Motion Access Required
Allow Safari to access your device orientation sensors for live compass navigation.
Live Telemetry & Diagnostics
Precision Orienteering Suite
Engineered for hikers, navigators, sailors, and astronomers. 100% on-device client computation with zero telemetry logging.
Spirit Level & Inclinometer
High-precision 360° bullseye bubble leveler with dual-axis pitch and roll angle readouts for flat surfaces and carpentry.
GPS Speedometer & HUD
Real-time velocity meter, trip odometer, elevation altitude, and windshield projection reflection mode for night driving.
Solar & Lunar Compass
Real-time Sun and Moon azimuth positions overlaid on the compass dial with Golden Hour, twilight, and lunar illumination schedules.
Qibla Direction Finder
Calculates exact great-circle geodesic bearing directly to the Kaaba in Mecca with real-time alignment chime and distance in km/miles.
Declination & Space Weather
World Magnetic Model (WMM-2025) declination calculator, geomagnetic dip angle, and live planetary Kp solar disturbance storm scale.
GPS Waypoint Tracker
Save custom backcountry trailhead coordinates and navigate with live course bearing, steer deviation angles, and distance indicators.
Understanding True North vs. Magnetic North
When navigating with high-precision digital or physical instruments, distinguishing between True North and Magnetic North is fundamental for accurate orienteering. True North represents the geographic axis of Earth's rotational spin (the North Pole), which topographic charts, satellite maps, and aviation coordinates are referenced to.
In contrast, Magnetic North is the direction indicated by Earth's natural geomagnetic field lines generated by convection currents in Earth's molten liquid iron outer core. Because the magnetic poles shift continuously over time, the angular difference between True North and Magnetic North is known as Magnetic Declination (or variation).
Online Compass Live incorporates the latest World Magnetic Model (WMM-2025) mathematical algorithm to automatically correct raw device magnetometer readings based on your exact latitude, longitude, and elevation.
How to Calibrate Your Mobile Compass
Apple iOS (Safari)
- Tap Activate Compass Sensors when prompted to grant Motion & Orientation permission.
- Hold your iPhone flat in your palm with screen facing the sky.
- Wave the device in a smooth Figure-8 infinity pattern for 3 seconds to clear residual magnetic bias.
Android (Chrome)
- Chrome utilizes internal magnetometers automatically via
deviceorientationabsolute. - If the dial does not rotate, navigate to
chrome://flags/#enable-generic-sensor-extra-classesand set to Enabled. - Step away from laptop metal bodies or magnetic phone cases for maximum precision.
Navigation & Sensor FAQs
Does this online compass work without downloading an app?
Yes. Online Compass Live runs entirely inside any modern web browser on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows. It utilizes HTML5 DeviceOrientation and Geolocation APIs directly with zero app store downloads required.
Is my GPS location and sensor data kept private?
100% private. All sensor calculations, geomagnetic models, solar positions, and spirit level formulas execute locally on your device hardware. No position data is ever transmitted or stored on external servers.
How does the spirit level inside the compass dial work?
The center circle acts as a 2D bullseye spirit level reading pitch and roll accelerometer vectors. When your phone is held completely flat within 1.2° of inclination, the crosshairs illuminate emerald green, confirming optimal reading conditions.