The free, all-in-one ActiveCaptain app allows you to manage your marine experience from nearly anywhere. It creates a simple yet powerful connection between your compatible mobile device and chartplotter, charts, maps and the community. Connected features include:

Smart notifications, such as calls and texts, on your chartplotter display when paired with the app
Connect to fellow boaters in the ActiveCaptain Community for up-to-date feedback on marinas and other points of interest
Make, save and transfer routes and waypoints between the app and chartplotter
Easily upload and download the latest Garmin Quickdraw Contours content from the community

ActiveCaptain can also serve as a stand-alone app, without a chartplotter, for purchasing charts, route planning, and ActiveCaptain Community information.

Installing ActiveCaptain

The first step to using ActiveCaptain will be installing the app to a smart device, like a smartphone or tablet. The app can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. To check if your chartplotter/fishfinder is compatible, and what connected features ActiveCaptain can offer you, click here.

Registering and pairing with ActiveCaptain

Once the ActiveCaptain app is installed on your smart device, you are ready to register your device with ActiveCaptain and pair your compatible chartplotter/fishfinder. You can find instructions for registering your chartplotter/fishfinder here. You can find instructions for pairing here.

Using ActiveCaptain

Now that the ActiveCaptain app is set up, you can begin using the app. Click a link below to find instructions for some common uses of the ActiveCaptain app.

Garmin provides video tutorials to set up and use ActiveCaptain features on YouTube.