Tips on how to navigate better with your smartphone

You’re on the road in the middle of nowhere and suddenly your iPhone is running out of battery, so you have to pull that dusty paper map out of the glove box and navigate the old school way. Obviously, you didn’t get a navigation app to have that happen to you. Using your smartphone for navigation is great when you’re traveling, since you don’t have to bring a separate device. But smartphones aren't built primarily for navigation so there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are some tips on how to make sure you’re getting the most out of your StreetPilot app and you don’t have to look at a paper map ever again.

1.    Get a car charger for your smartphone

When you navigate with your smartphone, your battery will drain quickly. This is because the screen and the GPS receiver are turned on constantly. To make sure you’re not left without road guidance, make sure to get a car charger for your phone so you can leave it plugged in while you’re driving. It’s also important to close your Garmin app when you arrive at your destination to avoid that it will continue to run in the background.

2.    Mount your smartphone on the windshield

This one can’t be repeated often enough: Not only is it safer to mount your smartphone if you use it for navigation in the car, this will also make sure that you don’t loose GPS reception. All GPS-powered devices need free view to the sky in order to be able to communicate with the satellites so don’t position your phone too far inside the car or it will block the GPS signal. We strongly recommend a windshield mount, which are available at various price points. A good option is, for example, the NAVIGON Design Car Kit, which also comes with an extra long charging cable.

3.    Add live services

Smartphones are connected devices and our StreetPilot apps take advantage of that fact in order to provide you real-time information on the road. You can easily upgrade your app with various live services, such as live traffic information, weather, fuel prices or even real-time images from traffic cameras. Just go into the “Extras” in your app to view the available options.

4.    Choose the right route profile

Garmin’s StreetPilot apps offer various settings to personalize your navigation experience. Most importantly, you’ll want to make sure you pick the right route profile. Select between the fastest or shortest route or go for off-road navigation if you plan on driving in the wild. You can also block certain road types that you wish to avoid, highways for example.

5.    Add some fun

There are a few ways you can make your navigation experience more fun: If you go into the settings of your StreetPilot app, you can pick a different vehicle icon to be displayed on the map. The Garmin StreetPilot onDemand app also offers a variety of voices to choose from. 

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