Maplapse FAQ
The key questions about Maplapse, each answered briefly and on its own. For a full walk through every feature, see the guide.
What is Maplapse?
Maplapse is an iPhone and iPad app that automatically turns the photos you already have into a map of your travels. It reads where and when each photo was taken, groups the photos into trips with individual stops and joins the stops up into a journey. There is nothing to label and nothing to sort. Tap any stop to open its photos, and add a note if you like.
Does Maplapse work with trips from years ago?
Yes, Maplapse works retroactively with every photo already in your library. A trip from ten years ago appears on the map as soon as you open the app, as long as its photos carry a location. You never have to register a trip in advance or record it on the way. The first analysis of a large library can take a while; it is quickest with your device on the charger.
Do I need to do anything while I'm traveling?
No, Maplapse records nothing on the way and does not follow your route. It only uses the location your camera already saves in each photo, so you simply take photos as usual. New photos show up on the map shortly afterwards by themselves. That is also why the line between two stops is a straight connection rather than the road you actually drove.
Do I need an account to use Maplapse?
No, there is no Maplapse account, and you never sign in to Maplapse. All you need is the Apple Account your device is already signed in with: you use it to download Maplapse from the App Store, and the optional iCloud sync and sharing use the iCloud that belongs to it.
What happens to my photos and data?
Maplapse analyzes your photos on your device, and there is no Maplapse server that receives or stores your photos, travel data or notes. Maplapse itself sends data only to your own iCloud: when you turn on iCloud sync, which is off by default, or when you share a trip. You can also pass a single photo or a location to an app of your choice through the iOS share sheet. All of it is always your deliberate choice. To show place names, Maplapse sends individual coordinates to Apple's map service. Maplapse contains no ads, no trackers and no analytics.
What happens to photos that have no location?
Maplapse cannot place photos without a location on the map by itself. With Maplapse Pro you can still bring them in: Maplapse shows you location-less photos that fit a stop in time, and you give them the location of another photo from that stop. The location is written into the photo itself, and “Undo location” removes it again. So that future photos carry a location, allow the Camera to use Location Services in your iOS Settings.
How much does Maplapse cost, and what is Maplapse Pro?
Maplapse is free to use and works fully without Pro: trips, stops, the gallery, notes, search and filters are all part of the free app. So are the slideshow and sharing as a link, up to a point: you can play three trips from start to finish, and three links are free. Maplapse Pro is a subscription, monthly or yearly, with a free period to try it out and Family Sharing for up to five people. Pro lifts the limit on slideshows and links and adds iCloud sync, sharing your whole map, advanced search, your own trip names and placing photos that have no location, among other things. The app shows you the current price before you buy, and you can cancel any time in your iOS Settings.
Does Maplapse run on iPad?
Yes, Maplapse runs on both iPhone and iPad. On iPad the bar above the map lays everything out side by side and stays visible in landscape too, with a button to hide and show it. With Maplapse Pro your trips and notes appear on both devices through your own iCloud account; the photos themselves are not transferred by this sync.
Which languages is Maplapse available in?
Maplapse is available in eight languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch and Polish. You can pick the language in Settings, or choose “System” so that Maplapse follows the language of your device.
How does Maplapse decide where a trip starts and ends?
Maplapse mainly ends a trip when photos from home turn up again, provided you have set a home address in Settings. Without a home address, only a break separates two trips, two months by default. How far apart two photos must be to become two stops is set by the radius, 50 km by default. Your photos stay untouched throughout.
Does Maplapse change my photos?
Maplapse changes your photos only when you explicitly tell it to. Hiding a photo just takes it off the map and never deletes it. A photo is changed or deleted only at your request: when you rotate it, mark it as a favorite, give a location-less photo a location with Pro, or delete it yourself. Rotations and assigned locations can be undone in Maplapse at any time.
