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PinPilot User Guide

Everything you need to know to get started and get the most out of PinPilot.

🔍

🎯 Getting Started

When you first open PinPilot, you'll see a map centred on your location. The app works straight away — no sign-up needed. You can start saving locations immediately using the free version.

PinPilot doesn't try to replace your navigation app. Instead, it gives you one organised, searchable place to save all the locations that matter to you, then hands off to Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps or whichever nav app you prefer when you're ready to go.

Tip: PinPilot works best alongside a navigation app. Install Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps for the best experience.

📍 Adding a Location

From the map

1
Press and hold anywhere on the map for about half a second.
2
A blue preview pin will drop at that spot with coordinates shown.
3
Not quite the right spot? Hold the map again somewhere else to reposition.
4
Tap Save destination when you're happy with the position.
5
Give it a name, choose a folder, and optionally add notes or a web link.
6
Tap Save — your location is now stored.

From the sidebar

Tap the ☰ Destinations button at the bottom of the screen to open the sidebar, then tap + Destination. You can enter coordinates or an OS grid reference manually.

From a search

Use the search bar at the top right of the map. Type an address, postcode, or place name and tap Go. If multiple results are found, a dropdown appears showing each match with its full address — tap the one you want. A marker will appear on the map — tap Save as destination in its popup to save it to a folder.

Tip: If the search doesn't find the right place, try adding a town, county, or postcode to narrow it down.
Tip: You can add a website link to any location. Handy for linking to a restaurant's menu, a campsite's booking page, or opening hours.

📁 Folders

Folders let you organise your locations into groups — Pubs, Campsites, Work Sites, Holiday Ideas, or anything you like.

  • Tap + Folder in the sidebar to create a new one.
  • Choose a name and a pin colour from 20 available colours — all locations in that folder will use that colour on the map.
  • You can show or hide a folder's pins on the map by tapping the menu button (⋮) and choosing Show pins on map or Hide pins on map, or using the visibility checkbox when editing a folder.
  • Tap the menu button (⋮) next to a folder name to show/hide pins, highlight its pins, send it, rename it, change its colour, or delete it.
Free version: You can have up to 2 folders with 10 locations each. Upgrade to Pro for unlimited folders and locations.

✪ Highlight Pins

Highlighting makes the pins for a specific folder stand out on the map by pulsating their centre dot between white and dark. This is useful when you have lots of pins from different folders and want to quickly spot the ones that matter.

Turning highlight on or off

1
Tap the menu button (⋮) next to the folder name in the sidebar.
2
Tap Highlight pins to turn it on, or Stop highlighting to turn it off.

You can also toggle highlighting from the folder edit modal using the Highlight pins checkbox.

How to tell which folders are highlighted

A small pulsating dot appears next to the folder name in the sidebar whenever highlighting is active for that folder. On the map, the white centre dot of each pin in the folder pulses continuously.

Tip: You can highlight multiple folders at the same time. The highlight setting is saved and persists across sessions.

👁 Viewing a Saved Location

Tap a pin on the map or tap a location name in the sidebar. A popup appears showing:

  • The location name
  • OS grid reference (for UK locations)
  • Coordinates
  • Your notes and web link (if added)
  • An edit button (pencil icon, top left)
  • An Open Navigation App button

★ Quick Destinations (Home & Work)

At the top of the sidebar you'll see two quick slots — Home and Work. Tap the pencil icon to set them up with a location. Once set, tap Go to instantly launch navigation without searching.

You can rename these to anything — "Mum's", "Office", "Marina" — and choose any saved destination or enter coordinates manually.

🔎 Searching

Searching your saved pins

The search bar in the sidebar filters your saved locations as you type. It searches across all folders instantly — no more scrolling through a huge list of saved places.

Tap Go to dismiss the keyboard and see results, or tap ✕ to clear the search.

Searching the map

The search bar at the top right of the map lets you search for any place worldwide. Type an address, postcode, place name, or landmark and tap Go. If multiple matches are found, a dropdown appears showing each result with its full address so you can pick the right one. Tap a result to fly there on the map.

Tip: For best results, include a town or postcode in your search — "Costa Coffee Norwich" works better than just "Costa Coffee".

Pasting coordinates

You can paste GPS coordinates directly into the map search bar. PinPilot recognises formats like 52.6789, 1.2345 or 52.6789 -1.2345 and flies straight to that spot — no internet search needed.

Google Maps links

Found a place on Google Maps? Copy the link and paste it into PinPilot's map search bar. PinPilot can read:

  • Full Google Maps URLs — long links from Google Maps that contain coordinates are parsed instantly.
  • Short Google Maps links — links like maps.app.goo.gl/... are resolved automatically to find the location.

In both cases, PinPilot extracts the coordinates and flies to the location on the map, ready for you to save.

🛣 Route Planning

Create multi-stop routes using locations you've already saved. Ideal for road trips, deliveries, site visits, holidays and days out.

