How to turned an old phone into an offline GPS

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I enjoy experimenting with the collection of old phones that I have on my gadget desk. Previously, I have transformed Android phones into a dedicated dashcam, a home security camera, and even a baby monitor to keep an eye on my 11-month-old, who is currently at a stage where she desires to explore everywhere. While there are specialized devices for these purposes, they do not offer the same processing power and user-friendliness as an Android device. Additionally, repurposing old smartphones is a cost-effective solution.

There are numerous ways to effectively utilize that old phone of yours, and it recently occurred to me that I could use it as an offline GPS for my car. This would allow my primary driver to relax and concentrate on other essential tasks, such as playing music or conserving battery life. If you also have a retired device at home, here is how to convert it into a dashboard companion. 

A dedicated device for navigation is always good

Put your primary driver to other use 

Utilizing your regular smartphone for navigation is indeed convenient. However, it entails several hidden costs that affect both your device and your overall driving experience.

Navigation is a task that demands significant resources. It necessitates continuous GPS signals, maximum screen brightness to reduce glare, and ongoing data retrieval. Even when utilizing Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, your smartphone remains actively involved in providing processing power, location services, and internet connectivity to the car's dashboard for navigation purposes.

This process not only hastens battery wear but also heightens the risk of OLED screen burn-in. By delegating this task to a secondary device (if available), you can extend the lifespan of the smartphone that you rely on for daily use. 

On top of this, setting up a secondary phone as the navigation device keeps your ride distraction-free. Since it won’t have an active SIM inside, you won’t receive text messages, email notifications, or app alerts. Your device remains locked on one task, that is, navigation, ensuring that you don’t miss a single turn. 

Setting up your old phone as a GPS

It all depends on the app that you are choosing 

The initial step in the procedure of converting your old phone into an offline GPS involves selecting the appropriate application. Although you can download offline regions using standard mapping applications such as Google Maps, these downloads eventually expire or necessitate a network connection for updates.

For a genuinely offline experience, it is essential to utilize an application specifically designed for this purpose. For this endeavor, I opted for the OsmAnd application. We have previously commended OsmAnd for its emphasis on privacy and its superior offline navigation capabilities compared to Google Maps. Thus, it was a clear choice for this task.

To provide some background, OsmAnd is an open-source navigation application that utilizes OpenStreetMap data. As an open-source application, it emphasizes functionality while safeguarding your privacy and minimizing data tracking.

All that is required is to download the map for your entire state, country, or continent while connected to your home Wi-Fi or cellular data. Once the download is complete, OsmAnd offers highly detailed, offline turn-by-turn navigation. It also features speed limit alerts, lane guidance, and specific points of interest along your route — all without the need for an active internet connection. 

Put things to work

It only takes a little effort 

Before anything else, it is advisable to configure your old phone to concentrate solely on one function, which is navigation. To achieve this, you must begin with a clean slate. This entails performing a factory reset on your device. This way, you eliminate any bloatware that may consume resources and remove any old accounts that could create clutter.

Here are the steps you need to follow:

 1   Access the Settings menu on your phone.
 2   Select General management.
 3   Scroll down and choose Reset.
 4   Proceed to the bottom and select Factory data reset.
 5   On the subsequent page, press the Reset button to entirely erase all your accounts, system and app data, settings, downloaded applications, music, pictures, and all other user data.

After your phone has been reset and it powers back on, you can skip the process of signing in to a Google account. It is unnecessary. You can sideload the OsmAnd APK from the OsmAnd website or transfer it from your PC. Once you have obtained the APK, follow these steps:

 1   Install the OsmAnd application on your phone and launch it.
 2   Upon your first launch of the app, it will prompt you to download the map. You may choose to do so or click the Skip Download button located in the bottom-right corner.
 3   You can proceed to download the specific region you plan to visit or the areas you frequent most. 

Once you are done, you do not need a Wi-Fi connection until you want to update the maps. 

Lock down your phone

It should be made for GPS-only use 

This is likely the most crucial step, and it should not be overlooked. Given that your old phone lacks a SIM card and is not being utilized for any other purpose, it is essential to maximize battery usage for navigation.

Access the Settings and perform the following actions:

1    Disable Wi-Fi auto-connect
2    Turn off Bluetooth
3    Adjust screen brightness manually to 40–50%, which is sufficient for visibility in daylight.
4    Deactivate auto-sync and background data
5    Turn off unused applications (including system applications)

By implementing these changes, you will immediately observe that your phone's battery life significantly improves when it is dedicated to a single function, which in this instance is GPS.

Once you have completed the aforementioned steps, the next task is to acquire an inexpensive phone mount for your vehicle's dashboard. Connect your phone to the car charger to ensure it remains charged, and you are all set.

You now possess a dedicated GPS device that incurs no additional costs and operates effectively in all locations, including underground parking, mountain passes, and areas where your primary phone may lose cellular reception. 

You are now almost prepared.

It would not be accurate to claim that OsmAnd is flawless, and that you will encounter no further issues. During my evaluation, I identified several aspects where it did not meet expectations. The first concern is the user interface. While OsmAnd does offer a functional UI, it does not align with contemporary standards. However, I would recommend adjusting the settings once and then leaving them as they are. Additionally, there is a lack of real-time traffic updates or information regarding nearby accidents. It also fails to dynamically update estimated time of arrivals based on current road conditions.

Nevertheless, when navigating through rural regions with unreliable reception or during a weekend getaway, this configuration serves as a dependable backup. An offline GPS device remains unmatched. You drive, you drive, and reach your destination with your primary phone comfortably situated, fully charged, and prepared for those extended doom-scrolling sessions.