Compatibility


Garmin GPS Devices: The maps are compatible with nearly all Garmin PNAs with a color screen (e.g. Legend/Vista HCx and Cx, etrex x0, 6062/76CSx, Oregon, Colorado,Edge 705/800, Dakota, most Nuvi, some Streetmap). The maps also work on Garmin smartwatches with color screen. However some colors are not optimal on the 16 color displays. Some watches have 64 color displays and are better suited.

 

Compatibility - Standard (Unicode) vs Non Unicode (cannot authenticate maps / cannot unlock maps)

Unicode is needed to display several alphabets in one map. Non Unicode maps can only display a single alphabet - e.g. kyrillic and latin - but not both. However Garmin blocked using Unicode maps in part of a broken copyright protection on newer GPS device series.

In general just download the Maps from the first "VeloMap" tab - they are in unicode if useful. If you get the message - "cannot authenticate maps" or "cannot unlock maps", and you have  you have one of the following devices:

  • All Garmin devices presented 2016 or newer
  • Edge 1000
  • Epix
  • Etrex 20x / 30x (not "etrex 30")
  • Etrex Touch 25/35
  • GPS Maps 64 series
  • Montana 610, 680
  • Oregon 700,750
  • Some recent Nuvi devices - as well as some super old devices that do not support Unicode. (E.g. Garmin Vista C, GPS Maps 60 C)

you will need to download the "non unicode" version of the map instead. So get the map from the "non unicode openmtbmap or velomap" tab instead. Only maps of regions where several different scripts are used - are in unicode. If Latin is the predominant script - then of course no unicode map is offered. If your device can display Unicode maps - then of course get the standard version - meaning Unicode. Non Unicode maps require registration to download.

 

SD Cards

This is not about the maps but in general Garmin units that have a microSD card slow only accept SDHC cards - SDXC cards will not work.  Max 32GB size and you need to format it with FAT32 (not exFAT). Be careful with 32GB cards which are available as both SDHC and SDXC. 16GB and smaller usually are always SDHC.

 

Garmin Edge x30 or newer

Garmin introduced a completely broken high contrast mode - that washes out the colors of the maps. Either disable the high contrast mode on the map visibility section. Or delete the \Garmin\MapThemes\Mountain.kmtf (sometimes also called \Garmin\MapThemes\Mountains.kmtf ) file (back it up if you think you ever want to use that mode. Since the newest firmware in July 2021 you need to enable classic mode becaus kmtf files will be restored on boot.

Settings --> Activity Profiles, select a profile --> Navigation > Map > Map Theme --> Classic

Classic: This shows the OpenMTBMaps / VeloMaps as intended, however POI are now shown from Edge profile. 
High Contrast: Complete fuckup by Garmin - because they are not able to make their own maps high contrast in first place.
Mountain Biking: Complete fuckup by Garmin - because they are not able to make their own maps high contrast in first place.

 

Garmin Basecamp - Perfectly compatible starting with version 3.

 

Garmin Mapsource 6.16.3 or newer (Windows based PC/Wine/ Mac) Mapsource compatible - I recommend using 6.16.3. If you have not yet installed Mapsource - here is how to do it:  https://openmtbmap.org/tutorials/install-mapsource/ Attention. Mapsource versions older than 6.16.1 do now show all streets and ways, so do not use them with the openmtbmaps. Also note that Mapsource does not show contourlines at the same time as the maps (Basecamp does though).


 
Qlandkarte GT (since version 1.0) - Cross Platform www.qlandkarte.org - no autorouting support though. Comes with most Linux distributions, binaries for Windows available, other platforms need to compile. Best use latest version. There are constant improvements.
The successor to Qlandkarte GT - Qmapshack works with the gmapsupp.img map format maps.

 

 

Android Limited support exist on Oruxmaps (better than Locus - Instructions here: https://gravelmaps.de/android-using-garmin-maps-in-img-format/ ) and Locus Maps (place the gmapsupp.img maps into Locus/mapsVector directory (or any subdirectory here like Locus/mapsVector/openmtbmap_uk.img) . Note however that those apps can only display the maps. No search or autorouting using the maps is supported. Also you better swtich streetname labels off - as they will clutter the map display. Otherwise displaying the maps works pretty well.
iOS: No compatible apps exist AFAIK.
 
