A free digital compass that reads your device's magnetometer sensor in real time — no app download, no sign-up. Get your live magnetic heading in degrees and cardinal direction (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) directly in your browser.
Note: On devices without magnetometer hardware (like standard desktop PCs), the compass dial remains static. Open on a mobile device for real-time motion tracking.
This digital compass reads your device's built-in magnetometer sensor through the browser's HTML5 DeviceOrientationEvent API. When you open the page on a phone or tablet, the browser receives three angular values in real time: alpha (your compass bearing, 0–360°), beta (front-to-back tilt), and gamma (side-to-side tilt). The compass rose on screen rotates based on the alpha value — so as you physically turn, the needle always points toward magnetic north. It displays your bearing in both degrees and as a labeled cardinal direction (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW).
Homeowners and architects use it to check house orientation quickly. Knowing which direction your windows face determines natural light throughout the day — critical for designing solar panel layouts, planning garden sun exposure, and positioning furniture to minimize glare.
Amateur astronomers need cardinal directions to polar-align telescope mounts and locate constellations. Before setting up in a dark field, a quick compass bearing on a phone lets you orient the mount before the stars are even visible.
Hikers and trail runners use it when their dedicated GPS device runs flat. A browser compass on a phone with even 10% battery is far better than none — it works without cell signal, since it only reads the magnetometer, not the GPS.
Remote workers and travelers use it when arriving at an unfamiliar hotel or office building to quickly orient themselves — especially useful in cities where street-level signage is absent.
Real estate professionals and photographersuse it to document a property's orientation or determine the direction a shot faces for golden-hour planning.
| Feature | ToolsPixel Online Compass | Dedicated Compass App |
|---|---|---|
| Download required | No — works in browser | Yes — install from app store |
| Storage used | Zero | 5–50 MB |
| Works on iOS & Android | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Works on desktop PC | ⚠️ No magnetometer | ⚠️ No magnetometer |
| Privacy — data sent to server | None — 100% client-side | Varies by app |
| Qibla / prayer direction | ✅ With bearing lookup (see FAQ) | Some apps yes |
| Calibration | Figure-8 calibration guide | In-app calibration |
| Cost | Free, always | Free or paid |
Modern smartphones contain a three-axis magnetometer— a tiny solid-state chip that measures the strength and direction of the surrounding magnetic field along X, Y, and Z axes. The phone's operating system combines these readings with accelerometer data (to account for tilt) to produce a stable compass bearing regardless of how you hold the device.
The browser accesses this data via the DeviceOrientationEvent API. When you add an event listener for deviceorientation, the browser fires an event multiple times per second containing the three Euler angles. The alpha property contains the compass heading (0–360°), which this tool uses to rotate the compass rose SVG in CSS.
On iOS, Apple wraps the API behind the DeviceOrientationEvent.requestPermission()method. This must be called from a user gesture (a button tap), which is why the "Enable" button is required on iPhones. Android browsers grant the permission automatically on devices with a magnetometer.
Compass stuck or showing 0°: Your device likely lacks a magnetometer (common on desktop PCs, cheap Android tablets, and some Chromebooks). The tool will remain static with no data.
Reading jumps or drifts: Magnetic interference from nearby metal, speakers, or another device is affecting the sensor. Move away from the interfering object and perform the figure-8 calibration gesture.
iOS permission denied:If you accidentally denied the permission prompt, go to iOS Settings → Safari → Motion & Orientation Access and re-enable it, then reload the page.
Accuracy vs. true north: This compass shows magnetic north, not geographic true north. The difference (magnetic declination) ranges from near 0° in some regions to over 20° in others. For casual navigation this is negligible; for surveying or precise navigation, account for your local declination.
Want to understand the difference between magnetic north and true north?
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