Garmin Explore™

3.4
3.11K reviews
1M+
Downloads
Content rating
Everyone
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About this app

Map, Track, Sync, and Share Your Trek From Anywhere
For adventure seekers, explorers and outdoor enthusiasts, the Garmin Explore ecosystem offers a complete mobile navigation solution that — when paired with compatible Garmin devices1 — lets you map, track and navigate your trek from anywhere with unlimited cloud storage.

Garmin Explore provides basic trip planning or viewing of maps you’ve preloaded on your device. Or you can use the mobile app to pair your smart device via Bluetooth® technology2 with a compatible Garmin GPS device1, so you can do and see even more.


Access Online Connectivity
Garmin Explore provides free online access to a wide range of additional capabilities. For example, you can download detailed topographic maps, color aerial imagery and other navigation aids directly to your mobile device. The maps and navigation data loaded onto your device can be used anywhere, anytime — even when you’re out beyond the reach of cellphone towers or internet connections.


Organize Your Data with Collections
Review and edit your waypoints, tracks, routes, and activities in your library. Add them to a collection to keep all the recorded data from a certain trip together in one place. For example, if you’re taking a long trip, you can plan different waypoints, tracks and routes for each day of the trip and combine them into one collection.


Your Mobile Cloud Connection
The Garmin Explore app will send and store the waypoints, planned routes, GPS tracks and Garmin activities you've recorded in the cloud, allowing you to access and use that data on the Garmin Explore web site to plan or review your adventures. You can also sync your cloud-stored data with a compatible Garmin device. A Garmin account is needed to store your data in the cloud. Your activities (e.g., runs, walks, hikes, etc.) include data such as distance, pace, activity time, location, etc. that were recorded by your device.


More Off-grid Capability with inReach® Technology
Use Garmin Explore with your inReach enabled devices, such as the GPSMAP® 66i navigator and satellite communicator, to turn your mobile device into a true off-the-grid satellite companion. In an emergency, you can trigger an interactive SOS to the GEOS 24/7 emergency response team. Two-way messaging and LiveTrack location tracking via the 100% global Iridium® satellite network let you stay in contact globally. The Garmin Explore app allows you to access your phone’s contact list for easier messaging and sharing when connected.


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 explore.garmin.com/appcompatibility
2 explore.garmin.com/bluetoothrequirements
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
Mar 19, 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

3.5
2.96K reviews
David Wasser
October 17, 2023
I use this app with an inReach Mini 2 that is typically off. The app constantly runs a sync service in the background at all times that never completes no matter how long it has been since the last use. This means it always leaves an un-dismisaable notification on the phone. Force-killing the app only makes the notification go away briefly before it comes back even with restricted battery usage. I guess I'm uninstalling it since that's the only way to get rid of the notification.
35 people found this review helpful
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Clayton Laramie
October 5, 2023
The other day I was out of cell service, I turn on my inReach to send a text and... the app won't load without cell service because Garmin pushed an update to the app. Terrible user experience for something that's designed to be used offline to not work offline. It should always work without cell service. If you need authentication, make it authenticate from the inReach it's normally connected to. I have been using this for a couple of years and this was the biggest fail yet.
38 people found this review helpful
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Tiffany Tombaugh
December 16, 2023
Bring back the old app! The constant notification is iritating as heck and the fact my messages don't organize... utter fail Garmin. When someone sends me a message, it should be at the top of the list, but now I have to scroll through everything to see the little orange icon that indicates 'new message'! Fix it, please! Or I'm going to a bivy stick (sorry to be that harsh, but it's THAT irritating)!! - Your 3rd year customer on unlimited
20 people found this review helpful
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What's new

🐛 Bug fixes and improvements