BAREGPS IRELAND - INSTALLATION AND PHONE SETUP Release APK: BareGPS-Ireland-1.0-release-2026-10-31.apk Instructions dated 31 October 2026 1. BEFORE YOU INSTALL You need an Android phone running Android 7.0 or later. This APK cannot be installed on an iPhone. The APK is approximately 1 GB because it includes the OpenBareMap offline map. The installed application also extracts map resources into its private storage. Have several GB free before installation; allowing roughly 6 GB free is a sensible starting point, rather than a guaranteed storage requirement. Use Wi-Fi to obtain the APK. Keep the phone charged during installation and first launch. No separate map ZIP or map import is required for this BareGPS release: OpenBareMap is included. Only install the APK received from the developer or a source you trust. You do not need a computer, developer mode, USB debugging or a Google Play tester account to install this file. 2. INSTALLING THE APK 1. Download or transfer the APK onto your phone, preferably into Downloads. If downloading from a cloud drive, ensure you download the actual APK, rather than a shortcut or web page. 2. Open the phone's Files or My Files application, go to Downloads, and tap: BareGPS-Ireland-1.0-release-2026-10-31.apk 3. Android may say that this source is not allowed to install unknown apps. Tap Settings in that message and enable "Allow from this source" for the application opening the APK, such as Files, My Files or your browser. Return to the installer and tap Install. Menu names vary. You can usually find the setting by searching the phone's Settings for "Install unknown apps". It applies to the source application, not to BareGPS itself. 4. Read any security messages. Keep Google Play Protect enabled and let it scan the app if offered. If Android reports a harmful app or an unexplained security block, stop and contact the developer rather than disabling protection. 5. When installation finishes, tap Open. 6. Return to "Install unknown apps" and turn off the permission you enabled for Files or the browser once installation is complete. Some Samsung phones have an Auto Blocker setting that blocks installation outside an app store. If it blocks this trusted APK, review that setting in Security and privacy. On a work-managed phone, your administrator may prohibit APK installation; do not bypass an organisation's device controls. FIRST INSTALL OVER AN EXISTING DEVELOPMENT COPY: A copy installed from Android Studio is normally signed with a different key. Android may refuse to replace it with this release and say "App not installed" or report a conflicting package. Do not immediately uninstall the existing app. Export and check your GPX recordings and any other important data first. Uninstalling or clearing storage can delete saved tracks, waypoints, logs, preferences and cached maps. Once your data is safe, uninstall the old copy and install this release. Future releases signed with the same release key can normally install over this release without uninstalling. Do not uninstall routinely to update. 3. FIRST LAUNCH AND OFFLINE MAP Open BareGPS Ireland while the phone has good battery and free storage. Allow time for the initial map resources to be prepared. Stay in the app until the map appears; first launch can take longer than subsequent launches. Use Map Layer to select OpenBareMap. Pan and zoom to your intended walking area and make sure map detail and contours appear. OpenBareMap covers the island of Ireland and is bundled for offline use. You do not need to import OpenBareMap-Android.zip. That ZIP belongs to a separate reference-app workflow and is not needed for this APK. Other layers have different requirements: - OpenTopo: internet required unless the relevant area has been cached. - Satellite: internet required unless the relevant area has been cached. - OpenStreetMap: plan on needing internet. - Weather and external website/directions links need internet. A downloaded APK alone is not a substitute for a first-launch check. Open the installed app and verify the map before leaving home. 4. LOCATION PERMISSION AND ACCURACY Turn on the phone's Location switch. When BareGPS asks for location permission, choose "While using the app" or "Allow only while using the app", and enable "Use precise location" if offered. To check later: Settings > Apps > BareGPS Ireland > Permissions > Location This release uses a foreground location service for user-started recording. It does not request the separate "Allow all the time" background location permission. You do not need to find or enable that option. Recording should be started while the app is visible, before you lock the screen or switch apps. If the in-app Android Setup help suggests choosing "Allow all the time", use these instructions instead for this release. Approximate location may be sufficient for some general map uses, but precise location is recommended for position, Go To and GPX recording. If available, Google Location Accuracy can help obtain a first position, especially around buildings. Menu names and availability vary by phone. Satellite GPS can work without mobile data, although the initial fix may take longer without network assistance. Go outdoors with a clear view of the sky and wait for the position and accuracy to settle before recording. Do not trust an old position immediately after opening the app. Buildings, cliffs, trees and deep valleys can reduce accuracy. 