GPS Setup
GPS setup in OMN4 is mostly about giving the mobile app the location access it needs. Tracklog recording also needs background-capable permission if you want recording to continue while the screen is off or OMN4 is not in front.
First Use
- Open OMN4 on your phone or tablet.
- Tap GPS on the map screen.
- Allow location access when your device asks for it.
If you deny permission, OMN4 cannot show your live position until you allow it later in the device settings.
Foreground And Background Permission
Simple map GPS uses normal location permission while OMN4 is open. Starting or resuming a tracklog needs background-capable permission because the recording may continue after you lock the screen or switch apps.
Important: if background permission is missing, OMN4 can show Allow Background Recording and offer Open Settings before recording starts.
On Android, background tracklogs need location permission set to Allow all the time. Android battery optimisation can also stop background recording on some devices, so check Android if you rely on longer recordings.
On iOS, background tracklogs need location permission set to Always. iOS controls background activity tightly, so keep the permission note in mind even if normal foreground GPS is working. See iOS for broader mobile behaviour.
Tracklogs Settings
On mobile, open Settings and then Tracklogs. This section covers:
- Folder to save Tracklogs
- Track Distance Threshold
- Recording Tracklog Colour
The default Recording Tracklog Colour is red. Tap it to choose a different colour for the track while it is being recorded.
OMN4 selects and saves track points automatically, so the Tracklogs section has no capture distance or time interval for you to set. Track Distance Threshold changes how recorded track distance totals are filtered for GPS jitter; it does not change which points are recorded.
On Android, this section also shows an Android battery profile block. It warns that, depending on your device and settings, Android may not record trackpoints while OMN4 is in the background, and offers a Read More link for more detail. If OMN4 is not yet exempt from battery optimisation, it also shows a Whitelist OMN button that opens the Android setting where you can exempt OMN4; once OMN4 is exempt, it shows a note confirming you are already configured correctly.
Desktop And Mobile
GPS and tracklog recording are for mobile devices. On Windows and macOS, use the GPS docs mainly to understand tracks you record on mobile and then review on desktop. Desktop Settings > Tracklogs shows Track Distance Threshold only.