---
title: Maps
slug: maps
summary: The map editor - styling tracks and locations, icons, labels and fonts, saved styles, basemaps, camera modes, globe, and exporting animated map videos and images.
order: 5
updated: 2026-11-13
---

# Maps

The **Map** tab of a trip is the map editor. The map is on top; the tabs **Tracks**, **Locations** and **Preview** are below. Tracks are described in [Trips](/help/trips).

## What can an animated map look like?

Geofoobar can export your trip as an animated video where tracks are drawn over time and locations appear with labels. Examples:

<div class="gif-grid">
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/barcelona.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Barcelona" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/paris.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Paris" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/pontedilegno.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Ponte di Legno" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/athens.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Athens" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/arizona.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Arizona" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/kaprun.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Kaprun" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/takakkaw.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Canada" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/pec.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Pec" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/uk.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in the UK" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/london.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in London" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/passau.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip in Passau" />
<img src="https://gfb-www-public-file-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/examples/acropolis.gif" alt="Animated map of a trip at the Acropolis" />
</div>

Whether you hike, run, cycle, fly or ride a motorbike or van, you can record it with the Geofoobar mobile app, or import a GPX file, and share the result as a video on Geofoobar, YouTube or other social media.

## How do I add and style locations?

Open the **Locations** tab and press **Add location**, then click the map. Select a location and press **Edit** to open **Location style**:

- **Label** and **Label position** (nine positions around the point).
- **Symbol** - an icon from the picker, with **Icon color**, **Symbol background color & size**, and **Outline color & width**.
- **Font color & size**, **Font outline color & width** and **Font family** (20 fonts).
- **Show label plate** and **Plate color** to make labels easier to read.
- **Wait time (s)** - how long the animation pauses at the location.

To style many locations at once, select them and press **Apply style to selected**. **Delete selected** removes them. The number of locations per trip depends on your plan.

## How do I style tracks?

On the **Tracks** tab select a track and press **Edit** to open **Track style**: **Line color & width**, **Casing color & width**, **Pattern** (**Solid** or **Dotted**), an optional **Symbol** that travels with the track, and a label with its own font, plate and colors.

## How do I pick icons?

In a style dialog press **Pick icon**. The **Select Icon** dialog has a **Search icons...** box and groups such as **Transport** and **Points of Interest**.

## How do saved styles work?

Styles let you reuse looks across trips.

- In a track or location style dialog press **Save style**; in the **Preview** tab use **Save settings to style** and **Apply style**.
- Choose an existing style and **Save to selected style**, or create a **New style** with a name (up to 50 characters).
- The style marked **Default** is applied to new trips, tracks and locations.
- You can delete a style; when only one remains, deleting becomes **Reset style**.

## How do I preview and export a video?

Open the **Preview** tab ("Preview & Render"):

1. Press play to **Preview animation**; drag the slider to scrub.
2. Adjust options (below) and press **Save settings** so they are remembered.
3. Press **Save as video** to render an MP4 on the server, or **Save as image** for a PNG of the current frame.
4. Rendered files appear in the **Media** gallery (**Processing...** until ready) and can be used in stories.

Options in the Preview tab:

| Option | Effect |
| --- | --- |
| Basemap / Basemap opacity | Background map (16 basemaps; only Basic on Free) |
| Camera move | **Static** (fixed view) or **Pan with tracks** (moving map follows the head of the track; rendering takes longer) |
| Use globe | Animate on a 3D globe |
| Hillshade, Use basemap labels | Terrain shading and map text on or off |
| Use GPS time | Animate at real recorded speed (needs tracks with timestamps) |
| Play all tracks together | Draw all tracks at the same time |
| Show statistics, Distance units, Speed unit | Statistics overlay |
| Hide tracks and locations | Show only the basemap |
| Use logo | Geofoobar logo; always on for Free |
| FPS, Duration (s) | Frames per second (1-60) and length (1-30 s) within your plan limits |
| Resolution | Choose a size; some need Personal; **Custom** lets you set **Width (px)** and **Height (px)** |

If location wait times do not fit the duration, the duration is raised or the waits are shortened proportionally.

## Which basemaps are available?

Basic (free), Vintage, Topographic, White, Gray, Dark, Black, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and the plain colour screens Green, Blue, White, Black and Gray (useful for video compositing). All except Basic need the Personal plan.

## Related pages

- [Trips](/help/trips)
- [Stories](/help/stories)