5. ALLOW RECORDING NOTIFICATIONS Allow BareGPS notifications when prompted, especially on Android 13 or later. Check: Settings > Apps > BareGPS Ireland > Notifications Enable notifications and, if listed, the GPX Recording notification category. During recording, the app uses a foreground service with a recording notification so you can see that tracking is active. Notification permission and location permission are separate. Allow both for the clearest recording experience. Denied notifications do not by themselves prove that recording has stopped, so check the recording state inside the app. 6. BATTERY AND BACKGROUND SETTINGS To reduce the chance of the phone interrupting a long recording: - Open Settings > Apps > BareGPS Ireland > Battery. - Choose Unrestricted, No restrictions or Allow background activity if offered. - Disable "Pause app activity if unused" or automatic permission removal for BareGPS if you use it only occasionally and that setting is offered. - Avoid Battery Saver, Extreme Battery Saver or Ultra Power Saving during an important recording. - Do not Force stop the app, clear its storage, run a cleaner that closes it, or reboot the phone during recording. - Avoid swiping it away from Recent apps while recording; manufacturer behaviour varies. Samsung: Look under Settings > Battery > Background usage limits. Remove BareGPS from Sleeping apps and Deep sleeping apps. Add it to Never auto sleeping apps if that option is available. Other manufacturers: Search Settings for "App battery", "Background activity", "Battery optimisation" or "App launch". Some phones offer automatic app management or background launch controls. Allow BareGPS to continue running where those settings exist. Menu names vary by Android version and phone model. These settings improve the chance of reliable recording but cannot guarantee it. Test your own phone with the screen locked before relying on it for a long walk. 7. TEST BACKGROUND RECORDING BEFORE A WALK 1. Go outdoors and wait for a stable current position. 2. Open the GPX recording/handling panel. 3. Tap Start and confirm that recording is active. 4. Lock the screen and walk for at least 10-15 minutes. 5. Unlock the phone and reopen BareGPS. 6. Check that time and distance advanced and the track contains the walk. 7. Tap Stop, then Save, and give the recording a meaningful name. 8. Reopen it from the saved GPX list. 9. Share/export a copy and check that the file opens in a compatible GPX viewer. Repeat with another app in the foreground. A short test is useful evidence about your phone's settings; it does not guarantee an all-day recording. If the track has gaps, review battery restrictions, precise location and GPS reception. Keep the phone somewhere with reasonable sky exposure, rather than buried beneath equipment or shielded by metal. 8. USING THE APP'S MAIN FEATURES MAP AND POSITION Use Recenter to return to your current position. Settings offers map orientation options including North Up and Heads Up. Compass/heading behaviour depends on the phone's sensors. Keep magnetic cases, magnets and metal away from the phone when checking heading. HILLS AND SEARCH Tap a hill marker to see details. Search is affected by the currently displayed hills and starting-point filters. If a hill seems missing, remove filters or use Log Register search to search the full hill database. ADDITIONAL STARTING POINTS AND TRAILS In Settings, enable Coillte, Sport Ireland and Outscape datasets if wanted; these optional providers may be off by default. Tap a starting point to inspect available route information. A displayed start point or path is not a guarantee of public access or a suitable approach. WAYPOINTS AND GO TO Long-press the map to create a personal waypoint or choose Go To. Go To provides direction, distance and bearing guidance. Its line is not a calculated safe walking route and does not account for cliffs, rivers, fences, access restrictions or the actual path you should follow. RECORDING Choose recording quality in Settings before starting. Begin with the default quality and test it. Higher detail can increase battery and storage use. Use Start to record, Stop to end recording and Save to keep it. Discard deletes an unwanted recording. The compact on-map metrics strip is a display; use the recording panel for recording controls. IMPORT AND EXPORT Use the GPX panel to import a file through Android's file picker. The saved GPX list provides open, rename, share and delete actions. Imported files saved back by the app may be simplified; retain your original GPX file separately. LOG REGISTER Use the Log Register to review and manage logged hills and export available records. Keep copies of important exports outside the app. LEGEND Open About > OpenBareMap to view the legend. Tap it for a larger view; pinch to zoom and drag to inspect the symbols. 