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Hold the phone flat for a good reading.
Sign: + if magnetic north is east of true north, − if it is west. True heading = magnetic heading + declination. Look up the value for your place (for example on the NOAA website).
No sensor? Type a heading
This turns the dial by hand, so you can try the tool on a computer. It is not a real reading.
The compass looks wrong? Calibrate it
Move the phone through the air in a figure 8, three or four times. Turn your wrist while you do it. Stay away from magnets, speakers, cars, steel desks and metal cases. Then check the north again.
How accurate is it? A phone compass is usually good to about ±5°, and worse near metal, magnets or electronics. Do not use it for navigation where safety matters.
About the online compass
Which way is north? Open this page on your phone and the dial turns to show it. The big number is your heading in degrees, for example 273° W. It is a digital compass online, with no app to install.
The page reads the compass sensor that is already in your phone or tablet. The browser asks for permission once on an iPhone. Nothing is sent anywhere — the reading stays on your device.
Features
- Live dial — N, E, S and W turn smoothly as you turn, with 16 compass points
- Heading in degrees — one big number such as 273° W
- True or magnetic north — switch, and type the magnetic declination for your place
- Hold the reading — freeze the number so you can lift the phone and read it
- Set a bearing — mark a direction and see how many degrees to turn left or right
- Flat warning — a note appears when the phone is tilted too much
- Works without a sensor — on a computer you can type a heading to try the dial
- Private — the sensor is read in your browser only
How to use it
- Open this page on a phone or tablet. On an iPhone, tap “Allow compass sensor”.
- Hold the phone flat, like a plate. Keep it away from metal and magnets.
- Read the heading. The red N on the dial points to north.
- Tap “Hold reading” to freeze the number.
- Tap “Set a bearing” to mark a direction. Turn until it says “On target”.
- For true north, choose “True north” and type the declination for your place.
- If the north looks wrong, move the phone in a figure 8 to calibrate it.
True north vs magnetic north
A compass needle follows the Earth's magnetic field. Magnetic north is not at the same place as the real North Pole (true north). Maps use true north. The angle between the two is the magnetic declination. It depends on where you are, and it changes slowly over the years.
The sign matters. Declination is plus (east) when magnetic north is east of true north, and minus (west) when it is to the west. The rule is: true heading = magnetic heading + declination.
| Magnetic heading | Declination | True heading |
|---|---|---|
| 90° | +10° | 100° |
| 90° | −10° | 80° |
| 355° | +10° | 5° |
This tool does not guess your declination. It asks you to type it, so a wrong value can never hide in the page. It can show your latitude and longitude to help you look the value up.
Reading a compass heading
A heading is an angle from north, clockwise, from 0° to 359°. North is 0°, east is 90°, south is 180° and west is 270°.
| Direction | Degrees |
|---|---|
| N | 0° |
| NE | 45° |
| E | 90° |
| SE | 135° |
| S | 180° |
| SW | 225° |
| W | 270° |
| NW | 315° |
Why is my phone compass wrong?
Most wrong readings have a simple cause. A phone case with a magnet, a car, a steel desk, a speaker, a laptop or a metal frame all bend the field. Walls with steel inside do the same. Go outside, or at least away from metal, and try again.
A phone that was not calibrated can also be off by many degrees. Move it in a figure 8 a few times. Hold the phone flat, because a strong tilt gives a worse reading.
Frequently asked questions
Is this online compass accurate?
It is usually good to about ±5° in a quiet place. It can be much worse near metal, magnets or electronics.
Why does it say there is no compass sensor?
Most computers have no compass sensor. Open the page on a phone or tablet. You can also type a heading by hand to try the dial.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. On an iPhone, tap “Allow compass sensor” once. On Android, Chrome gives the compass direction without a prompt. The page needs to be a secure (https) page.
Is it magnetic or true north?
It starts with magnetic north, because that is what the sensor measures. Choose “True north” and type your declination to get true headings.
Does it send my location?
No. If you tap “Show my location”, the numbers appear on the page only. They are not stored or sent.
Can I use it to navigate on a hike?
Use it as a help, not as your only tool. Take a real compass and a map when safety matters.
Good to know
- A phone compass works best when the phone is flat and still.
- Take off a magnetic case or a metal ring holder if the north looks wrong.
- The declination changes with place and slowly with time, so check a recent value.
- Some browsers give only a relative direction. Then the page cannot show north and says so.
- The tool does not store any heading or location.
Related tools
- Bubble Level — use the same phone sensors to check if a surface is level
- Online Protractor — measure angles on the screen
- GPS Coordinates — find your latitude and longitude
- Coordinates to Map — see a place on the map from its numbers
- Coordinate Converter — change degrees, minutes and decimal formats