Incompatibilities: Iphone, IQue 3600 (and others?), old Garmin handhelds without color screen and (micro)SD card. Any other program or PNA that doesn't support .TYP-files.  (like TTQV, Compegps,....)
 

49 comments to Compatibility

  • SteveB_Ast24

    “Android Limited support exist on Oruxmaps (better than Locus – Instructions here: https://gravelmaps.de/android-using-garmin-maps-in-img-format/ ) and Locus Maps (place the gmapsupp.img maps into Locus/mapsVector directory (or any subdirectory here like Locus/mapsVector/openmtbmap_uk.img) . Note however that those apps can only display the maps. No search or autorouting using the maps is supported. Also you better swtich streetname labels off – as they will clutter the map display. Otherwise displaying the maps works pretty well.”
    1. running Android 13 on Pixel devices – the maps loaded fine on Locus, thanks. Based on this comment, I paid for Orux Maps but cannot load the maps. The instructions at the gravelmaps link don’t seem to work & the help link in that page is broken.
    2. do you mean switch street name labels off in the app or before transferring the .img file?
    Thanks!

    • extremecarver

      2. It does not matter if before or after – it’s just that the streetnames used to clutter up the map because they were far too many , and it did not respect the settings from the .typ files.
      1. Maybe it was dropped in recent version(s)? The implementation of Oruxmaps and Locusmaps was more or less identical anyhow. I only tried Locusmaps myself – never Oruxmaps but some years ago they used the same implementation as Locus.

      • SteveB_Ast24

        OK, thx for the quick reply. Maybe you’d like to remove the “better than Locus” from the page, since Locus is still free(if ad-supported) & Orux costs – even if only €4. Might save other users wasting their money.
        I’ll keep trying with Orux & update here if I fix it.

        Keep up the great work, Steve

        • extremecarver

          Please report back if you can get it to work or not – then I will update the guide and cross out Oruxmpas if it’s really not working anymore.

          • SteveB_Ast24

            OK, thanks for patience. It’s now working.
            The file location has changed in the latest version (9) – it’s now a subdirectory of files – see below.

            Orux maps – map download 31/8/2022

            Google Pixel 4a, Android 13
            Orux maps version 9.0.4, paid (€4)

            Corrected URL for manuals: available in Spanish, English, Italian & French. (I’m using the English version)
            https://www.oruxmaps.com/cs/en/manual

            Map files location

            1. Pixel doesn’t have an SD card slot so I’ve skipped the bit about changing the default file location.
            2. This is the correct path when the Pixel is plugged into File Explorer on Windows:

            This PC\Pixel 4a\Internal shared storage\Android\data\com.orux.oruxmapsDonate\files\oruxmaps\mapfiles

            3. Copied the Germany premium gmapsupp.img file (same version as I downloaded for my Garmin eTrex) to this location.
            It’s a good idea to rename it, otherwise you just see gmapsupp.img, e.g. to OMTB_Germany

            4. Click the update icon (highlighted – see attachment) …. & success!

            I added Austria just to check, no problems.

            Steve

  • fberthold@web.de

    Hallo Felix,

    ich hatte Deine Karten bisher auf einem Oregon 600 installiert. Dort war die Darstellung prima. Seit zwei Tagen habe ich nun ein Edge 1030+ und dort bei der Installation Clasic ausgewählt. Die Karten werden auch angezeigt, jedoch alle Waldwege nur als ganz dünne Linie und alle in der gleichen Farbe angezeigt, sie lassen sich kaum von Höhenlinien unterscheiden.
    Deine Anweisungen bezüglich der Edge Modelle habe ich soweit befolgt, meine ich, oder habe ich etwas übersehen?
    Anbei ein Screenshot meiner Darstellung.

  • bern4711

    Hello,

    I would like to use non-unicode maps (for an Oegon 700 I plan to buy) and build the maps on my Linux system since I do not have a Windows computer. Is it possible to compile your non-unicode maps from .exe to .img using https://github.com/btittelbach/openmtbmap_openvelomap_linux

    Can you pass me any example non-unicode map to test it?

