serious usabilty problem: 3D maps

[Greg Troxel]

I realize some people like 3D map view. My opinion is that people that
understand maps and navigation do not, because it obscures scale. So I
pretty much *never* want to see 3D.

For most profiles, there's a toggle, and it seems to stay, so for browse
map, I'm in 2D (aka "actual map view"). But in driving, it is 3D and
the toggle is gone.

I can't find a global toggle "disable 3D view". But even without that,
it makes no sense to have 3D for driving with the switching button.

I think this is new behavior in the last 2 months.

I'm running 5.2.13 via F-Droid. For context, I'm an OSM contributor and
have been using osmand since I think 2014.

Is anyone else seeing this?

[Xavier]

I suspect you have the 3D button turned off in settings. I also have
5.2.13 and I do have the 3D button in driving mode. See the attached
png for where to find the 'show/hide' button option.

Do note, you have to choose the 'driving' profile on the second or
third screen to change the setting for the 'driving' profile.

[Greg Troxel]

"'Xavier' via OsmAnd" <osm...@googlegroups.com> writes:

> I suspect you have the 3D button turned off in settings. I also have
> 5.2.13 and I do have the 3D button in driving mode. See the attached
> png for where to find the 'show/hide' button option.
>
> Do note, you have to choose the 'driving' profile on the second or
> third screen to change the setting for the 'driving' profile.

Thanks very much!
I was looking in the profile and not in configure screen.

I really have no idea how this got turned off. All my other profiles
have it enabled.

So:

If the 3D button is disabled by default for driving (instead of me
misclicking), that's a bug, but it's probably me.

My view is that 2D is normal and 3D is exceptional (and does not
represent scale properly), so the combination of button disabled and
being in 3D mode should not be allowed.

But, I guess two finger swipe down sets the view angle to 90, which is
not really the same as 2D, but it brings it back to 2D mode. Once in
2D, two finger swipe doesn't bring you back to 3D.


Still, I find this all confusing, and think there should be a general
setting for "enable 3D mode", which if off, makes everything be 2D and
omits the 2D/3D button.

[Harry van der Wolf]

Op za 17 jan 2026 om 13:24 schreef Greg Troxel <g...@lexort.com>:

I realize some people like 3D map view.  My opinion is that people that
understand maps and navigation do not, because it obscures scale.   So I
pretty much *never* want to see 3D.

I hear that argument more often in likewise wording: "people that understand maps.." (and also: "I'm a pilot, I always want the map facing north". Are you really that inflexible instead of bragging about what you are?). 

I am 63 and have used maps all my life for cars, walking, hiking, cycling. Most of my life there weren't navigation devices. I know about maps and about navigation, also on open water although that is some years behind me.

I use OsmAnd in 2D for cycling and walking/hiking. And since it's possible, I use Osmand in 3D for car navigation. That has nothing to do with (not) being able to read maps. It has to do with higher speeds and being able to see better what's in front of you. 

So yes, for driving I prefer 3D. And since I use navigation, for example in busy towns, I do not need the map as such to see where I am going. I need to hear the instructions, those are more important, and be able to have a fast glimpse to see how it is meant. And especially in mountainous areas on small curvy roads, I highly prefer the 3D look. Despite the obscured scale (you are right there).

It's about preferences. Not about the statement that people who use 3D can't read maps, making users who use 2D stand above those 3D minions. ;).

Kind regards,

Harry

[P Wat]

IMHO 3D is an irritation and a waste of time.  I would prefer that it never appears.  Yes I could press the 2D/3D button, but its presence may be the problem.  It would be better if it was not there - Is this possible?

As for North up.  I prefer it in ALL navigation modes; foot, bike, car, nautical (I don't fly any more) -  It gives a better sense of where you are in relation to other places, e.g. "Suppose you're on M4 somewhere to the west of Bristol, that town to the north must be Swindon -  Yes, and there's a decent cafe if you take the next exit south".  (Hypothetical).  Very handy if you encounter an unusual traffic jam.

[Xavier]

On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 06:23:18AM -0800, P Wat wrote:
>IMHO 3D is an irritation and a waste of time.

To each his own. In fact, sometimes, to each his own per profile... I
prefer "north up" and "2D" for the browse map view, but for driving
navigation I prefer "travel direction up" and "3D" view, both because
they:

1) let me see farther ahead on screen (I orient my phone in portrat
mode for driving) -- and 3D view gives a bit further ahead view

2) make the map position correspond exactly to what I see in front of
me. While driving, esp. in busy city areas, I don't want to have to
expend the few miliseconds to mentally rotate the map image to match my
orientation to the streets I am traversing.

At the same time, I realize those are *my personal preferences* that
that others (such as yourself) may very well want different preferences
for how the map is displayed/animated.

>I would prefer that it never appears. Yes I could press the 2D/3D
>button, but its presence may be the problem. It would be better if it
>was not there - Is this possible?

Yes, under "Configure Screen" there is a setting within "Default
Buttons" to turn off the 3D button so it does not appear.

>As for North up. I prefer it in ALL navigation modes; foot, bike,
>car, nautical (I don't fly any more) - It gives a better sense of

>where you are in relation to other places, e.g. *"Suppose you're on

>M4 somewhere to the west of Bristol, that town to the north must be

>Swindon* - * Yes, and there's a decent cafe if you take the next exit
>south*". (Hypothetical). Very handy if you encounter an unusual
>traffic jam.

There is likely also a setting for "north up", but after a few minutes
of looking, I have not found the location for that setting. Perhaps
another group member will indicate where the orientation setting
resides?

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[Greg Troxel]

"'Xavier' via OsmAnd" <osm...@googlegroups.com> writes:

> On Mon, Jan 19, 2026 at 06:23:18AM -0800, P Wat wrote:

It's interesting to me that people (who are used to normal map views)
prefer 3D, and specifically for driving. I can see the point. (For me,
the loss of scale is more bothersome than the see-ahead gain.)

>> I would prefer that it never appears. Yes I could press the 2D/3D
>> button, but its presence may be the problem. It would be better if
>> it was not there - Is this possible?
>
> Yes, under "Configure Screen" there is a setting within "Default
> Buttons" to turn off the 3D button so it does not appear.

If the map were force dot 2D only when the button was turned off, I
would never have had an issue. Somehow -- probably me misclicking -- I
ended up in 3D with the button disabled.

Given preferences, that should probably be

default 2d/3d: [choose one of 2D, 3D]

to be in effect a) at first and b) when there is no button.

> There is likely also a setting for "north up", but after a few minutes
> of looking, I have not found the location for that setting. Perhaps
> another group member will indicate where the orientation setting
> resides?

You can dynamically change it by clicking on the direction arrow among

compass direction up
direction of travel up
north up

[P Wat]

> Xavier - 

Re " Yes, under "Configure Screen" there is a setting within "Default

Buttons" to turn off the 3D button so it does not appear."

That works.  Brilliant - Thank you.

Re - "setting for "north up" - Somehow I'd already achieved that ages ago but can't remember the method.  C'est la vie.

PW

[ralph lumen]

I guess all these epic faults like my favorite would not happen if people who aren't yet would get used to „north-up“, as they see clearly that the direction taken CAN not be correct ;-) _ but maybe in these cases nothing helps - some are conditioned to always do what they're told.