Support

Text-to-Speech (TTS)

Which TTS engine should I use?

Pine Maps uses your device's system TTS engine for voice navigation instructions. The default engine varies by device. We recommend RHVoice. It's free, open-source, and available on both Google Play and F-Droid.

Other compatible engines include:

• Google Speech Services: pre-installed on most Android devices with Google services
• eSpeak: lightweight, works well on devices without Google services
• Acapela Voices: commercial, high-quality voices
• Vocalizer: commercial (Nuance), high-quality voices

How to configure TTS

1. Open Settings → Additional Settings → Accessibility
2. Select your preferred TTS engine
3. Adjust speech rate and pitch to your liking
4. In Pine Maps, go to Settings → Voice Instructions and tap Test Voice Directions to verify

TTS not working?

• Make sure a TTS engine is installed and selected in system settings
• On Android 11+ without Google services (e.g. GrapheneOS): install RHVoice from F-Droid
• On LineageOS or custom ROMs: if RHVoice fails to initialize, install eSpeak first, set it as the preferred engine, then install and switch to RHVoice
• On iOS: test TTS by going to Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content

TTS stops when the app is in the background?

Enable Settings → Accessibility → Select to Speak → Settings → turn on "Read in the background".

TTS Configuration Guide for Android

Pine Maps relies on the Android system TTS engine for spoken turn-by-turn directions. The table below lists supported TTS engines for various languages.

RHVoice is our recommended engine where available. It's free, open-source, and available on Google Play and F-Droid.

How to use Android Auto

Requirements

• Android 9.0 (Pie) or later
• Pine Maps must be installed from Google Play Store (package installer must be com.android.vending)
• Your vehicle or head unit must support Android Auto

Why does it need to be installed from Google Play?

Google requires navigation apps on Android Auto to be installed through the Play Store. Apps installed via F-Droid, Aurora Store, or sideloaded APKs use a different installer source which Android Auto does not recognize. This is a Google restriction, not something Pine Maps controls.

There are community-reported workarounds to make sideloaded apps appear as Play Store installs, but we cannot officially recommend or support these methods.

Setup

1. Install Pine Maps from Google Play
2. Connect your phone to your vehicle via USB or wireless Android Auto
3. Pine Maps should appear in the Android Auto launcher

Advanced Map Editing

Pine Maps includes a simple built-in editor for adding and updating points of interest (POIs) like restaurants, shops and landmarks. For more advanced edits (building outlines, roads, lakes, boundaries) you'll need to use OpenStreetMap editing tools directly.

All edits ultimately go into OpenStreetMap, the free geographic database that powers Pine Maps. Changes you make to OSM appear in Pine Maps after the next map update.

Desktop editing

The easiest way to do advanced editing is the iD Editor in your browser:

1. Go to openstreetmap.org
2. Click Edit and follow the walkthrough tutorial

Mobile editing

Simple edits (recommended for most users):

• StreetComplete (Android): gamified, easy-to-use editor for adding details to existing map features
• Every Door (Android/iOS): quick POI and shop editing

Advanced edits:

• Vespucci (Android): full OSM editor

What happens with my edits?

Changes are instantly added to the public OSM database. Other contributors can see your username and may contact you through OSM's messaging system. Edits are reviewed by the community as part of OSM's moderation process.

Why is the Edit button disabled?

If you don't see the edit button on a place page, the feature may not be editable through the built-in editor. This is common for complex features like buildings, roads and natural areas. Use one of the tools above to edit these in OSM directly.

Help and community

• OSM Community Forum
• OSM Wiki: comprehensive documentation