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Favorites

Overview​

Favorites introduction android

Favorites is one of the OsmAnd's features, that allows the user to make a kind of bookmarks (notes) on the map. By default, they are displayed in the form of yellow stars, though the app provides ample opportunities to customize Favorites using any colour, shape, and icon. They are grouped into a separate map layer, that become visible from the 6th zoom level.

Favorite Point​

Favotires layer Android

Favorites are grouped into one of the map layers. You can show or hide Favorites and their names on the map. Favorite's Context menu opens when you select it on the map, there you can find detailed information about chosen point, edit or delete it

Create​

Favorite add description Android Favorite group Android

To create a new Favorite point, you need to select a POI object with a short tap or a structure on the map with a long tap, and then select Add (☆) from the Map Context menu. If you select a point from OSM data, all information about that POI will be added to the newly selected point. You can also select any point on the map to add Favorite using Long tap.

Following fields could be specified for a favorite point:

  • Unique Name per group is required.
  • Address and description are optional.
  • Existing Favorite group from the list or newly created.
  • Visual icon, color, shape are selected by default from group appearance but could be changed uniquely per a favorite point.

Edit, replace and delete​

To edit a favorite point, you need to tap it on the map or access via My Favorites and select the Edit favorite button from the Map Context menu.

Favorite edit Android

  • You can edit all fields that where specified during create a favorite point such as name, icon, group and etc.
  • In this editor there is a button Delete this point from your list of Favorites. For Android, it is duplicated in the upper right corner of the screen.
  • In order to have always same Favorite like My parked car, during creation of a favorite point with new location you can hit Replace and it will assign new location.

Special Favorites (Personal)​

Personal folder is a folder dedicated for special Home and Work points of Navigation Context menu. This folder doesn't have ⋮ button, because you can not change the parameters for this folder.

Manage Favorites​

Android Menu → My Places → Favorites

My places favorites android

Using My Favorites you can search for a specific favorite or a favorite group and do bulk operations such as delete, rename.

Order / Sorting / Search​

The favorite folders and points are sorted alphabetically. The personal folder is at the very top.

In iOS version it's possible to change order of favorites by distance clicking Directions icon, in Android version you will need to access Search menu. In the searching list Favorites are sorted by distance from the previously visible map center. Also favorites could be searched by name using Global search.

Favorites folders android

Bulk Edit / Delete​

Tap 🗑 at the bottom of the screen. You can select points and groups and by tap 🗑 button in top right corner delete them.

Favorites actions android Favorites action delete android

Favorite Group actions​

  • Tap ⋮ button opens special functions for a chosen Favorite folder

Favorites folder functions android

You can perform following actions for the whole Favorite group:

  1.  Rename - is used to change the folder name.
  2.  Change default appearance - is used to change default appearance for favorites from the chosen group.
  3.  Show on map - displays or not Favorite points from the folder on the map (Android only).
  4.  Add to map markers - adds or removes all Favorite points from a folder in Map markers list (Android only).
  5.  Delete - deletes the chosen favorites folder.
  6.  Share - sharing Favorite points with other users (using Favorites.gpx file).

Change Group Appearance​

Favorites folder functions android

Change group appearance allows to change icon, color, shape for all favorites in the group and apply it to future added favorites. So it greatly simplifies process of adding new favorites.

Export / Import​

OsmAnd provides a wide range of options for backing up important data for restoring it later. Favorites can be saved as a separate file in internal and external storage, uploaded to OsmAnd Cloud (onlyif you have an OsmAnd Pro or OsmAnd Start subscription and) or sent to friends using instant messaging programs.

Free Cloud backup​

Menu → My Places → Favorites

Favorites folder functions android

Free Favorites Backup is a special purchase plan to back up your favorite points (locations) for Android, iOS, or Web versions in the OsmAnd application and restore them from OsmAnd Cloud. You can use this special plan if you have OsmAnd Free or Maps+.

Free Favorites Backup has the following benefits:

  • No payment is required. You do not need to purchase paid subscriptions.
  • Saving your favorite points. You can regularly backup your favorite points in OsmAnd so you don't lose them if your device crashes or you delete the app.
  • Transferring favorite points. If you use OsmAnd on multiple devices, Free Favorites Backup helps you quickly import your favorite points to a new device.

Create a Backup​

Menu → My Places → Favorites

Favorites folder functions android

You need to have an OsmAnd Cloud account to use the Free Settings Backup. If you have an account in OsmAnd Pro or an active account in OsmAnd Cloud, you will not see the promotion banner.

  • Tap the Free Favorites Backup banner.
  • Go through the registration step.
  • Then go to the OsmAnd Purchases menu (Menu → Settings → Purchases).
  • Select the OsmAnd Start package.
  • Create a backup.

All Favorites​

Favorites actions android

You can export and import your favorites using the special buttons at the bottom of the Favorites screen. A .gpx file (favorites.gpx) can be sent to Dropbox, email, messengers, and other applications that support this feature installed on your device.

Android:

  • + - allows to import Favorites (favorite.gpx) from the device storage.
  • < - allows to export (share) all your Favorites as "favorite.gpx" file.

iOS:

  • Import favorite - allows to import Favorites as waypoints from GPX file (common GPS data format).
  • Export favorite - is used to export all your favorites as Favourites.gpx file.

Favorite Group​

A tap ⋮ button opens the special functions menu for a chosen favorite folder. You can choose share and send Favorites.gpx file to your device's memory or to your friends via messengers.

Favorites folder functions android

Automatic Favorites Backup​

After each edit of Favorites, OsmAnd makes a backup file. These backups can be found using file manager programs: in Android use third-party apps, and in iOS they can be accessed with the system program Files.

Android → data → net.osmand → files → backup

Favorites backup export Android Favorites autobackup android

Menu → Settings → Export to file → Resources → Favorites backup

You can export Favorites backup files using Export funciton. The resulting .osf file you can send to the internal memory of the device, cloud storage, or other users of the OsmAnd app via messengers.

caution

In the latest versions of Android, access to system directories is limited. However, after extracting the favorites file from the archive, it remains possible to forward it to messengers or cloud services, etc.

Favorites in GPX File​

All information about a Favourite is stored and described using tags. When creating a Favourite point, you can write your own description or use information from the OSM point of interest (POI) data from which your point was created. Favorite points, POIs, and Waypoints use the same tags to store information and are saved in GPX file format. 

<gpx version="1.1" creator="OsmAnd" xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1" xmlns:osmand="https://osmand.net" xmlns:test="https://test.net" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1 http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1/gpx.xsd">
    <wpt lat="37.5460870" lon="-77.4532843">
        <time>2023-06-07T12:31:35Z</time>
        <name>Test</name>
        <type>SOTM</type>
        <extensions>
            <osmand:address>Floyd Avenue (The Fan) 907, Richmond</osmand:address>
            <osmand:icon>place_town</osmand:icon>
            <osmand:background>circle</osmand:background>
            <osmand:color>#ff4e4eff</osmand:color>
            <test:country>United States</test:country>
            <test:state>Virginia</test:state>
            <test:telephone>(804) 828-0100</test:telephone>
            <test:postcode>23284</test:postcode>
            <test:start_date>Thursday, June 8, 2023</test:start_date>
        </extensions>
    </wpt>
</gpx>

This article was last updated in August 2024