    Best regards,
    Bernhard

    • extremecarver

      The austria map is always non unicode (as are all other maps that are from countries using latin alphabet). But why don’t you just download the gmapsupp.img format maps? You do not need this script then. there is a bash script attached to change the .typ file.

  • Jürgen Pfeiffer

    Tag

    Ist das etrex 32x mit den Karten kompatibel? GGfs. unter welchen Bedingungen?

    Danke im Voraus und Gruß

    • extremecarver

      ja so wie alle neuen Geräte – halt keine Unicode Karten. Aber es gibt ja alle Länder in Non Unicode. Etrex 30 Touch ist schrottlahm, und Akku auch nicht gut – mein Oregon 600 läuft deutlich länger trotz größerem Display. Keine Ahnung wie das 32x ist – aber die etrex Reihe war in den letzten Jahren eher nicht zu empfehlen.

      • bern4711

        Thanks a lot for your reply, dear extremecarver, telling me that downloads of gmapsupp.img are supported directly.

        • bern4711

          Sorry, I posted the comment above in the wrong thread

          • extremecarver

            you should also be able to use Basecamp/MapInstall via WineHD if you wanna use the maps on desktop. Alternatively the gmapsupp.img downloads in Qmapshack (but I cannot offer maps >4GB as gmapsupp.img download – as garmin GPS devices use FAT32). Meaning no possibility to use europe or asia continent map that way.

            • bern4711

              Qmapshack is my preferred application; I never used Basecamp.
              Do you know why Qmapshack local routing (with intstalled database) does not like some tracks and drives around even if I put some routing points on them. Even in pedestrian routing mode. Looks to me like a bug; do you know how to work around?

              • extremecarver

                I thought qmapshack is only using routing via online service, Are you sure it can route with garmin maps? Is there any routing on the legend map (cause that would not work online, that is fictious data).

                • bern4711

                  In my Linux Qmapshack application the is a menu item “Werkzeug”->”Routino Datenbank erstellen”. Having installed that you can interactively route. I think it does not base on routing of the .img used since you have to download extra OSM data from http://download.geofabrik.de/
                  You *must* try it, because it is able to route distances of many kilometers in fractions of a second. Sou you even experience routing while you move a waypoint with the mouse.

                  • extremecarver

                    yes that has nothing to do with my maps. Actually that garmin is routing so slow – is anyhow strange. GPSMapedit can route super speedy with fantastic results. Garmin is just using a really bad algorythm.

                  • extremecarver

                    gpsmapedit routes on garmin maps (limited to the size of map you can load in gpsmapedit). It’s the only non garmin program routing on garmin maps to my knowledge.

  • BerndS

    Hallo,
    gibt es hier irgendwo Empfehlungen zu den Navis?
    Ich finde den edge explore interessant, da er für mich das notwendige hat und einen großen Bildschirm bei günstigem Preis. Die Kopplung it Kommot finde ich auch sehr angenehm.
    Allerdings steht im Produktvergleich:
    Möglichkeit, Karten hinzuzufügen – kein Haken

    Kann ich auf dem Gerät mtbmaps und velomaps installieren und zum Routen nutzen?
    Grüße
    Bernd

    • extremecarver

      Edge Explore ist kein Problem – ist quasi ein um viele Trainingsfunktionen gestutztes Edge 1030. Wenn dir die Batterlaufzeit ausreicht – dann ist er gut. Sonst am besten Oregon 7xx Serie. Die aktuellen etrex sind nicht so sehr gelungen.

      • BerndS

        Ich habe jetzt den Edge Explore, der erste Versuch war eine Enttäuschung. Ich habe alle Karten bis auf mtbmaps deaktiviert.
        Meine Einstellungen: Routing-Modus: Mountainbiken, Berechnungsmethode: Distanz minimieren, Vermeidung: Nur Mautstraßen.
        Automatisch erstellte Rundtouren ca.40km: Es wird viel entlang der Straße geroutet und die schönen kleinen Wege, die ich nehmen würde, werden nicht genutzt.
        Ich habe dann mit BaseCamp versucht eine Route zu erstellen. Das war noch schlimmer. Hier wurden fast nur Straßen verwendet und ich musste direkt auf die Waldwege zwingen. Dabei hatte ich alle Einstellungen wie hier empfohlen gemacht.
        Früher hat das Mal gut funktioniert und ich habe schöne Trails und Waldwege vorgeschlagen bekommen.

