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Offline Maps

The Maps SDK for iOS supports offline maps, which allows users to download map data for specific regions and zoom levels to their devices for rendering full-detail maps without an internet connection. This is especially useful for users who are traveling in areas with limited or no connectivity, such as remote locations or underground areas.

You may build offline functionality for predefined regions that your users are likely to need offline, or allow users to select and download their own offline regions within your app.

This section includes a broad overview of offline maps, including use cases, planning strategies, storage and performance considerations, and limitations.

Quick Start​

To get started, complete the following:

  1. Understand the concepts - Read Concepts and Constraints to learn how offline maps work
  2. Follow the tutorial - Complete Use offline maps in an iOS app for a hands-on example
  3. Implement in your app - Reference Manage Offline Data for detailed API usage

Overview​

This page includes a broad overview of offline maps, including use cases, planning strategies, storage and performance considerations, and limitations. See the guides in the sidebar for implementation details.

Use Cases for Offline Maps​

Offline maps are particularly useful in scenarios such as:

  • Navigation apps for areas with poor cellular coverage
  • Field work applications for researchers, surveyors, or technicians working in remote locations
  • Travel apps for international users who want to avoid roaming charges
  • Emergency response applications that need to function during network outages
  • Indoor mapping for large buildings, underground facilities, or areas with poor signal

Planning Your Offline Strategy​

Before implementing offline functionality, consider:

  • Storage requirements: Estimate the size of map data your users will need
  • Update frequency: How often will offline data need to be refreshed
  • User experience: When and how users should download offline regions
  • Battery and bandwidth: Balance between data freshness and resource usage

Limitations​

Keep these limitations in mind when implementing offline maps:

  • Data freshness: Offline maps don't automatically update with new map data; you must manually refresh style packs and tile regions
  • Storage space: Large offline regions can consume significant device storage
  • Feature availability: Some dynamic features may not work offline
  • User management: Users need tools to add, remove, and update offline regions
  • Tile pack limit: The cumulative number of unique tile packs cannot exceed 750

Best Practices​

  • Test thoroughly: Always test offline functionality in airplane mode or with network disabled
  • Provide feedback: Show download progress and storage usage to users
  • Plan for updates: Implement a strategy for refreshing offline data periodically
  • Optimize regions: Use precise geometries and appropriate zoom ranges to keep data size manageable
  • Handle errors gracefully: Provide clear messaging to the user when downloads fail or storage is insufficient

Next Steps​

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