Compass – Your Heading in Degrees
Hold your phone flat and turn on the compass to see the heading the top of your phone is pointing to.
How to use the compass
- Hold your phone flat with the top pointing where you want to check.
- Tap Turn on compass. On iPhone, allow motion and orientation access when asked.
- Read the heading in degrees and the direction. If it looks wrong, wave the phone in a figure-eight.
Compass points
| Point | Center | Range |
|---|---|---|
| N | 0° | 337.5° ~ 22.5° |
| NE | 45° | 22.5° ~ 67.5° |
| E | 90° | 67.5° ~ 112.5° |
| SE | 135° | 112.5° ~ 157.5° |
| S | 180° | 157.5° ~ 202.5° |
| SW | 225° | 202.5° ~ 247.5° |
| W | 270° | 247.5° ~ 292.5° |
| NW | 315° | 292.5° ~ 337.5° |
Magnetic north vs. true north in Korea
Phone compasses point to magnetic north. In Korea it lies 8–9° west of true (map) north, so tick "Show true north" to add Seoul's declination.
| City | Declination | Magnetic north is |
|---|---|---|
| Seoul | -9.0° | about 9.0° west |
| Sokcho | -9.3° | about 9.3° west |
| Busan | -8.5° | about 8.5° west |
| Jeju | -7.8° | about 7.8° west |
Accuracy
Magnets (including magnetic phone cases), speakers, metal desks and cars can throw the reading off. Laptops and desktops usually have no compass sensor.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI Magnetic Field Calculators (WMM2025) (computed for October 2026)
- W3C Device Orientation and Motion
FAQ
Why doesn't the compass start on my iPhone?
Tap Turn on compass and allow motion and orientation access. If you denied it, reload the page and try again.
Does it work on a laptop?
Usually not. Most laptops and desktops have no compass sensor, so open the page on your phone.
How far is magnetic north from true north in Korea?
About 8–9° west: roughly 9.0° in Seoul and 7.8° in Jeju (WMM2025, October 2026).