Downloading Features, Like Relief Shading, for Garmin Premium Marine Charts

Selecting chart layers in ActiveCaptain® app

The ActiveCaptain® app allows users to select which chart layers to download along with the chart. A chart layer is additional views that overlay the chart or are in addition to the Vision chart, such as the Raster chart. 

• Raster Charts

• Relief Shading

• Satellite Imagery

• Sonar Imagery

• Garmin Quickdraw™ Community 

• ActiveCaptain Community

1. Open and sign in to the ActiveCaptain app

2. Choose Settings

3. Select Chart Download Settings  - uncheck any chart layers that are not needed

• • Leaving all chart layers checked will slow the download 

  • The ActiveCaptain App must be connected to a Wi-Fi or cellular network to download charts

Chart and selected layers download together

When the chart is downloaded in the ActiveCaptain app the selected layers will also download along with the chart. Be aware that selecting all chart layers will slow the download of the chart make selections based on use. See Downloading Charts with ActiveCaptain for help with downloading charts. 

Chart and chart layers sync together

The selected layers and the chart download together and sync when the ActiveCaptain app connects to the chartplotter. See Connecting the ActiveCaptain App with a Compatible Garmin Device for steps. 

NOTES:
   •  High-resolution relief shading is available outside the US on BlueChart® g3 Vision 2021.0 and newer, and only as a download through the ActiveCaptain app.
   • To use the ActiveCaptain app, there must be an ActiveCaptain card inserted into the chartplotter.  The card is a micro/SD card up to 1TB*; this type of card can be purchased locally at any electronics retailer.
   • If reusing an existing 32GB or smaller micro/SD card, format the card using the Fat32 method.  Cards 64GB and larger should be formated as exFAT.
   •A preloaded chart card is not recommended; use a separate micro/SD card for the ActiveCaptain app. A different micro/SD card prevents accidental erasure of the preloaded chart card.  To create the ActiveCaptain card, see Creating an ActiveCaptain Card for steps.
   • Some chartplotters will require the use of a Wi-Fi adapter in order use the ActiveCaptain app.

*Not all devices offer support for 1TB capacity cards. To verify your device's compatibility, refer to New exFAT support on Garmin® Marine Devices