1
Open the sidebar and tap ⚲ Route.
2
Add stops by selecting from your saved destinations, or hold the map to add a new stop.
3
Reorder stops easily using the up/down arrows.
4
The route line, total distance and estimated travel time appear on the map automatically.
5
Tap Save to keep the route for later, or Navigate Route to open it in Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps.

Saved routes appear in the Routes section of the sidebar and can be loaded again anytime.

✎ Editing and Deleting

Folders and locations each have a menu button (⋮) on the right side of their row in the sidebar. Tap it to see the available options:

  • Folder menu: Show/Hide pins on map, Highlight pins, Send to, Edit, Delete.
  • Location menu: Send to, Copy to folder, Edit, Delete.
  • Edit a location: Tap ⋮ then Edit, or tap the pencil icon on its map popup.
  • Delete a location: Tap ⋮ then Delete.
  • Copy to another folder: Tap ⋮ then Copy to folder and choose which folders to copy it to.
  • Edit a folder: Tap ⋮ then Edit.
  • Delete a folder: Tap ⋮ then Delete. This also deletes all locations in that folder.
Warning: Deleting a folder permanently removes all locations inside it. Consider exporting a backup first.

📥 Import and Export

Import

Tap ↓ Import in the sidebar. PinPilot accepts the following file types:

  • JSON — PinPilot's own backup format. Re-import a previously exported backup to restore your data.
  • GeoJSON — A standard map data format used by many mapping tools.
  • CSV — Comma-separated values in Garmin/PocketGPS format (lat, lng, name, notes). The file name is used as the folder name — for example, importing Burger_King.csv creates a folder called "Burger King" containing all the locations from the file.

After selecting a file, you'll see a preview showing how many pins will be imported and which folder they'll go into. Tap Import to confirm.

Export

Tap ↑ Export in the sidebar. Three formats are available:

A complete backup of everything — folders, locations, routes, notes, links. This is the format you can re-import into PinPilot to restore your data.

Use this for regular backups or when transferring to a new device.

Exports your destinations in a format you can open in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet app. Great for sharing location lists or creating reports.

Standard format for GPS data. Load your routes and waypoints into any navigation or mapping application that supports GPX.

⭐ PinPilot Pro PRO

Upgrade to Pro with a one-time purchase of £3.59. No subscriptions, no recurring charges — pay once and unlock everything.

What's included

  • Unlimited folders and saved locations
  • Secure cloud storage and sync
  • Real-time workspace sharing
  • Send & Receive — send individual folders or pins to other users
  • Access your locations across multiple devices
  • PinPilot Web — manage locations from your computer

Cloud Sync

Your locations are stored securely in the cloud and sync across all your devices automatically. Add a pin on your phone and it appears on the web version within seconds.

Sharing Workspaces

1
Tap the link icon (🔗) in the workspace bar.
2
Tap Generate New Code — a 6-character code appears.
3
Send the code to whoever you want to share with.
4
They sign in to PinPilot Pro, tap the gear icon (⚙), enter the code, and tap Join.

Both users now see and edit the same locations in real time. The workspace owner can remove members from the share modal.

Multiple Workspaces

You can have your own personal workspace and be a member of shared ones. Tap the gear icon (⚙) to switch between them — useful for separating personal locations from shared work or family locations.

Renaming a Workspace

Tap the workspace name in the workspace bar to rename it — useful when you have multiple workspaces to tell apart.

PinPilot Web

Pro users can also access their locations from any computer. Visit pinpilot.mcm-app.com, sign in with the same Google or Apple account you used on your phone, and everything is there. Add and edit locations from your desktop and they sync to your phone instantly. No separate app required.

Deleting Your Account

When you're signed in, the bottom of the sidebar shows your name, email and a menu icon (⋮). Tap anywhere on it to open a slide-up menu with two options:

1
Tap Delete Account & All Data from the menu.
2
Confirm twice — two separate prompts prevent accidental deletion.
3
Once confirmed, all your cloud data is permanently removed — folders, destinations, workspaces and your account.

If your session has been open for a while, you may be asked to sign out and sign back in first for security before the deletion can proceed.

Warning: Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. All your saved locations, folders, routes and shared workspaces will be permanently removed. Consider exporting a backup first.

✉ Send & Receive PRO

Send individual folders or pins directly to another PinPilot Pro user. Unlike workspace sharing (which gives live, ongoing access to all your locations), Send & Receive is a one-off transfer — like forwarding a file. The recipient gets their own copy to keep.

Your User Code

Every Pro user is automatically assigned a unique 6-digit user code when they first sign in. This is your personal identifier for sending and receiving. You can find it by tapping the envelope icon (✉) in the workspace bar to open the Send & Receive screen. Your code is displayed at the top — tap Copy Code to copy it and share it with others.