  • rene66

    Hello

    Could you tell me if the GARMIN Montana 610 and 680 GPS are compatible with the old .IMG cards
    thank you for your reply

    Rene66

    • extremecarver

      what do you mean with old .img cards? The montana is only compatible with non-unicode maps – but yes you can download all the non-unicode gmapsupp.img maps, un-extract them, and use them straight away on Montana.

  • Comisworld

    Hi, how can I make maps compatible with Twonav’s Land software?

    • extremecarver

      You can’t. For twonav you can only use their own twonav vector maps – or raster/image maps from scanned sources and so on. TwoNav and vector maps is pretty problematic. They are strong when it comes to various for of raster (“scanned”) maps.

  • MTBPig

    I downloaded the US West group and during install I receive a warning from Webroot regarding a Trojan in the Change Layout execution file. The map still installs in Base Camp, but I cannot change the layout. I cannot install again as Webroot removes the execution file from the computer. If I completely download the map package again, I can install it and use the maps again, but receive the same warning before Webroot deletes the execution file. I’ve attached a screen shot of the warning in the scan log.

    • extremecarver

      well false positive. The change layout tool needs to write into the Windows registry – likely the antivirus doesn’t like it. Check the change_layout for my digital signature. If the signature is okay – the .exe is fine. If signature is missing – tell me. Very rarely the signature is not created because of missing connection 5 times. Then the antivirus would be kinda in the right (still wrong but okay to assume so).

      • MTBPig

        Thank you for the quick reply! Looks like signature is there and valid through 07/21/2022. I was able to go into Webroot and allow it to install. Once I did that, all is good and I can change the layout with the execution file now.

  • martinspics

    Hallo, wegen OS Upgrade werde ich gezwungen BaseCamp auf 4.8.6 zu updaten. Compatibility??
    Danke!! Martin

    • extremecarver

      die aktuellen Versionen sind okay. Kein Problem mit dem Upgrade. Unbenutzbar wegen kaputten MapInstall waren am Mac nur die 4.7.x Versionen (bzw 4.7.1 unter Windows)

      • martinspics

        Das BaseCamp Upgrade 4.8.11 am iMac macOS 11.1 durchgeführt – die neue Vers. hat das BackUp der älteren Version nicht genommen. Alle gefahrene Tracks von Sept. 2019 waren verloren. No chance! Die “legacy” Vers. 4.7 lässt sich nicht installieren.
        Eine Lösung, die nicht jeder machen kann: aus dem Keller einen älteren Mac geholt (macOS 10.11.6), BaseCamp 4.6.3 installiert, mit der BackUp Datei gefuttert, alles wieder da. Jetzt werde ich meine Tracks als GPX auf ein memory stick sichern und in das neue BaseCamp importieren.

        • extremecarver

          du hättest nicht das Backup gebraucht – sondern einfach nur den Inhalt vom Speicherort in den Speicherort von 4.8 rüberschieben. Evtl zuerst die 4.8.0 downloaden und installieren – und von der Weg dann das Upgrade auf 4.8.11 machen. Ich glaube am Format hat sich nichts geändert – es wurde einfach nur der Speicherort der Datenbank geändert. Aber ich mag mich täuschen. Bei 4.7 war es auf jeden Fall so. Ob es für 4.8 dann Änderungen gab weiß ich nicht. 4.6 auf 4.8.0 mit Speicherort ändern ging auf jeden Fall AFAIK

  • bergarbiker

    Ich werde, fürs Wandern/MTB demnächst auf ein Outdoor-Smartphone (Android) umsteigen.
    In welchen Apps sind Deine Karten nutzbar?
    Es geht mir nicht um eine vollständige Routing-Funktion, sondern wandern/MTB-fahren nach “Sicht”.
    Welche Kartenform wären dann nutzbar? Ich nehme an alle, außer die Premium, da die ja, wenn ich das richtig verstanden habe, direkt für Garmin vorgesehen sind.
    Danke vorab!

    Gruß
    Bernd

  • Andreas Zeiler

    Hallo,
    ich interessiere mich für das Garmin Montana 700. Sind deine Karten mit diesem Gerät kompatibel?
    Vielen Dank!
    Andreas

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