Where Is North? How to Find North From Where You Are
The quickest ways to find which way is north right now: your phone's compass, a map app, the sun, or the stars. Steps, plus how accurate each method is.
5 min read · updated
The fastest way to find north is to open the live online compass on your phone, hold it flat, and turn until the heading reads 0°. The top edge of your phone then points north. If you are on a laptop, or your phone has no compass sensor, use one of the sky-based methods below.
1. Use your phone's compass
- Open Online Compass in your browser. No app needed.
- Tap Enable compass and allow motion and orientation access.
- Hold the phone flat, away from magnets, cars and metal furniture.
- Turn slowly until the reading is 0° (or 360°). You are now facing north.
If the needle jumps, follow the calibration guide. To face geographic north rather than magnetic north, switch the compass to True and share your location.
2. Use the sun
The sun rises roughly in the east and sets roughly in the west. Around midday it is due south if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, and due north if you are in the Southern Hemisphere. For an exact bearing at any time of day, the sun compass calculates where the sun is from your location, so you can line it up and read off north.
3. Use the North Star
At night in the Northern Hemisphere, find the Big Dipper and follow the two stars at the end of its bowl upward to Polaris. Polaris sits within about 1° of true north. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Southern Cross points toward the south celestial pole. Both are covered in detail in five ways to find north without a compass.
4. Use a map
Almost every map puts north at the top. Match a road or landmark around you to the map, and the top of the map points north. Check your exact position on My Location first.
Magnetic north or true north?
A compass needle points to magnetic north. Maps use true north. Depending on where you are, the two can be more than 10° apart. For walking around town it rarely matters; for hiking with a map it does. Look up your local value with the magnetic declination calculator.
Once you know north, the other directions follow: east is 90° to your right, south is behind you, and west is to your left. See the full list of compass directions and degrees.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find north on my phone?
Open the online compass in your phone browser, allow motion access, and hold the phone flat. The top of the dial shows north; turn until the heading reads 0°.
Which way is north from where I am right now?
Use a live compass on your phone. Without one, the sun is roughly south at midday in the Northern Hemisphere and roughly north in the Southern Hemisphere.
Does the sun rise in the north?
No. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, moving a little north or south of due east during the year.
Why does my phone show north in the wrong place?
Magnets, metal, and an uncalibrated sensor can throw a phone compass off. Move away from metal and move the phone in a figure-eight to recalibrate.