Sending a Folder

1
In the sidebar, tap the menu button (⋮) next to the folder you want to send.
2
Tap Send to.
3
Select a contact from the list (use the search bar to filter), or scroll down and enter the recipient's 6-digit user code. Their name will appear for confirmation.
4
Tap Send. The folder and all its pins are sent to the recipient.

After sending, the Send & Receive screen opens showing your item with a Pending status. Once the recipient accepts it, the status changes to Delivered.

Sending a Pin

You can send individual pins in three ways:

  • From the sidebar: Tap ⋮ next to a saved location, then Send to.
  • From a saved pin popup: Tap a pin on the map and tap the purple Send to button.
  • From a dropped pin: Long-press the map to drop a preview pin, then tap Send location. PinPilot will automatically look up a readable address for the location before sending.

Receiving a Folder or Pin

When someone sends you a folder or pin, a pulsing notification bar appears at the top of your sidebar. Tap it to see what's been sent, including a preview of the contents.

  • Accept: The folder or pin is added to your data. If a folder with the same name already exists, a number is added to the end (e.g. "Campsites (2)"). Single pins are placed in a folder called "Received Pins", which is created automatically if it doesn't exist.
  • Dismiss: The notification is hidden for this session. The share remains available if you reopen the app later.
Tip: Incoming shares appear in real time — no need to refresh or reopen the app.

Contacts

Anyone you send to or receive from is automatically added to your contacts list. You can view and manage contacts from the Send & Receive screen:

  • Search: Use the search bar to filter contacts by name or code.
  • Edit a name: Tap the pencil icon (✎) next to a contact's name to rename them — useful if you have multiple contacts with the same name.
  • Delete a contact: Tap the ✕ button to remove them from your list.

When sending, your contacts appear in an alphabetically sorted, searchable list — tap a contact to select them. A tick appears next to the selected contact and their code is filled in automatically.

Activity

The bottom of the Send & Receive screen shows your recent activity — items you've sent (with a purple ↑ arrow) and items you've received (with a blue ↓ arrow), along with their status.

You can share a single pin with anyone — even people who don't have PinPilot — using a shareable link and QR code.

1
Tap the menu button (⋮) on a pin, or tap Send to on a pin's map popup.
2
At the bottom of the Send to screen, tap Generate Link / Code.
3
A QR code and shareable link are generated. Use the buttons below to:
  • Share Link — opens the share sheet (WhatsApp, text, email, etc.) on mobile, or copies the link on desktop.
  • Copy Link — copies the link to your clipboard.
  • Save QR — saves or shares the QR code as an image.

When the recipient opens the link or scans the QR code, PinPilot opens in their browser with the shared pin displayed on the map. They can navigate to it, save more pins, and explore the app. If they don't have PinPilot, a banner shows links to download the app from Google Play or the App Store.

If the recipient already has PinPilot Pro and is signed in on the web, the pin is saved directly to their workspace.

Tip: Shared links expire after 30 days. This feature is available for single pins only — to share a whole folder, use the Send to contact option above.

🌏 Your Location Button

Tap the target icon (⊚) on the map to fly to your current GPS position. The button turns green while active, showing you're being tracked. Drag the map to deactivate it and return to free browsing.

💡 Tips & Tricks

  • Use two fingers to zoom the map — a single finger hold drops a pin.
  • Press the back button on Android to close modals, the sidebar, or popups before exiting the app.
  • Export a JSON backup regularly to keep a safe copy of your data.
  • OS grid references are shown automatically for UK locations — handy for walkers and outdoor enthusiasts.
  • Use folder colours to quickly identify different types of locations on the map.
  • Add website links to locations for quick access to booking pages, menus, or reviews.

❔ Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! The free version includes up to 2 folders with 10 locations each, stored locally on your device. You can upgrade to Pro for unlimited folders and locations, cloud sync, and sharing.

No — PinPilot works alongside your navigation app. It's a dedicated location organiser. When you're ready to navigate, PinPilot hands off to Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, or any other nav app you have installed.

No. PinPilot Pro is a one-time purchase of £3.59. No subscriptions, no recurring charges — pay once and it's yours forever.

Yes, with PinPilot Pro. Your locations sync across all devices signed in with the same Google account, including the web version at pinpilot.mcm-app.com.

Free users store data locally, so uninstalling removes it. Export a JSON backup first. Pro users' data is stored in the cloud and will be available when you reinstall and sign in again.

PinPilot is available on Android via Google Play, and on iOS via the App Store. Pro users also get access to PinPilot Web for managing locations from a computer.

Yes, partially. Your saved destinations, folders and routes are always accessible offline — you can view, edit and add new pins without an internet connection. The GPS location button works, and you can launch navigation straight into Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps, which handle their own offline maps.

What does need a connection: map tiles won't load for areas you haven't already browsed (previously viewed areas may be cached), address search, route distance and time calculations, workspace sharing and sync, and sign-in or purchasing. Once you're back online, everything syncs automatically.

Need more help?

Questions, feedback, or feature requests? We'd love to hear from you.

pinpilot@mcm-app.com