9. OPTIONAL CACHED MAPS AND WEATHER OpenBareMap needs no caching. For OpenTopo or Satellite, while online: 1. Select the layer. 2. Move the map to the required area. 3. Open Cache and choose the available detail/area settings. 4. Wait for completion and inspect the reported status. 5. Test the area offline at the zoom levels you expect to use. Do not assume a partial cache contains every tile inside its outline. Large areas and high detail consume more storage and bandwidth. Weather is an online feature. Check the forecast location and time. A forecast for the vicinity of a hill is not a summit forecast; higher ground can be much colder and windier. Consult appropriate mountain forecasts and warnings too. 10. PRE-WALK CHECKLIST - Charge the phone and take a charged power bank for longer walks. - Leave enough storage for recordings and map resources. - Open the app before leaving home and check the intended area. - Select OpenBareMap, or verify any optional cached layer. - Import any planned GPX while you still have internet access. - Turn Location on and allow precise location. - Allow recording notifications. - Check battery/background restrictions. - Go outdoors and wait for a stable position. - Start GPX recording while the app is visible, if required. - Confirm recording is active before locking the screen. - Carry an independent map/compass or suitable backup and know how to use it. You can test offline behaviour by disabling Wi-Fi and mobile data. If using airplane mode, confirm Location remains enabled and verify your position; radio behaviour varies. Airplane mode also prevents normal calls and messages, so choose your connectivity settings deliberately. Use sensible screen brightness and lock the screen between checks to conserve power. Protect the phone from rain, cold and damage. 11. KEEP YOUR RECORDINGS SAFE Save completed recordings and periodically share/export them to another location, such as a computer or your own storage service. Check the exported files before deleting originals. Do not assume Android backup preserves everything. Uninstalling, clearing app storage, losing the phone or a failed device can lose local data. The original APK on its own does not contain your later recordings or waypoints. The app stores tracks and other user data locally. Choosing Share sends the selected file to the destination you choose; GPX can reveal precise location and times. Online layers, weather requests and external links contact their respective services. 12. TROUBLESHOOTING "App not installed" or conflicting package: Check whether a development copy or differently signed version is installed. Export important data before considering uninstalling it. Also check free space, Android version and whether the download completed. The APK will not open: Use Files/My Files and ensure the file ends in .apk. Some messaging services rename or incompletely download large files. Obtain a complete copy again. Blank map or missing map detail: Select OpenBareMap, allow first-launch preparation to finish and check free storage. Close and reopen normally. If another layer is selected, check internet or cache coverage. Do not clear storage as a first troubleshooting step. No current position: Check phone Location, app permission and precise location. Go outside and wait. Offline map display does not itself mean a GPS fix has been obtained. Recording stops or has gaps: Check background/battery settings, location permission and reception. Repeat the locked-screen test. Avoid force stopping, rebooting or using battery-saving modes during recording. No hills in search: Check map filters and enabled datasets. Try the full Log Register search. Weather or web links fail: Check internet access. These features are not provided by the offline map. Contact: AppsbyOnzy@gmail.com Include your phone model, Android version, app version, what you were doing and the exact error. Do not email private GPX tracks unless you intend to share their location history. SAFETY AND ACCESS Do not use this app as your only navigation aid. Maps and datasets can contain errors or be out of date. Straight-line distances and Go To guidance do not prove that a route is safe, passable or legally accessible. Respect private land and local restrictions. Plan for battery failure, poor weather and loss of phone signal.