# OS Locate — user reviews > 75 indexed App Store user reviews of OS Locate by Ordnance Survey, rated 4.76/5 from 160 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/os-locate/id810024913/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/os-locate/id810024913.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 134 · 4★ 21 · 3★ 1 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 4 ## What do users think of OS Locate? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Easy to use and navigate - 🧭 Accurate compass functionality - 📍 Precise GPS and grid references - 🆘 Essential for emergencies - ⛰️ Useful for DofE expeditions - 🗺️ Good for checking location on paper maps - ✅ Reliable in remote areas - ✨ Simple and clean design - 🆓 Free to use - ⚡ Fast and responsive - ⬆️ Provides altitude reading - 🔄 Works well with OS paper maps **Cons** - 🐛 Compass calibration issues - 📉 Difficulty downloading maps offline - 👎 Outdated or difficult to use interface - 🚫 Not a replacement for a physical compass - 🤷 Confusing to navigate - ⚠️ Inaccurate directional readings - ❌ Digital map download issues - 🔄 Previous version was better - 📱 Device-specific performance issues - 🧭 Compass points incorrectly in landscape mode - 📏 Limited grid reference accuracy (6-digit) - 📍 Not compatible with iPad - 🪲 Buggy or frozen screens - 🛰️ Compass points wrong direction at sea **Commonly reported bugs** - Compass points 90 degrees out in landscape mode - Compass out of calibration (approx. 90 degrees off) - Compass showing North and South incorrectly - Screen frozen, no way to locate - Readings for Easting and Northings are useless and too short - Compass does not point North consistently - iPad compatibility issues - Sharing location gives a broken link (fixed) - App crashes when accessing info > settings - Watch app has been out of action for 10 months and not fixed - Compass points 180 degrees out at sea - Compass points 90 degrees out in landscape mode on iPad - Apple Watch app only displays 6-figure grid reference **Most requested features** - Option to display mils - Display W3W words alongside NGR - Ability to calibrate compass - Option to set magnetic declination - Latitude longitude readout in degrees minutes seconds - Apple Watch app with 10-figure grid reference - Download larger map areas offline - Support for Northern Ireland grid - 10-figure grid reference option - Bearing from OS Maps app integration ## Newest reviews (13 of 75) ### 2/5 — Dofe *2024-09-29, version 1.6.2* OS maps is essential to my role with the DofE award scheme. In the absence of paper maps, I turn to my phone and log into Dofe to pass messages to units involved vvvv In ### 4/5 — I j on k *2024-09-07, version 1.6.2* ‘ o @&- ### 2/5 — Too hard to understand *2024-08-22, version 1.6.2* Very hard to navigate through the app😁Im already lost! ### 5/5 — Good Ole OS Paper Map User.🙃 *2024-06-05, version 1.6.2* It’s ok I’m glad that l added it to my Navigation apps folder. It would be better if it could have W3W words on the app screen as well as the NGR.🤔☺️🙃 ### 5/5 — Compass *2024-05-20, version 1.6.2* Love the compass ❤️❤️❤️ ### 4/5 — Lovely *2024-04-13, version 1.6.2* Lovely but it should have came with fries. ### 2/5 — Showing north in the wrong place in comparison to compass *2024-03-29, version 1.6.2* In my house it was about 90 degrees out so I took it outside and it was about 10 degrees out. I removed the case that has a magnetic catch so I can’t think of anything else that might be effecting the reading ### 5/5 — Mr Reader *2024-03-27, version 1.6.2* What an excellent piece of kit ### 5/5 — Brilliant App ! *2024-03-18, version 1.6.2* As per title. 