow the app coordinate format. With this enabled, the grid follows the coordinate format selected elsewhere in the app, so the map and your readouts stay in agreement.

If you prefer the grid to stay independent, turn that option off and choose MGRS, UTM, or Lat/Lon manually.

Make it fit the map

The settings screen gives you a few practical controls:

• Position — place the grid below map labels so place and road names stay readable, or above them when an uninterrupted grid matters more.
• Transparency — make the grid quieter over a detailed map, or more prominent when the map needs a stronger reference.
• Show coordinate grid — keep the helper available without changing the rest of your map setup.

The grid adapts to the current zoom. Zoom out for broad context; zoom in for a more precise reference.

Read it in the field

With MGRS, read the easting first and the northing second — right, then up. The grid gives you the visual context while the coordinate readout gives you the exact value. As you zoom in, the labels provide a finer reference.

With latitude/longitude, the grid follows the app’s selected latitude/longitude format. With UTM, it provides the UTM reference directly over the map.

A few useful details

• The grid works with Apple maps, offline maps, and other supported raster map types. Google Maps does not provide a grid overlay, so the helper is not drawn over that provider.
• On offline and raster maps, place and road names are already part of the map image. The grid therefore draws above those names regardless of the position choice.
• The grid is hidden while the map is tilted in 3D and returns when the map is flat again.