Practical guides
Finding the Qibla when travelling
A practical guide to checking your location and compass before using a Qibla direction app while travelling.
When you arrive somewhere unfamiliar, first check that the location shown by your phone matches where you are. A direction calculated for a previous location can be misleading. Allow location access while using the app and wait for a fresh reading.
Place the phone on a level surface or hold it steadily. Move away from metal furniture, magnetic cases, speakers and electrical equipment. These can affect the compass sensor even when the location is correct.
Mekkacompass shows the calculated direction and distance to Mecca. Use its compass view for orientation and its map to understand your position. The map needs internet access because it loads OpenStreetMap tiles; a compass reading also depends on the hardware in your phone.
If the direction changes noticeably while the phone stays still, recalibrate when prompted and compare readings in a different spot. Give yourself time to check the result. An app is a practical orientation aid whose accuracy depends on the location fix and sensor conditions.