😁 ### 5/5 — Sehr brillig *2024-03-03, version 1.6.2* Brillig ### 4/5 — Okay OS maps *2024-01-19, version 1.6.2* It’s fine though I don’t think I’ve adjusted as well since a different OS app as I don’t see to be able to have whole of UK downloaded so need more signal which isn’t great when out in the wilds. Could just be me and that there is a way of downloading all large scale UK walking maps. ### 5/5 — Metal detecting *2023-12-27, version 1.6.2* This app is brilliant for recording my metal detecting finds 👍 ### 5/5 — 👍 *2023-12-10, version 1.6.2* Great app very helpful ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Useless app *2024-11-30, version 1.6.2* Very poor difficult to use I have had os maps for years and I have put up with a second rate app. More recently this has become impossible to use. Preparing a route etc is so difficult to follow that I have given up and cancelled my subscription. ### 1/5 — Download map facility useless *2024-08-17, version 1.6.2* The maps might be modern compared with other apps but thats where it all stops. If you want to use this app offline (which is its main purpose) the amount of map you can download in one go is ridiculously small. ### 1/5 — Rubbish *2024-05-03, version 1.6.2* Bought some OS maps, and tried to do the digital download, but it’s rubbish, didn’t work. I think that it only works now if you take out a subscription. Doesn’t even let you create a nickname. ### 1/5 — OSMaps app *2024-04-27, version 1.6.2* This new app is awful , the previous version worked perfectly well. Why on earth did you change it? I am not alone in saying that it is terrible, my fellow walkers agree that it is not easy to work with. Please can we have the last app back or I will be asking for a refund of my subscription. Karin Mann ### 1/5 — Compass *2024-03-28, version 1.6.2* Fine for mapping ### 1/5 — Totally the wrong direction. *2024-03-07, version 1.6.2* I’m at sea on WiFi only and it is about 180 deg out. Not good. ### 1/5 — Compass is out of calibration *2023-12-28, version 1.6.2* It would be nice to be able to calibrate the compass to actually point north. It’s about 90 degrees out 🤯 ### 1/5 — Compass error *2023-09-11, version 1.6.2* Showing North and south incorrectly ### 1/5 — does not work properly *2023-08-01, version 1.6.2* does not work properly, screen frozen, no way to locate ### 1/5 — XysterHobbit *2023-02-23, version 1.6.2* The readings for Easting and Northings are useless And too short for grid refs ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Great app🩷🩷🩷🩷 *2025-03-23, version 1.6.2* it’s so fun to use and can’t wait for dofe so nice job OS Locate! ### 5/5 — Very good on DofE *2025-03-20, version 1.6.2* Very good on my DofE and helped me and my group way find 😁 ### 5/5 — 👍 *2025-02-17, version 1.6.2* I think it’s pretty sigma and it’s a rizz full compass.🧀 ### 5/5 — Simple *2025-01-03, version 1.6.2* Nice design easy on eye. Would be nice if mils would be an option ### 5/5 — Great App *2024-12-21, version 1.6.2* Great App - very accurate ### 5/5 — Brilliant app - simple yet invaluable *2024-10-09, version 1.6.2* Love this app and find it so useful, as a quick back up when manually navigating or to check orientation and directions when I don’t have a compass. ### 5/5 — Glad I had this app *2024-09-29, version 1.6.2* I never walk in the hills without a paper map and silva compass which I’ve used for nearly 50 years as well as now carrying a hand held GPS unit and OS maps app on the phone. But while out walking in the Scottish Highlands my wife fell and badly broke her leg. To be able to open the app and give a 10 figure grid reference and altitude in seconds to the emergency services was a god send. Though I can easy do 8 figure grid references but not as quick as the app. It then enabled me to spend the time taking care of wife rather than trying to pin point exactly where we where. I’d recommend to anyone ### 5/5 — Extremely useful! *2024-08-30, version 1.6.2* Accurate, even more so than my careful use of OS map and compass! ### 5/5 — So simple *2024-07-22, version 1.6.2* Fantastic app had it for years ### 5/5 — Love the app: But getting replaced *2024-06-23, version 1.6.2* I love OS Locate: the compass, GPS grid references and the guides are brilliant, but unfortunately getting replaced by Locate Me in the OS Maps app. Doesn't have as many features, so I'm keeping the one. Thank you OS for making this app as amazing as it is! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*