In the iOS, MacOS and Android versions of Topo GPS it is very easy to print maps with your routes and points. The advanced printing capabilities of Topo GPS ensure that using the Topo GPS app you can both enjoy the advantages of digital and printed maps.

• A printed map can be a really good safety backup in case you loose your device or your device breaks down.
• It might be more enjoyable to make your trip using a paper map. You can then use your smartphone less often. Maybe you will be less distracted by your smartphone and your trip will be more relaxing. You also will save battery in the phone.
• You can use a printed map to increase your navigational skills. Especially in combination with a magnetic compass and a map protractor.
• A printed map can also be useful if you need to discuss something about the map with a group of people.
• A printed map can give a nice overview and you can easily add remarks with a pencil.
• If you want an extremely high level of privacy a printed map might also be desirable. You can do all the planning at home, print the map and leave the smartphone at home. This ensures that you cannot be easily tracked. 

To print a map, you can just make a selection on the map by pressing with two fingers together long on the map screen.

Then use the option ‘Print map‘ in the pop-up that appears.

Then you can set several options, like the map scale. It is possible to print the map at an exact map scale, like for example 1:25,000. High resolution aerial imagery can be printed at scales up to 1:100 and 1:87 (to use with 1:87 scale models). This makes it for example possible to make an aerial print of a garden to scale, which allows you to do landscape planning on a paper map.

If you add a grid layer via Menu > Layers > Coordinate grids, printing a map to scale allows you to manually find and read off coordinates using a map protractor.

An arrow on the printed map indicates the true north. On iOS/MacOS also a second arrow which indicates the direction of the magnetic north is shown. At several points on the earth, like for example New Zealand, Brazil and South Africa, the difference between the magnetic north and true north (magnetic declination) is over twenty degrees. If you use a compass, it is important to know the exact direction of the magnetic north, otherwise huge navigational errors could be made.

Another useful capability is that you can also print rotated maps. First rotate the map manually, and then select the to be printed map. Disable the ‘Fill paper’ option in the print pop-up. That allows you to only print only the part of the map that you need, saving printer ink.

It is also possible to select large paper sizes like A1 and A0. If you then print, but choose for ‘Save PDF’ in the print pop-up a PDF map at a large paper size is generated. This PDF map you could then send to a print service. You would have a nice map which you could for example hang somewhere on a wall.

If you need to print a lot of maps at home we recommend using an ink tank printer.